Eritrean party at downtown Toronto hotel met with protest, support

Tensions were high at a downtown Toronto hotel Sunday evening as an Eritrean event was met with protest and support, spurring heavy police presence.

Hundreds of police officers, including members of the mounted unit, were deployed in the vicinity of the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, where two groups - one opposing and the other celebrating the event - had gathered.

One of the groups, whose members wore blue t-shirts, called the hotel to cancel the party, which they described as a fundraising event for the Eritrean government.

Eritrea hasn’t held an election since its first president came into power decades ago. The group had said that the government has limited many freedoms and has forced military conscription, which has led millions of people to flee the country.

A member of the group, identified as Yafet, said the proceeds collected during the party will fund wars, child soldiers and “all kinds of illegal things.”

Yafet and his group were at Earlscourt Park on Saturday to protest the Eritrean festival being held there. At least nine people were injured when demonstrators and festivalgoers clashed. The two sides blamed each other for starting the violence.

A second group, whose members were mostly wearing white t-shirts, later showed up and appeared to be in support of the Eritrean government.

A CP24 reporter at the scene saw officers apprehend three people in blue shirts. Toronto police have not confirmed the arrests.

Just after 7 p.m., as the event got underway, the protest escalated when two guests at the party arrived in a limousine and were quickly surrounded by the blue-shirt protesters.

Police quickly move in to break the scuffle and escort the two people inside.

Shortly after, protesters crowded the entrances of the hotel, shouting their frustrations with the event. The mounted unit trotted toward the crowd to disperse them.

Police have blocked Queen Street West from University Avenue to Bay Street as well as University Avenue between Dundas Street and Adelaide Street.

- with files from CTV Toronto's Katherine DeClerq