Dave Shellnutt
800.725.0754
dave@thebikinglawyer.ca
www.thebikinglawyer.ca
August 2, 2022
Mayor John Tory
City of Toronto
100 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
RE: Toronto Cyclist Assaulted
Dear Mayor Tory,
After you publicly approved the targeting of cyclists in High Park, Toronto Police have regularly attended the park and ticketed people trying to exercise and/or pursue green affordable transportation alternatives. At 7:50 PM Friday night, a BIPOC cyclist was targeted by undercover and uniformed officers while trying to cycle safely in the park.
You have given credence to the statistically inaccurate impression that cyclists cause harm comparable to motorists. You have authorized a war on cyclists.
Yesterday, a woman on a bike was attacked. She was chased down by a man and knocked off her bike in the Bloor Bike Lane outside of High Park. His justification - that he was fed up with cyclists and decided to teach her a lesson.
The woman called police to the scene, but they failed to act.
As a lawyer for injured cyclists, this episode of road violence is not unique.
It would be wise to cool temperatures, and we ask that you publicly denounce this kind of behaviour. We ask that police refrain from harassing cyclists in High Park and instead dispatch City Staff and Cycle Toronto to assist in volunteer outreach and safety awareness in the park.
Dave Shellnutt
Lawyer & Advocate
*this letter has been edited online.