Toronto Police issue sex offender alert1

In his summation, Callaghan said Liberal Party staff asked nine people who got passed posted notices banning unauthorized entry to leave their office, and alerted police when they continued to demand Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Premier Dalton McGuinty come to the building and hear their demands.

Members of the group continued delivering a speech from a second-floor window to supporters who filled St. Mary St., which Toronto Police witnessed. The speaker used a megaphone which an OCAP organizer later said was held by Clarke.

In addition to Clarke, Toronto residents Mark Brill, 52; Ilian Burbano, 44, who has a high profile in the Latin community; Kelly Burgess, 29; Lindsay Windhager, 27; Aleisha Cuff, 40; Rachel Hout, 25; Wendy Forrest, 64; plus Lindsay Hart, 23, of Oakville are all are charged with mischief and forcible entry.

They all return to court Aug. 30.

Two women arrested at the same time were released from the building that afternoon, with a promise to appear later in court.

The group's lawyer, Mike Leitold, of the Movement Defence Committee with the Law Union of Ontario, called the arrests "politically-motivated."

Expressing gratitude that the Crown agreed to their release, he thanked OCAP supporters for behaving peacefully in court. They included Gaetan Heroux, who led the rally and march the previous day, plus a small rally outside the court building prior to the bail hearings.

"We're more concerned by the criminalization of dissent," Leitold told reporters later.

He said OCAP will continue to oppose the Liberal provincial government's "austerity moves," including cutting the Special Diet Allowance for people on welfare.

That was the main issue at Wednesday's march and Liberal office infiltration, court was told.

Leitold said he was sad to be representing clients in court "on a criminal matter" that should be dealt with as a "political matter.

"It points towards a pattern of criminalizing dissent," he said, vowing the group will continue its opposition program and "people have a right to assemble."

At the morning rally, Heureux said Toronto courts are filled with too many poor people oppressed by the police and justice system.

Insisting his colleague's arrests were "politically-motivated," he said they face "criminal charges that will make it impossible for people to speak out publicly."

One of the sidewalk speakers Thursday was Kelly O'Sullivan, president of the Canadian union of Public Employees, who later provided the bail guarantee for Forrest.