VZCZCXRO0226
PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHON #0086 1172040
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 272040Z APR 09
FM AMCONSUL TORONTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2796
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0018
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0030
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 0002
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0040
RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS TORONTO 000086 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAN, SCA/INS, S/CT 
HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC 
DHS PASS TO CBP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM CE CASC CVIS CA
 
SUBJECT: Pro-Tamil Protestors Stage Sit-In in front of U.S. 
Consulate 
 
Ref: (A) Toronto 52  (B) Toronto 84 
 
¶1.  (U) A pro-Tamil Tiger demonstration that began Sunday April 26 
carried over into Monday, with 500-1,000 plus protestors in front of 
the U.S. Consulate General.  After spending the night outside on 
Sunday, protestors began a sit-in on the street early Monday 
morning, forcing police to cordon off several blocks of University 
Avenue, a major artery in the downtown core.  Police have been very 
supportive of the Consulate and are in full gear for the 
demonstrations, which have been peaceful and are expected to 
continue for two to three days. 
 
¶2. (U) The demonstration was organized by a group calling itself the 
Coalition to Stop the War in Sri Lanka, part of the Tamil Youth 
Organization.  Protestors are using sound equipment to call for 
support for Tamils and a "free Tamil Eelam" in Sri Lanka.  As in 
previous protests, the red flag associated with the Liberation 
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is being flown alongside the Canadian 
and American flags.  They also have numerous other banners calling 
on Canada, the United States, and the United Nations to intervene 
and save Sri Lankans from "genocide" and some complete with 
swastikas comparing Sri Lanka's current government to Hitler. 
 
¶3.  This is another in a series of protests here at the Consulate 
since January, along with dozens of others elsewhere in the Toronto 
area.  The crowd is larger than during the other demonstrations just 
outside the Consulate, and has grown somewhat during the day.  It 
also has been a bit more boisterous than during previous 
demonstrations and managed to get closer than normal to the 
Consulate on Sunday before being blocked off by police.  Post 
processed our normal consular workload (applicants entering via the 
rear door as is normal), and after today's visa interviews are 
completed, we plan to dismiss staff early. 
 
NAY