Toronto police and security denied access to journalists documenting Lamport Stadium homeless encampment eviction

July 21 , 2021

Denial of access, Denial of access in 2021

Toronto police and security denied access to reporters and threatened to arrest them if they didn’t leave the area during the eviction of a homeless encampment on July 21, 2021.

Ahead of the evictions in Lamport Stadium, the City of Toronto and some media organizations arranged to allow a pool — one photographer and one video journalist, and no print or radio journalists — to enter a fenced-off public space where the eviction was happening, reported Toronto Star journalist Jennifer Pagliaro.

After fighting with the city yesterday over access to the park so journalists could do their jobs, officials agreed ahead of time to let one photographer and one videographer inside the fence to actually document what happens inside. Our editors agreed to send in @SteveRussell
— Jennifer Pagliaro (@jpags) July 21, 2021

But the status of the agreement was unclear: on the morning of the eviction, city officials said pool journalists would only be allowed into the encampment once the eviction was over.

Steve Russell, a Toronto Star photographer assigned to the pool, was told to leave the park or be arrested, reported Toronto Star city hall bureau chief David Rider.

… Journalists including Steve are being told they have to clear the park or risk arrest and one photographer and one videographer will be allowed in *after* the park is cleared of homeless people. That's not being open and transparent or understanding the media's watchdog role
— David Rider (@dmrider) July 21, 2021

OK just talking to Steve, who is inside the fence. Corporate security from the city (not the contracted ones) are telling all media currently inside they can stay for now but might be removed. It’s very unclear. He’s not sure if he’ll be removed too. This is still a complete mess
— Jennifer Pagliaro (@jpags) July 21, 2021

City of Toronto chief spokesperson Brad Ross confirmed in a press briefing that the pool journalists were told to leave while police and security evicted people, and that they would be allowed back in after.

Seán O’Shea, a journalist with Global News, told the Canada Press Freedom Project that his colleagues had not been made aware of a pool arrangement.

When he arrived on scene after noon to take over for another Global journalist, O’Shea told City staffers that they would remain in the area and cover the eviction, even if that meant being arrested, he told the CPFP.

These shots and those from other competing news organizations are only available because we refused to move from the park when we were ordered out. #journalism
— 𝚂𝚎á𝚗 𝙾’𝚂𝚑𝚎𝚊 Global News (@ConsumerSOS) July 22, 2021

A police staff sergeant outside the fence escorted O’Shea and a camera operator into the fenced area. But once inside, Toronto security staff, a Toronto Police communications employee and a senior police officer asked the two journalists to leave.

They refused each request, O’Shea said. After organizing with other journalists on the scene, O’Shea told police that they would not comply with the demand to leave and would continue to report.

This video I shot yesterday at Lamport Stadium during the evictions has now been viewed more than 1 million times.

Covering events like this is what journalism is about. If we had listened to city security and left the area, people would not be able to see what happened. https://t.co/8FsYe4yxhE
— Katherine Ward (@KWardTV) July 22, 2021

These events came a day after police and City of Toronto security barred journalists from covering another eviction in Alexandra Park.

encampment eviction police