For more than two weeks now, protesters with Black Lives Matter - Toronto have been camped outside the Toronto Police headquarters after the province's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) cleared a Toronto police officer in the shooting death of Andrew Loku, a black man shot dead last summer.
PSAC Ontario stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter – Toronto tent city movement, which has been advocating for justice for all people who have been marginalized by a system that is meant to serve and protect.
The movement is calling for:
- The release of the name(s) of the officer(s) who killed Andrew Loku
- Charges laid against the officers who killed Loku and an apology to his family
- Public release of any video footage from the apartment complex where Loku died.
- Adoption of the African Canadian Legal Clinic’s demand for a coroner’s inquest into Loku’s death.
- Overhaul of the Special Investigations Unit in consultation with families of victims of police violence, black community and community at large.
- Commitment to eliminating carding, including deleting all previously recorded data, reframed regulations, consistent implementation of policy among various police boards, and concrete disciplinary measures for officers who continue to card.
PSAC Ontario calls on our members to send messages to Premier Kathleen Wynne (premier@ontario.ca), Community Safety Minister Yasir Naqvi (ynaqvi.mpp@liberal.ola.org), Mayor John Tory (mayor_tory@toronto.ca) and Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders (mark.saunders@torontopolice.on.ca) to demand that they meet with Black Lives Matter representatives and implement these demands.
Confronting racism and discrimination must happen at every level, including within our justice system. Members are encouraged to visit Tent City at the Toronto Police Headquarters (40 College St.) and to send messages of support through Facebook: www.facebook.com/blacklivesmatterTO/ and through Twitter: @BLM_TO #blmtotentcity #blmto #andrewloku
In Solidarity,
Sharon DeSousa,
PSAC Ontario Regional Executive Vice-President – Ontario