Posts Tagged ‘men’

passing faces

Posted: July 12, 2016 in graffiti and street art
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I was walking along Queen Street West near Shaw St when pieces of paper on the wood construction hoardings around one of the buildings caught my eye.  The installation is no longer intact, but the pieces are still compelling.  The mural consisted of many faces of black men.  Even though some of the faces are peeling away, they still look like they are looking at you (or the camera).   Apparently there is another similar mural a bit farther west (by 1050 Queen St. West) but with black and white outlines and highlights instead of red, blue, yellow and green.

pictures of the faces of black men attached to wood construction hoardings and rough outlines and highlights drawn on the faces with crayon, in red, blue, yellow and green. Some of the faces are peeling away at the edges and the look a bit 3D

pictures of the faces of black men attached to wood construction hoardings and rough outlines and highlights drawn on the faces with crayon, in red, blue, yellow and green.

pictures of the faces of black men attached to wood construction hoardings and rough outlines and highlights drawn on the faces with crayon, in red, blue, yellow and green. The faces all look like they are looking into the camera

pictures of the faces of black men attached to wood construction hoardings and rough outlines and highlights drawn on the faces with crayon, in red, blue, yellow and green.

pictures of the faces of black men attached to wood construction hoardings and rough outlines and highlights drawn on the faces with crayon, in red, blue, yellow and green.

It may be cheating a bit, but the next picture is from a screen shot of a photo from the artist’s (lavishbat, #oluseye) instagram account.  It shows the whole piece as it was originally.

screen shot of a page from instagram, account of lavishbat, and the photo of a mural made up of hundreds of pictures of black men's faces.

pride parade 2016

Posted: July 5, 2016 in events, people
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Or rather, pre-Pride parade.  The parade route is usually very crowded and this year I decided not walk it.  Instead, I mingled with the parade participants who gathered on Bloor Street in preparation for the event.  What you’ll find in this blog posts are a lot of pictures of people, people laughing and smiling and enjoying the day.  I hope I have captured some of the energy and spirit of the occasion.

below: A temporary rainbow LOVE sign

a rainbow coloured large sign that says LOVE on it, in front of a row of brick houses. A policeman is walking along the street in the right of the picture
below: The orange guy from the fruit group!

a man dressed as a fruit, an orange, with big green glittery bow in the front and oversized orange frame glasses, also white gloves and an orange hat. He is smiling a big smile and waving at the camera
below: One of the floats parked on Rosedale Valley Road. Toronto in balloons, ready and waiting for the parade to start.  The calm before the storm.

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below:  When I first approached this group, the man in the middle had a rainbow flag in front of him. As I took the picture he flung the flag to his back and hammed it up for the camera.  Thanks!

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below: These boots are made for walking, but that bike sure looks great!

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below: Apparently, wearing large amounts of feathers on your back is quite warm. Not so good on a hot day!

Two men with large feathery wings on their back. The one in front has black wings and is wearing a black leather hat. He is topless. The other man is wearing a white T-shirt and white feathery wings as well as a rainbow striped hat.

below: The solution – water of course.   Super soakers and the spraying of water is a big part of the pride parade.

a man wearing black feather wings and a black leather cap is being sprayed with water

below: The three coloured Transgender Pride flag – the stereotype colours of light blue for baby boys and light pink for baby girls with a white stripe in the middle for those who identify as neither.

A young person with short hair and a floral wreath in their hair, holds three pink and light blue trans flags,.

below: #ShareLove wash the hashtag used by Telus and the people on their float. I love the glitter and the purple hearts!

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below: Puppets from Kids Help Phone Line make an appearance at the parade with a little help from some friends.  The one T-shirt reads “Tell us about your #firstpride”

two young women with puppets, from the Kids Help Line float at the parade. One puppet is a girl and the other is a boy.

below: Well, what can I say? It’s Pride.

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below: Nonchalantly blowing bubbles.  Someone looks unimpressed.

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below: I managed to find the saddest person on Bloor Street.

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below: Thanks to these two women who showed off their T-shirts for the camera. #ProudBecause was Fido’s campaign for Pride. Each person on the team had a T-shirt like this, and each person had filled in the white rectangles with their personal messages.

two women pose with their backs to the camera. They are wearing yellow T-shirts that have multicoloured hashtag symbol with the word #ProudBecause written below it. Below that is a white space where they have each filled in the reason for why they are proud.

below: Spectators waiting. One is keeping cool.

