A “demonstration turned violent” in a Toronto park left several people injured on Saturday, with some feeling “shocked and saddened” about the incident.
Toronto Police posted a series of posts to X (Twitter) starting Saturday morning just before 10am, noting that a large crowd had gathered in Earlscourt Park where a person was carrying a knife.
Officers said there were reports of injuries and some tents in the park on fire. Within an hour, Toronto Police Operations (TPO) updated their flyers stating that it appeared to be a “demonstration turning violent”.
While medics were on site helping patients in the park, at least nine people were taken to hospital. One person sustained serious injuries after being stabbed, while the other eight sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Around 2:15 p.m., the police posted another update stating, “The event has turned violent again.”
“Officers from across the city are helping to take control,” TPO subscriber. Please stay out of the area.
Eritrea Festival Toronto will host a series of activities at Earlscourt Park between August 5th and 7th.
But protesters around the world are demonstrating against the Eritrean government, which some describe as “one of the most repressive regimes in the world”.
Last month, at least 26 police officers were injured during an Eritrean cultural festival in Germany.
Earlier this week, hundreds of people were arrested in Sweden after up to a thousand protesters attacked the Eritrea Scandinavian Festival in Stockholm.
In the past week, A.J petition Also done – which currently has more than 1,500 signatures – is to stop the “Eritrea Festival” event scheduled for August 6 at the Sheraton Center Toronto Hotel.
People on social media shared their disappointment about the Earlscourt Park incident.
Alejandra Bravo, a city council member for the area, shared a statement saying she was “shocked and saddened to hear of the violence that has erupted.”
“Please give (the police) space and time to complete their work,” Bravo continued. “Earlscourt Park and some local roads are closed to traffic.”
Some have called for an end to the violence, while others have indicated they were surprised there was no violence at the Toronto Caribbean Festival this weekend.
