Londoners in front of city hall. (Mike Lacasse /XFM News)
With less than an hour to go before the deadline set out by #TheForgotten519, city hall sent out an invitation to the group to resume talks.
Despite the city’s last ditch effort, the hunger strike is moving forward.
In front of city hall Tuesday morning, the sidewalks lined with supporters and wooden crosses symbolizing the many homeless dead, gathered together. They were also joined by other activist groups, like Action Beats Collective, who played their drums to show their support.
The group reiterated their demands to the city.
“Number one, we ask the city immediately stop tearing down homeless encampments and displacing human beings,” said a representative. “Number two, we ask the city to shift their resources from tearing down camps to supporting human beings who live in them. Number three, we ask the city to immediately begin work on two indoor spaces that will support the basic human needs of people living rough.”
Daniel Oudshoorn, both a member of #TheForgotten519’s organization committee and an outreach worker, is carrying out the hunger strike, and lashed out at city officials during his speech.
Dan Oudshoorn in front of where he’s going to be staying for the duration of the hunger strike. (Mike Lacasse / XFM)
“As long as they can spin things in the media to make it look like those deaths are inevitable, like they’re doing the absolute very best that anyone can in a complex situation, or that homeless deaths somehow matter than other deaths, then they are content to abandon people to die,” said Oudshoorn.
He is staying in front of city hall in a tent that holds only very basic necessities for the duration of the strike.
While on his hunger strike, Oudshoorn said he will only consume water with a few drops of electrolytes and whatever medications his physician feels he needs. This will continue until the organization is satisfied with the city’s actions.
He also has mixed feelings going into the strike.
“I feel some trepidation going into this hunger strike, the city has proven itself more than willing and able to turn a blind eye to the suffering and deaths of so many others,” he said.
He also said that, despite this, he also feels resolved.
“I’ve been in this field for so long and this is the first time workers en masse are feeling, like, hope and are feeling like maybe something will finally be done and maybe we’re not struggling for nothing, maybe changes will be made and maybe our friends won’t die,” he said.
Oudshoorn is inviting anyone who wishes to, to join him in the hunger strike or simply stop by and say hello.
“TheForgotten519 have had a lot of people express a desire to engage in some sort of solidarity of that nature. I’m happy to have company. I don’t know if any of y’all have ever slept outside downtown in a city before. I have, and it can be a long night sometimes,” he said.
In addition to the hunger strike, he said that they have other plans to increase pressure on the city.
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