City Council budget meeting adjourned twice as Mayor John Tory heckled by protestors

While at the Toronto City Council’s budget meeting on Wednesday, Mayor John Tory, who was presiding over the meeting as possibly one of his last of the city arrangements as a mayor before he steps down, was swarmed and interrupted by protestors, leading the meeting to go to recess twice before it started intently.

As the mayor began his remarks to open the budget meeting, he was met with interruption by a woman who yelled, “I’m sorry, Mr. Tory, you do not get to speak, we do not trust your integrity.”

“We’re going to have to ask you to leave,” replied Coun. Frances Nunziata, the speaker for the chamber, to the remark.

The session was then halted by Nunziata, who then asked security to escort the woman out as she refused to leave, according to media reports.

In a second attempt, a group from the crowd started chanting in unison, “House the homeless, feed the poor, kick John Tory out the door.”

The meeting was stopped for another time as security intervened again, media reports add.

Media outlets detail that when the meeting finally began again, a woman could still be heard shouting, “John Tory resign!” as he began speaking again.

According to media reports, the Toronto City Mayor detailed a $16-billion spending package, including a $48 million spending hike for the Toronto Police, as well as budget cuts for the TTC and a property tax hike in the city budget.