G20, protests and policing

I was trying to resist writing about the G20 and Toronto because, really, I thought everyone would be reading about it - and I am not even there - so what can I add? Then I realized that a lot of people may be only watching the "mainstream" TV news - although even there, there has been plenty of criticism about the abuse of police powers, illegal arrests and lengthy detentions. So I thought I would post a few of the most interesting pieces I have reviewed. A lot of the "interesting" material is video, for which I apologize, as I prefer to read myself - but interviews have resulted in some interesting views and descriptions that do not appear in print.

So - "security" and "policing" in Toronto around the G20 - on with the show! I am today rather embarrassed for Canada and especially for Toronto although they had little to do with it - even the mayor asked that it be held elsewhere, which brings me briefly to. . . why is the Tyee dissing Torontonians and the Mayor - and suggesting that they invited the G20 - they didn't want it held there? See what I mean at: The Tyee.

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This Real News interview with Paul Cavalluzzo, about the Ontario Public Works Act that removes probable cause & right to free and peaceful assembly, is frightening. Near martial law set up by regs that are likely unconstitutional - not only resulting in police power to demand ID and to search without warrants, but the act (or regs I wasn't paying close enough attention) also suggests that if there is any evidence given by a "guard" (cop) under this act, then you have to prove that you are innocent - kind of removes all of our supposed rights to be innocent until proven guilty - but you can watch to get all the detail . . .



EEK! Now it turns out there was no 5 metre outside the fence rule - it was all made up by the Chief of Police - see the Globe and Mail Story. In addition the police were displaying weapons that that they said were taken from arrested protesters but even the Globe and mail caught them out - as the story says in part:

The items, which were laid out on several tables in the lobby of Toronto Police headquarters, include gas masks, cans of spray paint, a replica gun, crowbars, saws, pocket knives, a staple gun, a drill, a baseball bat, a slingshot, chains, bear spray, dog repellent, handcuffs and bows and arrows. Some of the arrows had their pointy ends covered with fabric, which officers said were designed to be dipped in a flammable liquid and lit ablaze.

However, the “weapons” included items not normally considered dangerous, including skateboard and bicycle helmets, bandannas, golf balls, tennis balls, bamboo poles, goggles, rope, plastic tubes and walkie talkies. The police also laid out several notebooks and shields depicting red clenched fists, a resistance symbol.

In addition, some of the items presented to the media were not seized by protesters. A car search last Friday netted a cross bow and chain saw but they were not determined to be G20 related, and no charges were laid. When this was pointed out, Chief Blair acknowledged the items should not have been displayed but said “everything else” was seized from summit protesters.

However, police also included objects taken from a Whitby, Ont., man who was heading to a role playing fantasy game in Centennial Park Saturday morning. As was reported by the Globe on Saturday, Brian Barrett, 25, was stopped at Union Station for wearing chain mail and carrying a bag with an archery bow, shield and graphite swords. His jousting gear was seized by police, but was on display Tuesday, even though he was not charged and police told a Globe reporter it was a case of bad timing.

I am not sure, but I think that once the Chief of Police has lied twice to the press he should be asked to resign - and if the police did not have the right to detain people, ask for ID without probable cause, and search without a warrant or probable cause, I am not sure how any of these charges are going to stand up - except for people who are clearly identified on video tape smashing property of some sort.

On July 10th this linked article appeared in the Star, so maybe, just maybe (I am not yet forgiving) Blair didn't lie and wasn't even in charge. . . but I don;t trust the TO police or the Star yet.
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Another telling (and interesting video) is with Steve Paiken - a "mainstream" news reporter and host of The Agenda on TVO. You can also read a transcript on this page.

http://www.therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=5328&updaterx=2010-06-29+09%3A40%3A49

According to Paiken, the cops arrested people rather indiscriminately and rushed peaceful protesters as well as beating up a stringer for the Guardian.

On July 1st The Ottawa Citizen published this column by Steve Paiken in which he says in part:

I have lived in Toronto for more than three decades. I have covered my share of demonstrations. We have a wonderful history of peaceful democratic protest in this city. But at the incident I found myself in on Saturday night, democracy took a major step backwards. And many will have to answer for that.

Steve Paikin is anchor and senior editor for The Agenda With Steve Paikin on TVO.

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I thought that The Star editorials (largest circulation newspaper in Canada and not at all a "radical" paper) were pretty telling - civil society is not happy about arresting over 900 people, holding may for 9-24 hours and then letting them go "without charge" and even the ones who are charged are not likely to be convicted (although I guess some might - we will have to wait and see)

You can see them at:

Today's editorial - Mass Arrests Not Justified -

Yesterday's by the Star's publisher. . . John Cruikshank - G20 editorial: Brutal spectacle failed a city and its people

Other opinion pieces with info about the actual ISSUES that the "protests" were about, in the Star, include:

Thousands Stood Up for Humanity by Sid Ryan, and Linda McQuaig's Police and Bankers Exempt from Austerity.

