Unit,” she said. “You have this rou- tine carding of Somali youth, and the control over how, when and where Somali communities can move, [which I believe] extends beyond Dixon.”

The Somali Liaison Unit is an ini- tiative of Police Services whose work exclusively focuses on Toronto’s Somali community in Dixon – a project that elevates the level of criminalization of the Somali community through its mere existence.

It’s hard to underestimate the effect of that pivotal moment on Etobicoke Somalis – when came tearing through their community, bringing the press and the police with him. A white, pivotal issue for a community liv- upper-class man with family and ing in fear. For , it was professional infuence, Rob was an opportunity to obtain votes. able to navigate his way through a criminal scandal without changing Prior to Ford’s arrival, the event the way the public perceives white was composed of Somali speakers men. The Somali community, how- who spoke solely in their language, ever, cannot say the same. making it clear that they were in communication with their commu- nity in that moment – no one else. In Somali, they spoke of the signif- In early April, a few days after icance of unity during these times, Doug Ford announced his positive especially during the elections; the connection to the Black commu- importance of having their voices nity, he was booed by a majority in sync with one another; and the Black audience at a gun violence urgency of fnding solutions to talk, entitled “Stop Gun Violence: keep their children safe and alive. Enough is Enough!,” hosted in an Etobicoke high school by the Later in the evening, Ford pro- Somali Canadian Forum. posed that under his leadership he would bring back TAVIS, the 2006 The event started mid-afternoon program to decrease high crime at Kipling Collegiate on April 7 rates in “priority neighbourhoods,” and ran into the late evening – just as determined by Toronto police. before the call to Maghrib, the fnal TAVIS came into effect after 2005, prayer of the day for Muslims. which was named “Year of the More than 200 Somali community Gun” by local media. members flled the room, most of them elders – a majority of them Under the program, 72 police off- women. Among them were politi- cers across the city formed teams cians, including representatives of 18, on bike or foot, to monitor for Mayor John Tory and Michael several “high-risk” neighbour- Coteau, Ontario’s minister of com- hoods – a high-visibility approach munity and social services. designed to deter crime. Instead, the program reproduced a long “Somali women have always been legacy of hyper-criminalized the infuential leaders in the com- racialized and Black communities munities,” says Khogali, who may in those neighbourhoods. The pro- run for city council in Ward 28. gram was eventually disbanded, in 2017, two years after provincial “I had intense moments where cuts to the program. I fought with Somali aunties to have the right to vote for whoever Ford’s proposal was not received I wanted, because the Ford broth- positively at the meeting. He was ers would [work with] local leaders roundly booed. [who have] a great deal of infu- ence [within] the heavily populated “TAVIS disproportionately affected Somali communities to [secure] the Black, and especially Somali, com- vote for that family,” he said. munities,” explains M. Mohamed.

