An Eritrean festival in Toronto turned violent. Here’s what we know
Global News
A festival in Toronto was crashed by protesters, before skirmishes turned violent. Both the protesters and festival organizers say they hail from the Eritrean-Canadian community.
Around 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, the politics of northeastern Africa spilled out into a west end Toronto park.
A festival organized by Eritreans to take place in Earlscourt Park was crashed by protesters. Violence between the two sides followed, including a man armed with a knife, according to police.
Clashes between Festival Eritrea attendees and protesters escalated. Toronto police said eight people suffered non-life-threatening injuries and a ninth person was seriously injured.
After police intervened, the festival briefly resumed, before officers said more protesters arrived at the event with weapons.
It spilled from the park onto St. Clair Avenue West and at 10 p.m., 12 hours after the skirmishes started, the City of Toronto revoked its licence.
Both the festival’s organizers and protesters hail from Toronto’s Eritrean-Canadian community.
The Eritrean government has been described by human rights groups as one of the world’s most repressive.
The country won independence from Ethiopia three decades ago, and since then, Eritrea has been led by President Isaias Afwerki, who has never held an election. Millions of residents have fled the country, avoiding conditions including forced military conscription.
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