Toronto Mayor Rob Ford says he is taking a recent threat from a mysterious group of Internet vigilantes seriously, but won't let it affect the way he plans to handle the Occupy Toronto protest.
Ford said on Monday that City Hall's IT department was securing their website after a group of computer hackers threatened to "remove" Toronto from the Internet if it attempted to remove protesters from St. James Park.
"You have to take every threat seriously but we have to move on and we have to ask these people to leave the park," Ford told reporters on Monday.
Ford suggested last week that businesses and residents of the area want him to dismantle the camp and that they've "had enough" of the protest. The mayor also said that the occupants had made a point and it was time to leave.
Ford has maintained that it was time something was done about the occupation and says action will be taken soon, but declined to say when or how the protesters will be removed. Ford said he hopes they will leave peacefully.
A video claiming to be from Anonymous was posted to YouTube over the weekend, warning Toronto politicians not to try to force the protesters out of St. James Park this week.
In the 90-second video, the hacking group said it was prepared to "remove" Toronto from the Internet if Ford took to any action to end the downtown occupation.
"We all have freedom of speech and opinions to express and they are doing it peacefully. There is no reason for you to put an end to the occupation in Toronto," a computerized voice said in the video.
"The brave citizens of Toronto are peaceful and well-mannered occupiers and we will not let the City or the mayor that uses vulgar language in public get involved.
"You have said that by next week the occupiers shall be removed. And we say by next week if you do not change your mind you will be removed from the Internet. We have already planned for this."
Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said on Monday that it was time for the occupation of St. James Park to come to an end, saying he would support forcing protesters out if necessary.
"People have had their say; they have had a chance for protest. I just think that the time has come to an end and I support Mayor Ford in ending the Occupy protest," Hudak said.
"I just don't think that people have a right to occupy a public park and to think they can do so permanently. It is time for it to end."
Hudak added that the province should provide the city with whatever resources they may ask for to help end the month-old protest and Hudak would support Ford if he chose to send police in to clear the park.
"If they won't go on their own I think they need to move to police action," Hudak told reporters.
Premier Dalton McGuinty has previously said that he would leave the handling of the Occupy Toronto protest to Ford and the Toronto Police Service.
On Monday, Occupy Toronto protesters said their work is far from done and that they were not there to make a point – they were there to bring about a change.
The protesters said they were there to "practice direct democracy, discuss solutions to local, national, and global problems, dialogue with various community groups, and to address various issues in our communities."
The protest, which has assembled in Toronto as part of a global movement against global greed and other social inequalities, has come under attack for having no clear agenda.
