The Eaton Centre was put into lockdown on Sunday, Aug. 18 after hundreds of anti-fur protestors showed up to the mall yesterday evening. Police were called in by the mall security at around 7 p.m. to deal with the situation after the protestors stormed the mall. Protestors were seen going up and down escalators in large lines, holding up protest signs, chanting into megaphones, and generally disturbing the peace, sending the Toronto Eaton Centre lockdown into effect. The protests were quite loud and there were hundreds of them occupying a section of the mall. View this post on Instagram “Clowns to the left of me. Jokers to the right. Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.” A post shared by Naa Fo Fo (@missnaafofo) on Aug 18, 2019 at 5:04pm PDT They got so disruptive that mall security had to call Toronto Police in for backup. They arrived on the scene but no arrests were made. Police said they were just there to keep the peace.Things did get a little bit tense though, as you can see in this photo from Jonathan Goldsbie of Canadaland: That's four officers atop one lanky dude who is very likely vegan: pic.twitter.com/KYhaS579W3— Jonathan Goldsbie (@goldsbie) August 18, 2019 The protestors can be heard chanting in unison while banging on the glass and just generally causing a commotion. Some people can be seen applauding their efforts. Info:Toronto Eaton Centre-large number of protesters in the mall-mall security have placed the mall in lock down- no injuries, no damage-we are OS to keep the peace#GO1572990^adc— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) August 18, 2019 Protestor against use of animal base product at Eaton Centre. #lockdown pic.twitter.com/20ivhPwjds— VictorVasquez (@vikvc) August 18, 2019 The Eaton Centre is one of the busiest malls in North America and attracts almost 50 million visitors annually. That's about 136,986 a day. The lockdown was no doubt a disturbance for everyone involved. Employees couldn't leave after their shifts, and people were generally just stuck inside the mall because of this. Holy smokes the fur protestors just shut down eaton centre I can’t even leave work 😂😭— Akie (@Akie_valentino) August 19, 2019 Lockdown at Eaton Centre ordered by the police of Toronto pic.twitter.com/Mklw6XEcUD— VictorVasquez (@vikvc) August 18, 2019 Protestors are leaving the mall but still in lockdown and lots of noise. pic.twitter.com/xZuKCU5STl— VictorVasquez (@vikvc) August 18, 2019 It looks like police/security have trapped animal-rights activists on the bridge connecting Saks to the Eaton Centre. Those who made it across, and supporters, are chanting "Set them free! Set them free!" pic.twitter.com/lF3fyrsIYM— Jonathan Goldsbie (@goldsbie) August 18, 2019 The protest seemed to be organized by Direct Action Everywhere, an animal rights group that has had a history of public demonstrations in the name of animal activism.
