Park permit pulled for Toronto Eritrean festival

The permit for a festival celebrating Toronto's Eritrean community in a west end park was revoked by the city Saturday night after violence erupted earlier in the day. Participants clashed with demonstrators in exchanges that sent at least nine people to hospital.

The permit for a festival celebrating Toronto's Eritrean community in a west end park was revoked by the city Saturday night after violence erupted earlier in the day. Participants clashed with demonstrators in exchanges that sent at least nine people to hospital.

Eight people have non-life-threatening injuries while one person has serious injuries after being stabbed, police said in a tweet. Police did not say how the eight people were injured.

As of 10 p.m. Saturday the city revoked the festival's permit for Earlscourt Park in the interest of public safety, meaning it won't be allowed to proceed, according to a statement from Russell Baker, Toronto's manager of media relations. Baker said the permit was originally granted for Saturday to Monday.