City
G20 riots
The G20 brought riots to Toronto streets today as angry protesters (the mayor called them thugs) let it be known they weren't in town to simply engage in peaceful demonstrations. Cop cars were set on fire, car windows and storefronts were smashed and arrests were made. Hospitals reported treating a few people for minor injuries.
For detailed reports check out the following articles:
Violence on Toronto streets for G20 (blogTO)
G20 Protest brings violence, arrests (CBC News)
G20 Live: Saturday (Torontoist)
Violence, confrontation as massive rally snakes through Toronto (National Post)
PHOTOS:
Photos from blogTO Flickr Pool members: Phil Babcock, Jen Takes Pictures, kwazy, gs71to95, markosar, David G Tran, mideast-transplant, chris huggins, modernemotive, MCXL5, Carl W. Heindl, ~rusty~, DdotG, Craig !, Martinho.
Additional photos by jethros_tale, kmclachlan, Seekdes (Mike in TO), cory_mck, and Otherworld.
Discussion
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Oh, and that American Apparel makes me furious. Dumbass girls are fucking TOURISTS and NOT here to actually help any cause. Would like very much to see their homes damaged.
"Fuck the G20"? How about "Fuck t-shirts cause they don't do shit"? Just like the bitches wearing them.
This mentally warped pack took over a peaceful demonstration. The real protester were peaceful exercising their democratic right.
Clearly not. That's the greatest part of this fracas - every jerk I've seen dressed in head-to-toe black, smashing up storefronts and setting things on fire? Have been young white dudes. Oh, those poor white dudes! SO OPPRESSED AND FULL OF RIGHTEOUS RAGE! Society is SO TOUGH and UNFAIR on white dudes!
There was incomplete lack of police presence and most of the area was caught off guard completely. Most of the stores weren't expecting anything and still had merchandise in their windows. I am not sure if there was any looting, but quite a few jewelry stores got hit and had stuff in the windows.
Blech.
Can we protest the Black Bloc? Maybe we can go and set their homes alight and see how they like their own medicine.
Gah. I'm *SO* mad!
you're right that the police were unprepared. how could you not think yonge street would be overrun by these criminals?
And what's with all the idiots just hanging around 3 feet away from burning vehicles? Are people really this dumb? That picture on your cell phone is so worth it.
@Rachel: i've only heard this from various levels of government, police, etc. nothing from ocap or others who organized protests. if those groups indeed denounce violence and rioting, good for them.
Anyhow in this day and age of teleconferencing, is it really necessary to even hold these summits anymore. Couldn't billions be saved by simply having a web conference.
The pictures are haunting. I am sad that all of this violence and destruction will override the message of the peaceful protestors.
Also, is anybody else reminded of terrorists when they see black blocs?
Those pea-brained G20 vandals don't have a clue about the actual issues, and don't care. 'Protest' is just their rationalization for infantile behaviour. They're nothing but scum.
It's important that the G20 happens and that the political leaders gather in one place to discuss and debate. The security is there for a reason. Of course they need protection and this violent thuggery just proved it. I understand that for some people it is unfair to spend $1 billion dollars on security for the G20. I respect their opinions and I think it's important for the protesters to express their concerns and thoughts. However, the violence and the damage that this so called Black Block group is plain madness and contradictory. What are they trying to achieve in destroying the city? They only proved how much we need security. If everyone was to be free and if there were no governing principles and rules in our society, we would be living in chaos. We all want to feel secured and protected, so do the leaders of G20? And now there are poor victims from this "thuggery" saying the G20 is the cause of these problems. They didn't prove themselves to be worthy. They just wanted to take the opportunity to demonstrate how ignorant they are.
Some idiot was interviewed on CBC radio as saying that the violence was perfectly ok, since it was against the property of evil multinational corporations and not people. He was at a loss for words, though, when the CBC host asked him how exactly Zanzibar strip club was an "evil multinational corporation".
Really, the pampered leftist youth of the city could use a slap to the head and I hope the police provide it. They protest the police state that surrounds the summit, but do so in a way that rather makes it obvious why the police state is needed. Did they expect the citizens to just let them trash small businesses and franchises at will? Morons.
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/248608
please be safe Toronto...
If you don't like what is happening in your community, here is the great thing about living here, you can run for office and change it. So instead of "blah, blah, blah" ENTER. Why don't you actually go into your community and make a difference?
Talking about "provocateurs" is about as useful as 9/11 conspiracy theory. The cops would have loved to have all collected their fat overtime without incident and gone home. No one wanted this except for the element of thuggish, immature, not-too-bright hard case protesters.
The same people who have invented things that have ensured the progression of the human race from a group of weak hairless primates to the civilization we enjoy today.
I'd bet that even your dildos and vibrators were invented by heterosexual white males!!
LOL @ you and your stupid rants!
JUST LOL!!!!!
Too many of our young white males are being marginalized by stupid dykes like you that couldn't get a date to the prom!!
The 2 soldiers that lost their lives today (as well as the other 148 soldiers )while defending our countries principles.. while some cowardly people behind covered faces terrorized the City of Toronto.
Hopefully, those that participated in these despicable acts are all brought to justice, and given suitable jail terms to stop this madness.
Now.. let us all stand together to end this shameful violence and never ever let it happen again.
http://thevancouvermanifesto.blogspot.com/2010/06/correlation-between-black-bloc-and.html
Yeah but then they wouldn't be able to justify spending $1.2 billion at the next summit. In the last two G20 summits in Pittsburgh and London, the combined security cost was $25 million.