A man in a large red afro wig is standing beside the parade route, on the sidewalk but behind the barricade. Viewed from the back, all he is wearing is a leather thong and red shoes and socks.

below: The Liberals had a large presence, most of them in red T-shirts.  They congregated on Asquith Green early on and there were many in the staging area on Bloor Street.  As the world knows, Justin Trudeau walked in the parade with Toronto Mayor John Tory and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.  As an aside, I may be the only person who didn’t get a photo of Trudeau!

When the parade started, I left Bloor Street, heading south on Ted Rogers Way then back towards the Hayden Street entrance to Bloor subway station.  Somewhere along that route (and I can’t remember exactly where) I saw a small group of PC/Tories with their signs walking towards the parade.

a man wearing a rainbow coloured mask and a rainbow bandana over his head, holding a flag. In the background is a group of people wearing red T-shirts that say Proud Liberal

below: Tomodachi is Japanese for ‘friends’.

a group at a parade, rainbow umbrella, one woman holds a sign that says "Pride from Japen" and another woman holds a placard that says "we are tomodachi"

below: The Federation of Canadian Naturists were also walking in the parade.

a group of naturists , mostly seen from the backside, naked bums, bare bodies

two young Asian men pose beside a man in drag, long auburn hair and a red tight fitting dress, there is also a topless man wearing a hat with a Mexican symbol on it and holding a Mexican flag.

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a person in an orange wig and with green lipstick. You can only see the face because the rest of her is covered by the yellow feathers and glittery pieces that she's wearing. A very vibrant picture.

A woman dressed in a Sailor Moon costume sits on the ground beside a large rainbow flag

A minister in black shirt and white collar, also wearing a large wood cross on a necklace. Other people dressed for the pride parade are in the background.

A young Asian woman wears large round sunglasses with pink peace symbols on them as well as a pink and a green fuzzy necklace. A man holding a rainbow flag is smiling in the background.

a man in drag, pink dress, and a very large pink wig. He also has a partial mask over his face so that is forehead and very large nose look blue.

A young person with very short hair, wearing round purple and pink sunglasses and a tie dyed T-shirt that says Free Hugs on it.

line of people waiting behind barricades at the side of the street waiting for the Pride parade to begin.

a girl in pink sun hat, white sunglasses and a bright multi coloured dress poses for a picture

Two young women from the group 'Mercy for Animals'. One is holding a green placard in the shape of a rabbit and the other is holding a placard in the shape of an orange pig.

two people on a motorcycle posing for the camera

trans rally and march

Posted: July 2, 2016 in events, people
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The Trans Rally and March, first of the Pride parades was last night (Friday).

 

a young man in a white sleeveless shirt in a parade, holding a sign that says #love always wins

below: If you were driving on Yonge street last night, perhaps you got stuck in traffic. Northbound cars on Yonge were stopped to allow the parade to cross from Bloor to Yonge. The parade continued in the southbound lanes which gave the stuck drivers and passengers a front row seat.

Cars coming north on Yonge street are stuck because they have to stop for a parade that crossed Yonge street, the Trans parade then marched south on Yonge street beside the traffic. A woman takes a picture out the window of her car.

Last year it rained for the Trans March and in previous years the turn out was low.  Whether it is because trans issues have been in the news a lot lately, or because the trans community is more visible, or because of other reasons, there were more people walking than usual.

parade coming down Yonge street, cars stopped on the right, a flag on the left, one woman holding a sign that says We celebrate our children

guys walking in a trans parade on Bloor street holding signs that say "We are #orlando, we will always remember you RIP"

A man in butterfly pink sunglasses is making a face as he blows bubbles, the man beside him has a large beard and he's laughing as he blows bubbles too.

a woman in an orange dress holds a sign that says "Hearts not parts", she has her arm around a young man in a black baseball cap and sunglasses.

people walking in a parade on Bloor street in Toronto including a man dressed all in pink and a man with shiny magenta leggings and a rainbow tie dyed top

two men in a pride parade with wigs on, each carrying a rabbit

an old motorcycle and sidecar painted splotchy orange with a person wearing a pink bra sitting in the sidecar. Parked, waiting for the start of a parade.

a boy waits for the start of a parade. He is carrying a sign, dark blue lettering on magenta, that says I have a sign.

a man in a zebra striped dress and a bright pink wig, in a parade, another man is beside him holding a sign that says US anti-trans bathroom bills are full of shit, no more hate

two small dogs on leashes, walking in a parade

trans parade on Bloor Street, many people walking and holding signs, "Support Trans Families". One person with a rainbow flag on their back. one girl with a bright pink boa.

two older guys dressed up for trans parade, one in a glittery top and the other in a pink fishnet top, both in motorized scooters, one with a rainbow flag draped over the scooter, the other with big plastic flowers.

