Fortress Of Freedom Board

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Grime and Punishment



By M. Andre Moore, Journalist



It took a private citizen, Toronto real estate agent Rod Stewart, to get justice for a homeless man who had his bicycle STOLEN by police. When Loren Campbell, of no fixed address, was accosted by officers from 55 division and questioned about his red chopper the result was disastrous. They took his bike and allegedly pepper sprayed him under the ASSUMPTION Loren's bike was hotter than Georgian asphalt. There were no reports or complaints to suggest the bicycle belonged to anyone but Mr. Campbell himself. Loren told the officers that he purchased his ride from Zellers weeks earlier with money he saved from his panhandling gig. Apparently they didn't believe him until Brampton resident Rod Stewart, who contributed money regularly to Campbell, provided a receipt and video tape showing Loren buying the bicycle. But did it have to come to that? Do we as citizens have to provide proof of purchase for the very clothes we're wearing for fear of some official swine stripping us of our garments? It depends what we're wearing, I suppose? Or could it be what kind of job we have? Or maybe the colour of our skin?



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