What to know
- Two adults were arrested during protests against bike lane removals along Bloor Street West on Wednesday.
- One person was arrested near Bloor Street West and Lothian Avenue for obstructing a peace officer and mischief. A second person was arrested near Islington Avenue for mischief.
- Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw warned that protesters who fail to follow officers’ instructions or interfere with removal work could face criminal charges.
- Cycle Toronto executive director Michael Longfield has reportedly said protests will continue as the province moves ahead with its bike lane removal plan.
- The province plans to remove bike lanes on sections of Bloor Street, Yonge Street, University Avenue, Queen’s Park, Queen’s Park Crescent and Avenue Road.
Conflict over Toronto’s bike lane removals is still ongoing, with protests continuing after two arrests took place on Wednesday.
While Tuesday’s protests over bike lanes removal ended peacefully as construction crews left Bloor Street West after being blocked by dozens protesters from commencing the work, the second day of demonstrations ended in arrests and warnings from Toronto police.
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Toronto Police Service (TPS) confirmed to Now Toronto that two adults were arrested during a demonstration in the Bloor Street West area on Wednesday.
Nina Thi Thi Tran, 25, from Hamilton, was arrested at about 1 p.m. in the Bloor St. W. and Lothian Ave. area on Wednesday for Obstruct Peace Officer and Mischief Under. According to police, Tran entered the bike lane while removal of its curb barriers was underway and sat on one of the barriers, blocking its removal. Officers then directed her to leave the area, but she refused to comply.
Later on, at about 8 p.m., police arrested another adult in the Bloor St. W. and Islington Ave. area, also for Mischief. TPS says more information about this arrest will be revealed in a news release.
TPS warns protesters to comply with officers
Despite the arrests on Wednesday, Cycle Toronto executive director Michael Longfield has reportedly said protests over the bike lane removal will continue, calling out the province for failing to find a compromise with cyclists.
A Cycle Toronto social media post also announced that protests would be resumed at 6 a.m. on Thursday.
Cycle Toronto is one of the parties that has taken the provincial government to court over its bike lane plan.
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But as protesters continue to take over the scene, TPS is warning that blocking the work from continuing could lead to criminal charges.
In a social media post shared on Wednesday, TPS Chief Myron Demkiw said while people have a right to peacefully protest, failure to comply with officers’ instructions or making an effort to block workers from carrying out the bike lane removal could lead to an arrest.
“There is no injunction preventing the removal of those bike lanes. That is lawful work. That is going to continue. We will take steps necessary to ensure that lawful work can happen,” Demkiw said.
“There are many different perspectives on this topic, totally understand that. But I’d ask everyone to also remember to follow officers’ instructions out on the street, and not interfere with lawful activity.”
According to the chief, those who fail to comply could be charged with obstructing police or mischief.
‘These bike lanes are coming out’: Province views to carry removal
Although protesters succeeded in delaying the removal of Bloor St. W. bike lanes on Tuesday, provincial officials doubled down in carrying the work.
After the incident Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation, took to social media to say the work would happen one way or another.
“Make no mistake: these bike lanes are coming out. We have a clear mandate and we will deliver,” he said on X.
The province is moving ahead with removing bike lanes on sections of major Toronto streets, including Bloor Street, Yonge Street, University Avenue, Queen’s Park, Queen’s Park Crescent and Avenue Road.
In the meantime, opposing groups argue that doing so could come at the expense of cyclists’ safety.
