Occupy Toronto has been given an eviction notice as of 12:00 midnight tonight, and are forbidden from using the park between 12:01 AM and 5:30 A.M. There will be an all-out rally to save the occupation at 11 PM tonight (November 15th) at St. James Park at King and Church streets.
The City says "The City recognizes the rights of Canadians to gather and protest. However, the City has determined that it cannot allow the current us of St. James Park to continue. In particular, the City can no longer permit the appropriation of St. James Park by a relatively small group of people to the exclusion of all others wishing to use the park and to the detriment of of those in the vicinity of the park. In addition, the current use of the park by Occupy Toronto and others occupying St. James Park is causing damage to the park and interfering with necessary winter maintenance of the park."
There is a second page to the notice serving official notification of trespass.
Occupiers have been receiving support from thousands of Torontonians, as well as many local residents and local businesses, and have offered to co-operate fully with city staff in winter maintenance. In the minds of protesters and many in the city, this eviction is political.
The City threatens to remove tents and structures as of 12:05 tonight. Please join with occupiers at 11 PM tonight in the defence of our civil liberties and right to create space to build an alternative society.
Stay tuned to this site for updates as we get them (this story will be updated shortly as more information comes in), and to the official occupy toronto site at http://occupyto.org/