An audio recording allegedly depicting police officers taunting a homeless man living in a tiny shelter structure has been met with an outpouring of anger on social media, people outraged at the latest callous display of contempt for the marginalized by members of law enforcement.

Jordan Geldert-Hautala, a 45-year-old man who had been holed up in an ad-hoc shelter structure in Clarence Square Park for 17 days, is finally able to get out and stretch his legs after a police siege in an attempt to apprehend the man for minor bail offences committed out of province.

But during those two and a half weeks, Geldert-Hautala alleges to have endured harassment and taunting from Toronto Police officers, who he claims were looking to arrest him based on the outstanding warrants.

An audio clip posted to Twitter by Encampment Support Network Parkdale (ESN) offers just one instance of what went down.

"I'm lucky to be fighting for the right to live in this, because everybody needs one."

- @JordnScum speaking at Clarence Square pic.twitter.com/zXE8F2gjXT

— ESN Parkdale (@ESNParkdale) May 25, 2022

An unidentified officer is recorded in the footage saying, "If he steps out and rushed back in there, we're allowed to come in and take him." One of the officers can then be heard saying "I don't see him staying in there for 6, 7, 8, 9 days," adding, "nobody's going to be bringing him food."

Geldert-Hautala was told by officers, "They're putting shifts on your box. 24/7 shifts. Waiting."

As promised, a recording of Toronto Police daring Jordn to try to stay inside for several days while saying he would be denied food. He is on day 17 of effectively being a prisoner in his own Tiny Shelter, with no access to a washroom. pic.twitter.com/Ijs6T5tucA

— ESN Parkdale (@ESNParkdale) May 25, 2022

Geldert-Hautala described the ordeal to Global News, telling the outlet that he has "been suffering abuse from the police over the past 17 days," and during that time he has been "confined to my shelter with warrants they have no rights to pick me up on."

His charges would eventually be dropped on Wednesday afternoon, ending the stand-off, but the outrage persists on social media.

It's staggering to think of what it's costing the city to have officers sitting 24/7 on a single resident of a tiny shelter for 17 days straight.

— pharmakontario (@pharmakontario) May 25, 2022

A spokesperson for the Toronto Police tells blogTO "We are aware there is a warrant from Quebec."

"Our officers have attempted to assist the man on a voluntary basis and they communicated with him, a social worker and his lawyer to help return him to Quebec to attend his charges and get them resolved. The individual agreed to a date of Wednesday, May 25 at 6 a.m."

Dear City Hall and the police.
How does this help end homelessness?
It never has and never will.
How about put people into homes?
That would help.
This is beyond barbaric!!!

— Unclebrain (@dwain_campbell) May 25, 2022

The spokesperson contends that "officers attended and observed a group of protestors refusing to allow police in. Officers have only ever attempted to assist him with resolving the charges and while we have the authority to arrest the man, we will not be arresting him on the strength of the warrant."

Give me a break. We have uncontrolled gun violence, stabbings, car jackings.... and this guy's minor infractions from yours past in a different province is worth tax paying dollars? This pandemic broke the world, can we find a little humanity.

— Neal Dunn (@NealDunn72) May 26, 2022

As to the audio evidence of officers boasting that the man would not be provided with food, the spokesperson claims that "officers would not prevent someone from having access to necessities."