For the past week, Chris Caple has been camped outside Mayor Rob Ford’s office in quiet protest. He and his supporters vow to stay there until the mayor resigns or is forced out. Someone in the group is there morning until night, handing off the constant vigil like a baton in a relay race. We sat down with this gentle rabble-rouser to find out more about what he’s doing:

So give me the basics: How old are you? What do you do for a living? Where do you live?

I’m a freelance website designer, which is good because it gives me flexible hours; I’m 38 and I live on Queen St. E.

What are you doing here?

I kind of snapped last week. I’ve been watching the Ford debacle unfold for the past many months with ongoing astonishment and disbelief. But when he started to become openly homophobic, in my opinion, it was beyond the pale. I snapped. I had to do something.

So what made you think “sit-in”? Have you done this before?

Earlier that day, there’d been a sit-in here at city hall. A group of mothers and kids came. And I thought that was fantastic. They really inspired me. They were only here for a couple hours, and I thought someone should be here all the time. So I registered a domain name, put up a very simple website, created a Twitter account and said I’ll be outside Ford’s office at 1 p.m. (Thursday) and we’ll stay as long as necessary. And yes, this is my first sit-in.

You haven’t been alone up here. Who are these other folks?

Pretty well everyone who has come are people I’ve just met. And they’re fantastic people.

My girlfriend was here with me on the weekend. She’s very supportive.

So what’s the schedule like?

We are here permanently until Rob Ford leaves. So as long as the building is open we’re here: 8:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. at night. Weekends and holidays 10-6. I think every day he remains in office is a disgrace. We’ll keep this up until the election … if he’s still here by then.

Has the mayor said anything to you so far?

Family Day we were here. It was very quiet. Just a small group of us were here. At the end of the day we’re packing up and I hear the elevator and turn around and there’s Rob Ford, with his two kids and a security guard. His daughter saw this sign and she started sounding it out: “Rob Ford Must Go” She asked, “What does that mean?” and he said, “It’s democracy honey.” She said, “They should take it down.” And he told her, “No they have a right to have it there.” That was how it ended.

Huh. Did that change your opinion of him at all?

No. I just felt very sad for his daughter.

Time for the lightning round…

Favourite councillor? I dig Josh Matlow. I think he’s cool.

Who you liking for 2014? Tory? Chow? Stintz? Soknacki? Ford?

It’s still early. I’ll have to see. Definitely not Ford.

The city’s biggest problem right now?

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Rob Ford.

Besides Rob Ford. What’s the biggest problem?

It’d be great if people were nicer to one another.