A button that says "Sex, it's what we do".

people walking in a parade including a woman in a jean jacket and a frilly white skirt and a person dressed in white dress, hat and high heel shoes.

three people stop to pose for a photo as they walk in a trans parade for pride weekend

below:  Dave holding ‘Pulse’ a memorial artwork in honour of those who died at the Pulse nightclub Orlando.  The piece was crocheted by Dave and the Craft Action Collective.

Dave holding up a large crocheted banner with a black and grey ribbon, and rainbow ribbons with the names of each of the people killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

a group of people walking in a trans march, three in long skirts and two with hats, the middle one is dressed all in purple

a couple in a parade, one has a rainbow coloured boa and the other has a pink wig and is draped in the pink and blue trans flag.

a woman wearing a bikibi top and sunglasses is blowing a whistle and pumping her fist as she walks in a parade

a crowd of people walking down Yonge street in a trans parade as part of Pride, one person is holding a sign that says "I just want to pee"

a woman in a parade is holding as sign that says Biological Sex does not equal gender identity

a person with long hair and wearing a purple t-shirt that says fuck on it, holding a banner in a trans parade

a young woman laughing, she's wearing a stars and stripes bikini top and a straw cowboy hat.

young person in a green t shirt holding a sign that says "We need health care not gatekeeping"

A young woman carrying a sign in a parade. The sign says "Proud of my parent and you"

a couple walking arm in arm in a parade, one has short blue hair and the other is wearing a t shirt with a skull on it and holding a rainbow pride flag

a couple standing beside each other with their backs to the camera, one has a rainbow flag draped over her back and the other has a trans flag draped over his back.

#loveislove | #lovealwayswins

Portugal Day Parade

Posted: June 13, 2016 in events, people
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Yesterday the Portuguese community in Toronto held their 29th annual Portugal Day parade.   It was a lively, happy occasion.  Hundreds of people lined Dundas Street West between Lansdowne and Trinity Bellwoods Park to watch the parade.  They showed their Portuguese colours with flags, banners, hats, soccer shirts, and lots of red clothes!  Young soccer players demonstrated their skills.  People of all ages wore traditional dress from different parts of Portugal as they walked and danced along the parade route.  There was music too – bagpipes, marching bands, and music to dance to.

A man pushes a cart from which he is selling popcorn, candy apples and cotton candy to people watching a parade. A black truck is behind him with a boy in the passenger side who is hold a banner out the window that says Portugal on it.

Two boys holding a red banner for a marching band in a parade. Lots of flag holders behind them, a Canadian flag, an Ontario flag, a Toronto flag and a Portuguese flag.

A young girl swirls her long skirt as she dances in a parade. Portugal Day parade on Dundas West, Little Portugal, in Toronto

A boy is wearing a Rinaldo soccer shirt, and sitting beside a Portuguese flag. His father is with him

men, members of a Labour Union, walk in a parade. They are wearing orange shirts with short blue sleeves that say Portugal Day on them.

Women dancers in traditional Portuguese dress, dancing in a parade. One of them pauses to look at the man selling cotton candy and popcorn froma cart.

On a street, Dundas West in Toronto, there is a parade, people on the sidewalk watching, and dancers performing in the parade. Portugal Day parade.

People in a parade, three people holding two flags, Portugal and Benfica. A man behind them is holding his arms up in the air.

Two girls in traditional Portuguese dresses are dancing in a parade, onlookers sitting on the sidewalk behind them.

A young woman is wearing a large tall hat in squares of the colours of the Portuguese flag. Beside her is a person draped in the Portuguese flag. They are watching a parade

Four kids sitting crossed legged at the side of a street watching a parade. They are holding Portuguese flags. The older boy has a red whistle in his mouth.

Two Toronto policemen in yellow safety vests watch a parade, women dancing past them.

members of the Cobourg Legion pipe and drum band, four bagpipers in their blue and red kilts marching in a parade

A float in a parade featuring the Portuguese Radio and TV stations, Camoes,

Close up shot of the hands of three men dancing in a parade. The faces of only 2 of them are visible. They are wearing white shirts, black vests, and black hats. Portugal Day parade

Spectators in a parade hold small Portuguese flags as they watch traditional dancers perform.

