Protest in the alley

[Tia Phoenixx]

I'm not expecting a response, but if anyone would like to join me tomorrow night, please send me a message and we can arrange to meet beforehand. Otherwise, I'll be there at 11pm sharp. I'll be the militant-but-still-very-cute one carrying the heavy, intimidating (but perfectly legal) police flashlight.

Good luck Nikki...and please update the information for all of us.

P.S: this is not a promise, but i may stop by. So the venue will be exactly on the alley correct..?

[Admin]

Kudos to you Nikki for standing up for what you think is right.
Dont' get into trouble tho.
I suspect I know how this will end up and it won't be pretty.

[none1]

so what happened at the meeting/protest

[Tia Phoenixx]

so what happened at the meeting/protest

I called Nikki on Saturday night (yesterday) around 10.40 pm since actually i had time to visit her at the alley last night.

But..actually Nikki was there on Friday night, not Saturday.

She told me she posted on Thursday very late at night and i read her post on Friday..so i thought the "protest" would be on Saturday night.

According to Nikki, everything went well. There was police who made sure everything under control.

Probably she will explain to all of us with more details

[Foxy Basket]

Protest

Sorry for not reporting back earlier; I always try to unplug on weekends, and escape the smoggy city whenever possible.

The anti-protest was peaceful and productive, there were police on scene to ensure that no violence broke out. There were some words with the protesters, nothing more. Our anti-protest was much, much bigger than the residents' protest, so we decided to leave at about midnight.

Predictably, the working girls moved to other locations, some of which were even more "residential" than where they were before. I drove and walked around the area several times to see where they were, and make sure they weren't being harassed or assaulted.

I don't know what sort of long-term effect this will have (probably none) but it was an important statement to keep the protesters from increasing the pressure on the working girls.

[none1]

Why can't you get the girls to move to a better area that serves everyone's interests better?

thx

[Foxy Basket]

Why can't you get the girls to move to a better area that serves everyone's interests better?

thx

It's not really my place to tell people where to go, and what to do. . . I don't know who has the right to tell them that. Even if they move to a commercial area, such as the stroll near GH's, what happens when businesses start complaining about condoms and needles on their doorsteps? You get restaurant owners waiting up at night with baseball bats, then reprisals from pimps. . . and everything that follows.

Bottom line, this protest isn't meant to sol ve the problem; they just want the girls to move to another place, so it can be someone else's problem instead.

I don't know the street scene because I've never worked it, but I do know that the entire area is very dangerous for any woman walking around at night. There are other working girls in the area (many of whom are gg's) and I suspect that the tg's would be asking for trouble if they tried to work certain corners. There isn't really a lot of room between Church & Sherbourne, and again, that doesn't actually fix the problem at all.

Personally, I think that the creation of a "Red Light District" would be in the best interests of both the residents and the girls. It would provide some measure of police protection (other than the "protection" that the bastards currently mete out unopposed) and hopefully give the tgirls no reason to work the residential areas.

Of course, this would require a lot more than a bunch of NIMBY-inspired protests - it would require a city council with some balls.

Creating a RLD would fix many of the problems, with fewer consequences. Let's hope it happens.

[Nice_Eye_Guy]

I agree with you about the red light district. However, Toronto has a weird blend of socialist local politics and puritan traditions. I can't see it happening any time soon. Nearly 20 years ago Jack Layton was suggesting that we have a RLD when he was still a city counsellor.

If can certainly feel for the residents of those areas though. It must be hell to live through. I don't agree with them taking their anger out on the working girls though. Better to focus it on the Johns and the local politicians who don't have the balls to offer up a real solution to a problem that will never go away unless it is taken seriously.

Can you imagine if this happened in North Toronto, or Forest Hill You bet the wealthy residents of those areas would be putting the politicians on the coals until a better solution was offered up.

[Rantsalot]

...

It's not really my place to tell people where to go, and what to do. . . I don't know who has the right to tell them that. Even if they move to a commercial area, such as the stroll near GH's, what happens when businesses start complaining about condoms and needles on their doorsteps? You get restaurant owners waiting up at night with baseball bats, then reprisals from pimps. . . and everything that follows.

Bottom line, this protest isn't meant to sol ve the problem; they just want the girls to move to another place, so it can be someone else's problem instead.

I don't know the street scene because I've never worked it, but I do know that the entire area is very dangerous for any woman walking around at night. There are other working girls in the area (many of whom are gg's) and I suspect that the tg's would be asking for trouble if they tried to work certain corners. There isn't really a lot of room between Church & Sherbourne, and again, that doesn't actually fix the problem at all.

Personally, I think that the creation of a "Red Light District" would be in the best interests of both the residents and the girls. It would provide some measure of police protection (other than the "protection" that the bastards currently mete out unopposed) and hopefully give the tgirls no reason to work the residential areas.

Of course, this would require a lot more than a bunch of NIMBY-inspired protests - it would require a city council with some balls.

Creating a RLD would fix many of the problems, with fewer consequences. Let's hope it happens.

Some silly person a while ago mentioned on the boards something along the lines of an RLD or "safe zones" as they called it but somehow the consensus wasn't all too favorable.

Sub question - Where exactly in Toronto would anyone propose the RLD (safe zone) should be located?

[intowntonight]

Ottawa

[Foxy Basket]

Ottawa

Haha, I can't think of a better place for it! God know those MP's need to loosen up a little.

[jf-toronto]

a city council with balls now that is truly funny, cant remember if we ever had one of those, and I dont ever think we will ever see one


Im all for a RLD and have been for years

[Admin]

Level Maple Leaf Gardens.
Nothing happens there anyways.

[tslisaparadise]

Level Maple Leaf Gardens.
Nothing happens there anyways.

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[capitus]

Why do they want to do business in residential neighbourhoods?

Although it may seem like a transgender issue, I think it is more about prostitution in residential neighbourhoods. I know I would be pissed if there were prostitutes (male, female, or transgendered) on the streets of my neighbourhood. Yet I could care less if it is behind closed doors, in hotel rooms, or private residences. I don't believe protests like these are about anti-prostitution per se, but rather not in front of their houses. It is the same as weed...I could care less if people choose to smoke in their own homes, but don't buy it in front of my house...discretion goes a long way.

I suspect the violence and aggressive behaviour is indicative of the level of frustration the residents are feeling. They pay the taxes in that neighbourhood, not the sex workers and not the anti-protest protesters. Why not move the sex workers to the anti-protest protesters neighbourhood?

just my 2 cents.