Also now you can see Naomi Klein's take on the wrap up of the G20 and what they "accomplished" - in the Guardian June 29th

My city feels like a crime scene, and the criminals are all melting into the night, fleeing the scene. No, I'm not talking about the kids in black who smashed windows and burned cop cars on Saturday.

I'm talking about the heads of state who, on Sunday night, smashed social safety nets and burned good jobs in the middle of a recession. Faced with the effects of a crisis created by the world's wealthiest and most privileged strata, they decided to stick the poorest and most vulnerable people in their countries with the bill.

How else can we interpret the G20's final communique, which includes not even a measly tax on banks or financial transactions, yet instructs governments to slash their deficits in half by 2013. This is a huge and shocking cut, and we should be very clear who will pay the price: students who will see their public educations further deteriorate as their fees go up; pensioners who will lose hard-earned benefits; public sector workers whose jobs will be eliminated. And the list goes on. These types of cuts have already begun in many G20 countries, and they are about to get a lot worse. For instance, reducing the projected 2010 deficit in the US by half, in the absence of a sizeable tax increase, would mean a whopping $780bn cut.

The cuts are happening for a simple reason. When the G20 met in London in 2009, at the height of the financial crisis, the leaders failed to band together to regulate the financial sector so that this type of crisis would never happen again. All we got was empty rhetoric, and an agreement to put trillions of dollars in public monies on the table to shore up banks around the world.

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There is too much on Rabble.ca or the Dominion, to pick stories but there is plenty on both websites.

www.rabble.ca especially for analysis and opinion and (The Dominion) Toronto Media Coop - for news from those on the front lines.

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There are now reports on the police actions at the Summit, by
1) Canadian Civil Liberties Association. Titled : A Preliminary Report of Observations during the G20 Summit
2) and from Amnesty International -Toronto and the G8/G20: Peaceful protest suffers amidst heavy security measures and acts of vandalism

Both reports suggest that the police actions were not appropriate, CCLA says:

It is the opinion of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association that police conduct during the G20 Summit was, at times, disproportionate, arbitrary and excessive. In our view, despite instances of commendable and professional conduct, the policing and security efforts, especially after 5PM on June 26 and June 27, failed to demonstrate commitment to Canada’s constitutional values.

And Amnesty says:

Lessons must be learned from these events. We call on the Canadian government and the government of the province of Ontario to cooperate in launching an independent review of the security measures that were put in place for the G8 and G20 Summits. The review should include opportunities for public input and the results should be released to the public. Among other issues, the review should consider:

•The impact of security measures, including decisions about the location and venues for the two summits, on the protection of human rights, including the freedoms of expression and assembly.

• The ways in which police operations and the use of legal provisions such as the Public Works Protection Act have impacted the rights of the many thousands of people living, working and operating businesses within and near the G20 security zone.

And from the Toronto Star: Calls for G20 Inquiry Ratchet Up.

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Individual reports of illegal arrests and detention. . .
http://toronto.mediacoop.ca/story/story-my-arrest-detainment/3997

and
http://www.facebook.com/#!/note.php?note_id=397205503638&id=511491565&ref=mf

and this story in the Star of a TTC worker detained and imprisoned on his way to work - even after the supervisor vouched for him - that he was a TTC worker on his way to work.

An individual just plucked off the street in Toronto on Sunday morning - because "he had a a bandanna" http://danielfrancavilla.tumblr.com/post/764540391/abusing-the-peaceful-a-fellow-toronto-design

Man with prosethesis arrested at Queens Park by police who dragged him, took his leg and glasses etc.
http://niagaraatlarge.com/2010/07/05/thorold-ontario-amputee-has-his-artificial-leg-ripped-off-by-police-and-is-slammed-in-makeshift-cell-during-g20-summit-–-at-least-one-ontario-mpp-calls-the-whole-episode-“shocking/

Bubble blower arrested: http://www.acreativerevolution.ca/node/2480
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Also as of July 1st comes this story . . . Canadian Civil Liberties Association planning joint lawsuit for those illegally arrested and detained (and assaulted!)

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontog20summit/article/830747--joint-lawsuit-planned-for-g20-arrestees#article

No one is getting a fair day in court. As of July 14th there are still those who have not yet had a bail hearing - adding to t6htis is the strange ways in which courts and bail hearings are being conducted - here's one example:
http://www.thespec.com/Opinions/article/808295