Every Friday night, for over a year, Elan Ohayon has slept at Allan Gardens to protest the plight of Toronto’s homeless. It took cops with handcuffs to drag him away from his dignified demonstration last week.

Elan is an embarrassment. When Elan and co-demonstrator Oriel Varga bed down in their sleeping bags, it’s a damning action that shames not only the City, but all of us. When they feed the City’s hungry, shelter the City’s cold, it condemns our community for not doing so. So the City has responded by detaining one of its most compassionate members to somehow mask its shame.

Fighting fire with fire, clearly, some people just don’t get it.

It’s ironic that a City that categorically ignores its most destitute citizens takes such consideration for someone who should have just been left alone.

And there’s that shame again.

Ready for some more?

Elan is sitting in a cell wearing a fluorescent orange jumpsuit after refusing bail because it would have barred him from going within 50 metres of the park. He could have spared himself the ‘discomfort’ of a lengthy residence in the Don Jail had he just said yes to a simple stipulation.

That’s how you keep from selling out.

The sincerity behind his actions, the dedication to the cause, the courage of his convictions, and the sheer integrity of the man humbles us. We eagerly await an overdue and unconditional release.

So what happens this Friday? Members of the U of T community, the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee, various student organisations, and the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty will attend a demonstration at Allan Gardens in support of Elan and in aid of the homeless.