A woman holds a colourful banner in a parade

A woman from the crowd watching a parade, goes over to a float that has a live sheep and goat on it, she is hesitating to pat the sheep.

people watching kids kicking around a soccer ball as part of a parade. The kids are all in red uniforms.

A woman is giving out small portuguese flags to people watching a parade. She is wearing a t-shirt in support of local politician Anna Bailao,

Spectators at a parade, sitting on chairs, one of which has a Canadian flag on the back. Passing by is a marching band in dark pants and white shirts. Portugal Day parade on Dundas West.

Sackville Street murals

Posted: April 6, 2016 in graffiti and street art, locations
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Sackville Street, just south of Dundas, is right in the midst of the Regent Park renewal project.  It is also the site of two murals.  First, there is bright and colourful mural which is painted on the side of a new apartment building.

mural painted by Shalak Attack and Bruno Smoky in Regent park Toronto, showing a brightly coloured woman;s face, with a flower in her hair and her body (from the shoulders up) made of buildings in a jumble as well as a blue owl (large bird) in flight, passing in front of the sun that is represented by circles of orange and red radiating out from the bright yellow center. A green hand is reaching up towards the sun

A man with a dog an a leash is walking by a mural of a brightly coloured woman;s face, with a flower in her hair and her body (from the shoulders up) made of buildings in a jumble. Painted by Shalak Attack in Regent Park

close up of a mural by Shalak Attack and Bruno Smoky of a blue owl (large bird) in flight, passing in front of the sun that is represented by circles of orange and red radiating out from the bright yellow center. A green hand is reaching up towards the sun

The other mural is a painting by elicser on hoardings around a building under construction.

a long mural by elicser painted on hoardings around a building under construction. People flying past in the mural

below: With the ubiquitous Timmie’s cup on the ground.

the end of a mural, a man is sideways, arm above his head, painted on a mural, a large orange concrete block is in front of the wall, an empty Tim Hortons cup (Timmies cup) is on the ground.
part of a mural of flying people by elicser, a woman in a light purple dress and head scarf as well s a boy in beige Tshirt and blue shorts

Two people painted flying sideways on a mural, a brown man with no shirt on and a much smaller person below him with a yellow T-shirt. An orange concrete block is on the sidewalk in front of the mural along with an orange and white traffic cone

people flying sideways on a mural by elicser, including a girl in a pink dress

people flying sideways on a mural by elicser, including a woman in a blue dress and a man with a red hat.

flying people mural by elicser

the words Regent Park are written in pink paint on a light blue background, painted on wooden hoardings around a construction site.

pillow fight!

Posted: April 4, 2016 in events, people
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Pillow Fight at Nathan Phillips Square
in celebration of International Pillow Fight Day 2016

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - 2 asian women hit each other with pillows while other people watch

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a young man with two yellow pillows looks intensely at a man with a pillow raised over his head

feathers go flying as pillows break during a pillow fight amongst a crowd of people

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a man wearing a suit and dark sunglasses participates in the pillow fight

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a number of young people laughing

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a boy closes his eyes and ducks his head as two pillows come his way

two young women leaping at each other as they try to hit each other with pillows

two young boys swing pillows at each other - people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a young girl swings a pillow

young people participating in a large outdoor pillow fight

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

a woman holds her hands up by her head defensively to ward off pillows being swung by two girls

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a young man with earmuffs and a woman wearing a face mask

young men swinging pillows at each other in a large pillow fight

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people at Nathan Phillips square on a cold day watching a pillow fight, spectators,

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - an Asian woman swings a pink pillow at a man wearing a ski mask

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a woman with long red hair hides under her pillow as she walks through a crowd

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a young woman is on the shoulders of a man as they pass through a crowd during a pillow fight

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day - a woman in a pink and blue striped hat smiles at a man as she readies to through a pillow at him

a person in a bear costume waves to the camera as a boy in pyjamas holds a pillow

people, adults and kids, swinging pillows at each other in a large pillow fight

people in the midst of a large pillow fight at Nathan Phillips square in celebration of international pillow fight day -

asian young man in suit and tie and glasses is laughing and smiling as he swings a pillow in a pillow fight outdoors with many people

a young woman holding a pillow and screaming at another young woman

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an asian woman with her hair dyed auburn has a pillow over her head as she emerges from a crowd at a pillow fight

#pillowfight | #pillowfighttoronto

eyes open, watching for spring

Posted: April 3, 2016 in graffiti and street art
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Faces in the alley, Graffiti Alley

As March turns into April and winter sort of turns into spring.