played a pivotal role in the ongoing When I went to the Dixon towers “The program had this very insidi- criminalization of one of Toronto’s – the buildings 320, 380 and 390, ous way of making police presence largest Black and Muslim diaspo- locations that have been raided by routine, normalizing surveillance FORD ras, specifcally those who live in Toronto police – many Somalis culture as this ‘community-ori- the Dixon neighbourhood. I spoke to suggested that sup- ented’ program. What this looked port for Doug Ford appears to be like was the state using the lan- During this period, a police inves- generational: It’s primarily elders guage of social work and commu- tigation known as Project Traveller who show support for the brothers, nity organizing to sugarcoat the NATION’S was developing in the shadows of whereas younger members of this increased surveillance, policing the scandal and affecting many community are more skeptical. and carding of Black youth,” says Somali families in the area. M. Mohamed. Initiated in 2012 by Toronto Police “The Somali community desper- DEEP DIVIDE Services, more than 3,000 pages ately needs leaders who are going (At the provincial leaders’ debate of police affdavits submitted to to not be easily swayed by fancy on CityTV on May 7, Ford reiter- courts later revealed requests for gifts or cash donations,” says ated his support for community Ontario PC leader Doug Ford believes he and his family have a vehicle-tracking devices, search Farxiya M., a young woman who policing, stating he believes in warrants and wiretaps. Police has been a resident of Dixon for “getting police involved in the great relationship with Toronto’s Black communities. The mood began surveilling more than 50 more than 20 years. community and getting programs individuals under Project Traveller in place that are benefcial to the in the West End neighbourhood of Dixon, where over-policing on March 18, 2013 – almost a According to Farxiya and others, community as a whole.”) month after the crack-cocaine support for Doug Ford in the Dixon was triggered by the last Ford in power, suggests otherwise video was released. neighbourhood might be fuelled Khogali, who was at the April by a desire to fnd solutions to the event, interrupted Ford when he Three months later, in June, police violence that has plagued the area. proposed bringing back TAVIS. Doug Ford has supported the Somalis primarily relocated to the swept into the area, arresting some Doug Ford also appeals to many Khogali’s interruption was met Black community in more West End neighbourhood of Dixon. 60 people. Rob Ford was under the here because of the way he presents with applause. than any other politician – at least, This was shortly after the 1988 scrutiny of another police project, himself as anti-elitist. “The fact is, that’s what the Ontario PC leader Transport Canada decision to permit dubbed Brazen 2; he was not the he is the embodiment of elitism,” “The impact [of TAVIS] has been said on April 5 to reporters when planes to fy over Etobicoke in the focus of Project Traveller, although says Khogali of Doug Ford. “He is devastating,” Khogali explained asked why he would not be attend- Kingsview area south of Highway there would be some overlap. very well connected politically and to me a few weeks after the event. ing a provincial leaders’ debate 401. The increased noise levels led comes from a family with a history “The profling of Somalis and organized by Black community to abrupt vacancies, making it an “A lot of the media sensational- of political and fnancial infuence.” the Black community, especially members in Toronto. ism around Rob Ford young men and youth, has led to STORY BY HUDA HASSAN and the Project Traveller “I was always alone in my protest of devastating effects.” “I have massive support from the PHOTOS BY YASIN OSMAN raid in Dixon also came granting these white men so much Black community,” Ford told report- DIXON | KIPLING with increased scrutiny space in our homes, in our stores, In response to Khogali’s protest at ers. “I love them, they love me.” of Black, and especially even in our banquet halls and restau- the Somali Canadian Forum, Ford ideal location for newcomers, and Somali, communities in Toronto,” rants,” Farxiya adds. “Nowadays, after suggested that changing the name There is currently no existing data so the Somalis created a commu- says M. Mohamed, a Somali TAVIS (the Toronto Anti-Violence of the program might help. in Toronto that indicates which nity in the apartment complexes at woman in her 20s who grew up in Intervention Strategy), I have more communities, based on race or Dixon Road and Kipling Avenue. Dixon but no longer lives in the on the opposing side with me.” “[The police] were everywhere, ethnicity, support politicians such area. (Interview subjects did not all the time,” explains Farxiya as Doug Ford. Yet, after conduct- In recent years, Dixon has become want to be named.) The Somali Canadian Forum event, M. about the impact of TAVIS on ing hours of conversations with a site of over-policing, specifcally organized to address the ongoing Dixon. “You couldn’t escape their the Somali community living in after Gawker and the “With Somali communities already issue of gun violence in Toronto’s blue-and-white signature cars. In the Dixon neighbourhood, most of broke the infamous story about hyper-visible as both Black and Somali communities, was an places that housed more Somalis, whom were too afraid to speak on an alleged cellphone video that Muslim, Project Traveller resulted attempt to call on provincial and rarely did a day go by where I didn’t the record about the Ford brothers, showed incumbent mayor Rob in heightened media attention on municipal support in addressing see a cop car just sitting there all it is clear that fear reigns. Ford smoking crack cocaine out- Dixon, as well as increased police what Mohamed Kassim, the orga- day and night. Even now, I’ll come side a house in Etobicoke. surveillance via the Somali Liaison nization’s founder, believes to be a home to cops just chilling around “While Mr. Ford has asserted that the neighbourhood, knowing damn Black communities love him and The Toronto Star story, published well that most of the residents have that he has engaged thousands on May 16, 2013, written by Star developed PTSD from their exis- of Somali mothers, we have yet reporters Robyn Doolittle and tence and become triggered when to see the evidence of these … Kevin Donovan, drove headlines they are forced to speak to cops.” hours of engagement and the pub- around the world, making Toronto lic proclamations of love from a public spectacle. However, it Being Black, Muslim and major- Black Torontonians, Ontarians and also introduced readers to the ity refugees, Somalis are continu- Canadians,” says Walied Khogali, idea of racist, and unnecessary, ously regarded as imported crime. an activist who was in attendance on connections between the Somali When I visited Dixon in April, April 5. “We are not buying what he diaspora in Canada and Toronto’s many community members were is selling. ” drug-trade problem. So much so willing to speak with me – there that Toronto Star public editor was trust there that, as a Somali The largest African diaspora in Kathy English later admitted that woman, I would protect them. Canada began to arrive in North the Star had overused references However, almost none was open to America in the early 1990s in to “Somali drug dealers.” having conversations with me on signifcant numbers, most as refu- the record, as a journalist. I don’t gees feeing civil war. In Toronto, It was too late. That characterization blame them. 16 WEST END PHOENIX