News

ACORN’s Healthy Homes Forum: perspectives on landlord licensing

On May 8, London ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) held a Healthy Homes Forum to talk about the idea of landlord licensing in the city. They invited people from all over the city by canvassing at bus-stops the week before, and attending the May Day celebration held in Victoria Park. Around 40-50 people gathered at the 380 Adelaide St. office where members of the ACORN team reviewed what landlord licensing is. ACORN spoke to how other cities are approaching landlord licensing, dispelled myths about the concept, and attendees shared the issues they face in their own rental…

Read MoreACORN’s Healthy Homes Forum: perspectives on landlord licensing

‘The system itself is flawed’: London community shows up to support sexual assault survivor 

Over 40 people joined together on Tuesday, May 13 outside of the Superior Court in London, Ont., to support survivor E.M. on her seventh day of cross-examination by defense attorneys in the sexual assault trial of five men. E.M. was 20 years old at the time of the reported sexual assaults. The trial began at the end of April this year — nearly seven years later. The five men, Michael MacLeod, Cal Foote, Dillon Dubé, Carter Hart, and Alex Formenton, were hockey players on the Canadian World Juniors hockey team. They were in London in 2018 to celebrate the team’s…

Read More‘The system itself is flawed’: London community shows up to support sexual assault survivor 

London Community rallies together for May Day

On Sunday, more than 70 London workers and community members gathered in Victoria Park to celebrate May Day. The celebration included music, chants, and speeches from local organizations and union chapters. May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, celebrates the labour movement and the workers behind it. The origins of May Day trace back to 1886, following a massive general strike in the United States involving workers across the nation striking to demand an eight-hour work day. In Chicago, on the third day, police officers fired into a crowd of striking workers, which incited a rally at the city’s…

Read MoreLondon Community rallies together for May Day

Western community protest: demanding divestment, accountability, and policy changes

This Tuesday, March 18th, Western University students and faculty members gathered on concrete beach to protest the preceding night’s deadly raid in the Gaza Strip — a raid in which over 400 Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes. This attack sparked global outrage as many — including local health officials in the Strip — recognize it as a violation of the current ceasefire (effective January 19th, this year). The rally was composed of students from the Western Divestment Coalition, members of Independent Jewish Voices, amongst students and faculty. The protestors had two demands. Fourth year Psych student and Palestine activist…

Read MoreWestern community protest: demanding divestment, accountability, and policy changes

“I wanted to share this moment with them”: Londoners gather in bittersweet celebration for long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza

On the frigid afternoon of Sunday, January 19th, people of all ages gathered in Victoria Park to share a glimpse of hope that came with the commencement of ceasefire in Gaza earlier that day after  470 relentless days of genocide.  Despite the biting cold, the long-awaited Gaza ceasefire announcement was the silver lining in the dark – “the bare minimum” as one speaker from  the Canadian Palestine Social Association (CPSA), who organized the event, said. The relief was welcomed but bittersweet. The brutal assault on Palestinians by Israeli forces has, to date, claimed the lives of approximately 46,707 people and…

Read More“I wanted to share this moment with them”: Londoners gather in bittersweet celebration for long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza

Small group of Londoners counter-protest to take a stand for reproductive rights

A small group of abortion rights activists in London counter-protested the anti-abortion “Life Chain” event in front of Victoria Hospital on Sunday. Local churches and anti-abortion protesters  participated in what is known as the “Life Chain,” an annual anti-abortion event held across cities in North America on the first Sunday in October since 1987. In London, this protest was held in front of Victoria Hospital at the corner of Wellington Road and Commissioners Road — but protesters were met with a counter-protest by London Reproductive Justice, a local group that advocates for abortion and reproductive rights. The counter-protesters arrived around…

Read MoreSmall group of Londoners counter-protest to take a stand for reproductive rights

CUPE Local 2361 fights for fair wages

Hundreds of community members and Western University’s groundskeepers, caretakers and tradespeople represented by CUPE Local 2361 held a strike solidarity rally on August 30 amid bargaining with the university for a renewed contract. The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 2361 represents Western University’s building services and facilities operations employees, including landscaping services, trades workers and caretakers. The union entered a legal strike position on August 29. Workers and community members gathered at Western University’s main gates on Richmond Street for a solidarity rally at 12 p.m. on August 30. The atmosphere at the rally was energetic as CUPE 2361…

Read MoreCUPE Local 2361 fights for fair wages

London community comes out strong supporting 2SLGBTQ+ “No Space for Hate” counter-protest

Dozens of community members came out to support London’s 2SLGBTQ+ community in a counter-protest against the 1 Million March For Children protest at Victoria Park on Friday. London’s counter-protest was one of over 30 held across Canada on Friday in response to nationwide protests against educational content about 2SLGBTQ+ communities and policies in schools — called the “1 Million March For Children” — held the same day. In London, the counter-protest event was dubbed the “No Space for Hate Counterprotest”.   The counter-protest started at 9 a.m. at the northwestern entrance of Victoria Park while the greenspace surrounding the WW2 era…

Read MoreLondon community comes out strong supporting 2SLGBTQ+ “No Space for Hate” counter-protest