Indigenous support for Toronto’s May Day rally
No One Is Illegal and Occupy Toronto have partnered with the May 1st Movement (M1M) to plan this year’s May Day rally. M1M is a working coalition of over 40 different community groups. You can read the original call out and the statement from No One Is Illegal here.
The call out for this year’s May Day rally in Toronto is:
No Bosses
No Borders
No Broken Treaties
In this spirit, No One Is Illegal proposed a specific call out to Indigenous groups as part of the May Day march. On Sunday April 15, 2012, M1M voted to adopt the practical and ideological principles of de-colonization.
This said, the special call out from Occupy Toronto, M1M and No One Is Illegal – Toronto asks for Indigenous community members and allies, hand drummers and singers, standard (flag bearers of each Nation) bearers and those who wish to carry the Medicines or other Sacred Objects to lead the march on May 1, 2012.
The front of the march will be specifically reserved for First Nation community members and their allies to lead the march in a good way.
Volunteers are also welcome to step up as community “peacekeepers” (marshals) for this lead section of the march as participants are asked to not rush the front of the march but march behind the first large May Day banner.
The May Day Organizing committee (Occupy Toronto and No One Is Illegal) and M1M asks that no symbols of Canadian colonialism be flown at the rally, this includes Canadian flags, in support for Indigenous communities seeking justice from the Canadian state. Of course, all First Nation flags are welcome as well as all flags representing community or political resistance.
All activists supporting the No Bosses, No Borders, No Broken Treaties call out as asked to rally at Nathan Phillips Square at 4:00 pm in the name of peace and solidarity for a community meal and speakers.
The march will begin at 5:00 pm – again, lead by the Indigenous contingent to honour their role and history of resistance on Turtle Island (Canada) from which the worker’s movement can learn.
After the rally, there will be a cultural event at Alexandra Park (Dundas Street West and Spadina Avenue).
At 9:00 pm, Occupy Toronto will lead a march to its 24 hour re-occupation site. Please bring a tent and blankets.
For more information, please see this link.
On April 2, 2012, Occupy Toronto passed the principles of de-colonization at its Cloud Gardens General Assembly (GA):
“Following the rich tradition of Indigenous people and people of colour who have fought for self-determination, decolonizing ‘Occupy’ Toronto means aspiring to win struggles for liberation by placing Indigenous people, people of color, people with disabilities, psychiatric survivors, homeless people, low income or working class people, immigrants, gender non-conforming persons, women, and queers at the center of our collective struggle.
In addition, we commit to creating political structures and community events that welcome Toronto’s residents, 47% of whom are people of color. Further, we commit to respecting the lands upon which we organize in our thoughts, planning and messaging to others. We will acknowledge the lands we stand upon before meetings, GA’s and/or public events.
As a place of unity, we adopt the following statements as part of a living document upon which we base our struggle against the 1%, corporate greed, colonialism and the exploitation of Mother Earth.”
There are ten basic principles that Occupy Toronto has voted to follow. The list can be found here.
The relationship between the Occupy movement and the Indigenous community is chronicled through rabble.ca here:
Occupy(ed) Canada: The political economy of Indigenous dispossession in Canada
Occupy talks: Indigenous perspectives on the Occupy movement — Tom B.K. Goldtooth
Decolonize together: Indigenous activists send strong message at Occupy Toronto talk
Activist Communiqué: (de)Occupy Toronto — Solidarity with Indigenous struggles
Indigenous Perspectives on the Occupy Movement with Clayton Thomas-Muller
Activist Communiqué: Occupying solidarity with Indigenous rights
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