Toronto Police block journalists from accessing Trinity Bellwoods encampment area protest

Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) condemns the obstructive actions of Toronto Police

TORONTO, June 23, 2021 – The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) condemns the Toronto Police’s attempts to obstruct multiple journalists from scrutinizing their activity in Trinity Bellwoods park yesterday, including the detention of one photojournalist.

The City of Toronto was enforcing trespass notices issued at Trinity Bellwoods Park on June 12.

Five journalists at the scene told the CAJ that their access to the fenced areas in the park was blocked by police. One freelance photojournalist who was wearing a vest with “news” written on it said he was shoved aside by police in an effort to bar him from accessing the area. The same photojournalist said he was told by police he couldn’t access the area because he wasn’t on “a pre-approved list.” Others told the CAJ they were told if they left the fenced area they would not be allowed back in the area “for security”. 

At around 1:30 p.m. E.T., police also detained and handcuffed Ian Willms, an internationally recognized photojournalist, and confiscated his photography equipment as he attempted to cover police clearing homeless people out of Trinity Bellwoods Park.

Willms told the CAJ he was standing outside a fenced area around the homeless encampments, about 100 metres away from a large gathering of police around a group of homeless people. He asked police multiple times to enter the area and was denied. Willms said police provided him and other reporters no clear, legal reason for the restricted access. He added there were no signs claiming it was a no-trespassing zone.

Willms said his view of what was happening inside the fenced area was obstructed by the crowd of police and trees, and he wanted to enter to observe the actions of police.

“I made a choice and went over the fence to better see what they were doing, which I couldn’t see even if I had a really strong telephoto lens,” he said. “I did what I did to make sure there was accountability for the people in the encampment.”

Video footage and eye-witness accounts show that Willms was immediately detained by a group of officers despite clearly identifying himself as a journalist by holding up his press card from the National Press Photographers Association. Police handcuffed him behind his back and transported him in a court service truck for an hour and a half to 11 Division.

Willms was told at the park he was being charged with trespassing, obstruction and causing a disturbance. Later on in the truck, he said he was told the charge was just trespassing. At the station he said he was released and told he was not allowed to go back to the park today and that he could be fined if he was arrested for similar behaviour there again.

“The Toronto Police have no right to detain journalists who are covering events of public interest,” said CAJ president Brent Jolly. “Today’s events were a complete overreaction. Toronto Police used a hammer to swat a fly.”

Willms is the recipient of over 30 accolades including a National Newspaper Award for best news photograph and a National Magazine Award for photojournalism. His work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, The Walrus, and The New York Times.

Toronto Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This arrest marks at least the second time this month that Canadian police have restricted journalists in an unacceptable fashion. On June 2, the CAJ, along with a coalition of news organizations and press freedom groups, filed a legal application to allow journalists substantive access to cover a demonstration against the logging of an old-growth forest currently taking place in the Fairy Creek watershed, near Port Renfrew, B.C.

“Canada is a democracy. The media has the constitutional right to cover police activity,” Jolly said. “We have said this too many times now, but any efforts that prevent journalists from scrutinizing police actions must always be strongly denounced.”

Why the police at the encampment site at Trinity Bellwoods Park

The City says Toronto Police Service were present to ensure the safety of encampment residents and City workers.

As outlined in the recent City Manager’s report to City Council, the City says encampments contravene several chapters of the Municipal Code and are not a solution to homelessness. The health outcomes for people who stay outside are complex and serious. Individuals living in encampments are also at risk of contracting COVID-19.

The City also says the risk of fires is also high. There have been 114 fire events in encampments so far this year, including nine in the past week. In 2020, Toronto Fire Services responded to 253 fires in encampments – a 247 per cent increase over the same period in 2019. The risk of serious injury or death to residents of encampments, as a result of fire, is extremely high. Since 2010, seven people have lost their lives as a result of fires in encampments in Toronto.

The City in their news release also said that parks must be safe and accessible to all residents of Toronto. The City says it will restore its parks while also helping as many people who are willing to accept the City’s offers of support.

The City says its response to encampments takes into consideration the health and well-being of those living outside and the broader community needs, including access to green space for safe outdoor recreation during the pandemic, and upcoming summer parks programming and permitting requirements including for summer camps.

At least 14 homeless people from Trinity Bellwoods Park accept safe, inside space

Many homeless feel they are safer in the encampments than in the city-run homeless shelter facilities they are being offered, citing fears of greater exposure to COVID as well as violence.

By the end of the day, yesterday, the City of Toronto said they successfully referred 12 people staying in an encampment at Trinity Bellwoods Park to either a shelter or hotel program, with an additional two people returning to the park this morning who accepted referrals to safe, indoor accommodations. Today, the City continued removing debris from the encampment site.

Nine people in the encampment left the site yesterday, declining offers of support or service. A further eight people, whom outreach workers had come to know at the encampment, were unable to be contacted.

In total, approximately 60 structures, including tents and wooden sheds, have been removed from the park. Fencing was erected yesterday by the City to protect City crews and encampment occupants, as well as to allow crews to safely remove debris and begin the task of restoring and repairing the park grounds for general public use.

The CAJ is Canada’s largest national professional organization for journalists from all media, representing more than 900 members across the country. The CAJ’s primary roles are to provide high-quality professional development for its members and public-interest advocacy.

with SOURCE notes from Canadian Association of Journalists and City of Toronto

lead photo by Will Emorey @grimhammer00

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