Here's something for those arrested in this under the Ontario Public Works Protection Act.
The G8-G20 Integrated Security Unit's website "Information for Demonstrators" doesn't actually mention this act. Almost as if they didn't want people to know until the last minute.
What's funny is that as anyone who has had to write a communique/press release for an event like this upon its closing could tell you, the communique/press release is almost always written before the event takes place.
I agree with keithz though. These events are important, and Canada needs to take its turn. However, holding it in downtown Toronto was a very poor choice. Obviously the logistics regarding space and hotels and media made Toronto an obvious choice, but as has been mentioned so many times, doing it in the place where it impacts the most people in the country makes little sense. I think the G8 and G20 are important institutions and I'd like to see this acknowledgment of the end of national economies and the rise of the "global economy" coincide with an acknowledgment that there are international groups who need a seat at the table as well. As I mentioned before, protesters (the peaceful kind) just want a voice, and having someone at the table who can represent them would be an extremely democratic move to make. I think the general fear is that the G8/20 isn't a democratic entity, and in a globalized world, there needs to be democracy or else...
Wow, I didn't think there'd be so many cop-worshiping fascists on UrbanToronto!
Let me be clear - what the anarchists did yesterday was inexcusable. Throw the book at them!
But since they were all arrested (or ran away) & the highly-questionable French group was taken out of commission early today morning, the only people left were the HIPPIES! OK, just kidding - I mean peaceful protesters. I mean, Jesus, these guys were MORE peaceful than the Tamils from last year!
And yet, the police brought out their MOST intimidating tactics yet (which they did NOT use against the Black Bloc - a group who wholly deserved them).
Anyone with any level of respect for civil liberties should be shocked at what happened *today*. If not... please, apply for immigration to North Korea. You'll fit in there. I hear the kimchi's good.
Word is starting to spread of today's jackbooted thug, err I mean police action:
Toronto cops think they're in Chicago in 1968. about 1 hour ago via Tweetie for Mac
Wow there are some really oblivious and out of touch people posting in this thread. Maybe they should move to China if they love the feeling of having no freedom so much.
What has happened today/tonight in Toronto is disgusting. Being threatened to be put in jail and arrested for not showing ID when you are nowhere near the security zone (5 metres), is harassment in my opinion. So is being picked out of a crowd, just because you happened to decide to wear black jeans or a black shirt that day.
What we saw today was not freedom. I don't think I can say we live in a free country anymore.
Wow there are some really oblivious and out of touch people posting in this thread. Maybe they should move to China if they love the feeling of having no freedom so much.
What has happened today/tonight in Toronto is disgusting. Being threatened to be put in jail and arrested for not showing ID when you are nowhere near the security zone (5 metres), is harassment in my opinion. So is being picked out of a crowd, just because you happened to decide to wear black jeans or a black shirt that day.
What we saw today was not freedom. I don't think I can say we live in a free country anymore.
Some of you leftists are seriously getting annoying.
Those cornered at Queen/Spadina were not really at the wrong place/wrong time, just incredibly stupid. My immediate reaction if I noticed a large crowd and riot police closing in would be to get the hell out of there. These guys stuck around and are now surprised they were cornered off and processed? Come on! COMMON SENSE SHOULD PREVAIL HERE. After yesterday's events this level of police crackdown was expected and I applaud it. There were no riots today because the cops threw a good amount to the temp facility in the Portlands.
Anyway, just finished reading about how many of these Black Bloc were actually Quebecois, thankfully it seems the vast majority has been caught and I hope they face some severe charges and jail time in Ontario. I expected this, of course the Quebecois would love to get a chance to bust shit up in Toronto, must be some sort of national sport over there. Also there were numerous pictures of this one monkey looking idiot (on top of the monument on University, yelling at cops from a bike) with long blondeish hair.. Well his name is Kirk Warrington and he is currently charged for many things including setting the cop car on fire on Queen st. He's looking at quite a bit of jail time and I couldn't be happier. Best part is his defense.. Something along the lines of not going to school, blabla, learning disabilities, and smokes marijuana because of it. Just what I expected from these rioters, low lives with nothing to give to society.
Imagine you were planning a family reunion and some group threatened violence against you and your family (under the guise of "peaceful protest), just because they didn't like you. They come trash your house, etc then tell me about civil liberties. You'd want every person within 50 feet of your home questioned.
Well, if anything, the fallout from this weekend will probably overshadow the switch to the HST this week, at least in Toronto and area. A gift from Harper to McGuinty perhaps?
It was nice to see Toronto get some face time in the international media. We aren't flooded by foreign journalists all that often - and, afterall, "there's no such thing as bad publicity."
Another silver lining to this cloud - if the Pride Parade had gone ahead today as it was supposed to, a lot of us would be soaking wet right now. Was it worth the billion dollars? No, but hopefully the weather will be better next Sunday.
Imagine you were planning a family reunion and some group threatened violence against you and your family (under the guise of "peaceful protest), just because they didn't like you. They come trash your house, etc then tell me about civil liberties. You'd want every person within 50 feet of your home questioned.
Who are you to tell me, or anyone, that their opninions make them "not Canadian". A big part of the late night media coverage of yesterday's "events" were critical of the police for their "stand off" approach yesterday. The theory was that if the police had been firmer/heavier of hand, things would not have gotten to the stage they did yesterday. Today's media is that the police have been too aggressive and heavy handed today. The police (here or anywhere with free speach/media) are always in a no-win position in protest situations. Play the role of stand back and controll/guide as they appeared to yesterday and it is their fault that things got out of hand.....play a more aggressive, pro-active policing role and they are facists.......ah, well it is over and we can clean up and move on.
"Wrong. There are cops on Yonge Street, I got pulled aside & harassed when walking my dog to scope things out downtown as I only walked as far as Gerrard Street last night. I was threatened with arrest if I didn't provide ID & search against my wishes then they detained me for about 15 minutes. They're out there busy harassing the law abiding citizens of our city."
So don't "scope things out downtown" then. Cops have to be telepathic? You wanted to be part of the scene and hence got detained for 15 minutes. Since you're going to dining out on that little experience with colleagues and friends for months you should be thankful!
They don't have to be telepathic to recognize a middle aged man wearing shorts, sneakers and an H&M dress shirt walking his dog is going to pose any threat to the city's security. I had no desire to be part of any "scene", out of curiosity I joined thousands of others on the street to survey the damage that was done on Yonge Street yesterday which I understood I had the freedom to do in this country without having my civil liberties trampled under The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
