Londoners came out in support of London Acorn (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now), a community-based advocacy organization representing low-income groups.
Acorn members and sympathizers came out to protest in front of the local Money Mart During the National Day of Action on Fair Banking this week.
“Pay Day Loan companies have these high rates and are pretty predatory and they prey on people who are pretty desperate and poor. I want them to limit the interest rates at a decent amount.” said one supporter Yuri, a student and a hopeful future community leader.
Acorn Leader Betty Morrison has a personal history with Pay Day Loan companies, having borrowed from them for decades.
“Oh god, I’ve been involved with Pay Day Loan Chains like them for years, I started in the 60s, when I was still in Ottawa, I thought they were new and I thought okay, I’d go get help, and then I ended up where I was in a roller coaster of pain,” she said.
Morrison went on to detail her experience with these companies, adding that her experience with them helped contribute to her eventual divorce.
“I ended up in this cycle of paying one back, to pay another one, to pay another one, and I couldn’t pay the one back and I wasn’t going to be able to feed my kids” she continued.
Protesters eventually went inside the Money Mart, hoping to talk with a store representative, but they had gone into the back of the store as they went on to contact the police.
“Shame, shame, shame” chanted protesters, as they waited for an employee to come out and meet him.
“We’re delivering a letter in protest of their practices and a call for change, we’d like to speak with a manager please, we can fax this letter off to your CEO,” said Betty, hoping to leave a letter penned by Acorn, eventually leaving it on their counter.
Protesters then went outside again eventually being met by police as they had protesters distance themselves slightly away from the store as the calmly talked, eventually ending the action due to worsening weather.
XFM reached out to Money Mart for comment but has not received a response.
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