Students going rogue

Posted on 03. Feb, 2010 by David White in News

MEG BANKS
NEWS REPORTER

College student groups are the next target, said the organizers of the No Prorogue Toronto campaign.
After a noisy Jan. 23 protest at Yonge-Dundas Square, a highly popular Facebook group and a lot of media attention, the organizers of the No Prorogue Toronto campaign said they want to keep the issue fresh in the minds of Toronto students.
They’re looking for more student involvement, said organizer Walied Khogali, 25.
He said the group started seeking endorsements this week, having already collected a few from student unions and clubs.
There will be “plenty more opportunities for people to do something” about the prorogued Parliament, said Khogali.
The group’s version of a “torch run” on March 3, will have participants gather money for the educational campaigns and ask people to sponsor their “relay for democracy,” he said.
The new series of events will also include flash mobs and educational campaigns.
Humber project management student Dave Smith, 26, who attended the Jan. 23 protest said he was glad he went to show his support for the cause.
“It’s important to show that you actually care about something and that you’re willing to devote some of your time,” he said. “I think it was definitely successful – there were a lot more people than I expected to see.”
The organizers said they have been shocked by the response.
“People really care,” said Khogali, “It’s not theatrics. It’s real anger.”
Event organizer Justin Arjoon, 27, a University of Toronto student, said organizing the Jan. 23 protest turned out to be a bigger job than he expected.
The room that he booked for the first organizing meeting was meant to hold 50 people – a quarter of the number that showed up.
“We were violating the fire code,” he said, “I had to book a new room!”
Khogali estimated the attendance at the Jan. 23 protest between 9,000 and 10,000 people.