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below: Looks like someone has already started his spring cleaning.

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below: He says, “See you in hell”.
She thinks, “I’m already there. You should try living beside this smelly thing.”

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below: Jarus has painted a young man

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below: It seems that even Lovebot needs to eat…  Not sure about the purple hamburger bun though!

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be inspired and unique

Posted: December 11, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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Today’s blog post comes from slightly farther afield than I usually venture.   I went northwest to the Jane and Finch area.  As I drove north on Jane street, I spotted some eye-catching paintings on the walls of the Driftwood Community and Recreation Centre.

below: ‘Unique’, a vibrant heart painted by Girls Club

A mural of a large multicoloured heart with peace symbols in circles floating around it. Words: by Girls Club 2013, 'unique'

below: ‘Rooted’ trees by Lil Bruxas and part of ‘United Freedom’ on the back wall

murals on three walls at the Driftwood Community Centre, two trees and a large face

below: ‘United Freedom’ by Essencia

A brightly coloured mural on a brick wall. A large oval face with music symbols on the left and butterflies on the right. Called united freedom and painted by essencia.

part of a mural on a brick wall, multicolour butterflies

below: A blackburn traffic signal box sits on that corner.  Straight from the jungle.

A metal box on a street corner, a leopard by street artist blackburn

close up of street art painting of a greenish grey leopard with blue eyes, nose and mouth

A little father south there are a couple of high rise apartment buildings on the northeast corner of Jane and Finch.   Each has a mural painted around one of the entrances to the building.

below:  ‘Be Inspired, Love Yourself, Educate Others’ by the BeLovEd movement,
painted by Shalak Attack and Fiya Bruxas, 2011.

mural painted on a wall of an apartment building at Jane and Finch titled 'Beloved', painted by Shalak and Fiya Bruxa in 2011. People doing various things.

Part of a mural

part of a mural by Shalak and Fiya Bruxa

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part of a mural by Shalak and Fiya Bruxa

part of a mural by Shalak and Fiya Bruxa, a young woman holding a new born baby in her hand.

***

below: ‘Strong Women, Strong Community’ also by the BeLovEd Movement surrounds a doorway.  Although there is a sidewalk that leads directly to the corner of Jane and Finch, no one was using this entrance.  I was alone when I walked around this building from the parking lot by the main door.

mural across the lower level of a high rise building, surrounding an entranceway

part of a mural on the lower floor of a grey brick apartment building, women, one holding flowers, one resting her head on her hand, one sitting on the grass.

Strong Women, Strong Community are the words written on a mural, people painted on a wall

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elicser people in Scarborough

Posted: December 1, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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If you are driving or walking west on Sheppard Avenue, just past Midland Avenue, you will notice a new mural on one corner of a railway underpass.   This mural was recently painted by street artist Elicser.

a mural by elicser showing different people, on an underpass on Sheppard Ave East. An older couple, a woman in a pink head scarf, some students, some men and women.

part of a mural by street artist elicser, an older couple. The man has a white beard and is bald.

part of a mural by elicser, a woman in a pink head scarf, with a younger woman walking down a road behind her

part of a mural by elicser, students with backpacks walking, a boy with a Blue Jays baseball cap.

part of a mural by elicser, a group of 4 people, 2 men and 2 women. One of the women is on the shoulders of one of the men.

two minutes of silence

Posted: November 14, 2015 in events
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Nathan Phillips Square, 14 Nov 2015
A quiet gathering in support of Paris

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looking through the end O of the 3D Toronto sign towards the main part of Nathan Phillips Square where a large number of people have gathered

The event started with a few speeches.   French Consul General Mr. Marc Trouyet spoke first, followed by Carolyn Bennett, Liberal MP and then Toronto mayor John Tory.

Carolyn Bennett, Liberal MP, speaks at a gathering at Nathan Phillips Square that pays tribute to the city of Paris. A lineup of other people waiting to talk, including John Tory, mayor, is standing behind her.

A woman in a white beret and red scarf is holding a lit candle and a small French flag

The official part of the event ended with two minutes of silence.

A crowd of people standing at Nathan Phillips Square listening to speeches. Some people hold two large French flags.

A sign on a backpack that says Toronto est Paris. Written in blue, white and red

Three people standing in front of the 3D Toronto sign, holding a French flag and a large sign that says "Pas Feur, no fear"

A young man with a French flag draped over his shoulders is being interviewed for TV

#parisisaboutlife

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