I have a home, i have an income, I do good. Does that give you the right to take it away because you have less
Aside from that, people got hurt. So no, it's not just property that was just damaged.
Where do you live? I feel like burning down your house. That's cool, though, right? It's just property. I'm sure you're insured.
give you all fair warning that when asked to move or
stop destruction beware cause we will clear area with these FIRE HOSES , please don't make us use them due to
unruly few of you , keep control of yourself's please ..
This is my sugestion
Dear Anarchists,
This is my house and you just shit on my lawn and in my backyard. Go home.
Sincerely,
Toronto
I saw one scene outside of Eatons Centre where one of the BB guys was trying to smash a Sears window and some guy grabbed him and after about 20 seconds his windbreaker helped him slip away... in a way, I sort of wish there was a bit of mob justice on these BB guys and girls, it'd make them fear everyone around them.
they have it coming to them piece of shit protesters!!!!!!!!!!!!
do not need a truck , Fire Hydrant Works Also ..
Which is the greater crime?
Those who want change would do well to take a lesson from the American civil rights protesters in the 1960s.
on one hand, cause a few thousand dollars damage=jail. On the other cause an ecological crisis on a huge scale, kill untold numbers of bird, mammal and marine life, plus cause the loss of livelihood to thousand, you can attend a yacht regatta.
Fixed that for you.
Please explain how we would be better?
PLEASE stand-up for your cause and help those that are trying to help you!
yeah that makes sense.
What right do we have to attack *any* country? Unless the Afghan army is flying warplanes into our territory first, *we* are the aggressors.
It's funny how some of the commenters here lash out so much at a small group of vandals but seem to have little outrage for all the civilian deaths we are responsible for in Afghanistan and elsewhere. State violence is largely hidden from our eyes while street crime is shown in full detail on every news channel round the clock.
I'm pretty sure the cops have been following them through the night and are probably waiting for them to amass together. Then hopefully the rubber bullets will fly into their faces.
I don't want to see those thugs back on the street tomorrow doing more of the same. Protesters I have no problem with. Black Bloc degenerates - surround them with force when they appear and don't let them go - let them disappear.
Shame, BlogTO. You're no better than the mainstream media.
Oh yah brokens windows, yes the broken windows represents our broken society and our broken societal views!
@smiley, and you knwo cause you they were the jerks in highschool you always hated? Doubt it. I actually have a buddy that's down there. They already make enough money doing there jobs as is, this is probably the lsat thing they wanted to do.
I'm not saying that the G20 was necessary, at the same time necessary to even have in our city. It could of been done wirelessly over the internet or even done on the Toronto Islands. Just I think Canada becoming a police state is probably one the last things that will happen. I'll definitely be standing out there with them if I see things heading that way!
As to the their sexuality, that wasn't evident from the videotape? However it is not unusual to see argumentation related to homophobia (and transphobia, too, for that matter) as forms of systemic violence included radical anarchist rhetoric as justifiction for this kind of violence. So I wouldn't be too cavalier about those assertions, either.
Nothing will change, no matter how loud your voice is. Sad, but true. Let's channel our energy for the next federal election and work to get Harper out of office.
more to come...
People exposed the attackers as police agents.
They were wearing police issue boots and when confronted they ran to the police line for safety.
It's all an act to scam the public into giving up their rights.
Remember, the IRA nailbombs were organized by a UK intelligence agent. It's public record, go look it up.
They can afford to fix things, they're not mom and pop shops and it's not really the same as going to someone's house to break stuff.
If you have that much sentimentality about Starbucks then maybe their "You're an individual! You're special! This is your space!" marketing is too effective.
Just sayin'!
However, it still sucks that those parts of the city are a mess, but I'm seriously not going to shed any tears for Starbucks as whole, maybe just some for the people who have to work there. I'm sure they'll fix them up quickly though.
Now, if they had tried to come near the place I work (family run business), I would have been out front with a bat.
While I understand your anger, I think we do live under a government that gives us reason to protest--that protesting should just be peaceful.
There doesn't have to be a murderous dictatorship to want change, and freedom is something everyone should have. It would really suck to have to start figuring out who 'deserves it'.
You *do* remember 9/11 right? You know when terrorist controlled aircraft attacked 3 different locations in the U.S?
You know - like *exactly* how you said "flying warplanes into our territory". Umm ya - I'm going to have to take your critical thinking badge away.
You see, the Taliban gave tacit, if not explicit support for Al Qaeda to attack the west. They attacked the west in '92, '93, '98 and 2000 before 9/11 and 7/7.
So - ya, we were justified in our self defence to attack Afghanistan... unfortunately.
If we are so against the Taliban, why did we (the U.S.) put them in power in the first place and support them financially and logistically while they committed their *worst* crimes (and we knew of them). Why were they invited to the White House and commended for their policies while the U.S. government knew what they were doing. Where was our supposed concern for women's rights, etc. then?
Unfortunately your comment demonstrates the well-meaning ignorance of the typical Canadian. You don't have to believe in conspiracy theories to know that the world is not really the way it is portrayed in our media. Open your eyes, all the information is out there if you make the effort.
ahaahahaha
What are we supposed to do?
We pay their wages. They have a responsability to us. They live a pretty good life on our money.
What right do they have to hold secret meeting behide our backs?
Yes I want to know if you are having an affair, if you have broken your word to someone whom you took a vow with-then how far can I trust you-you don't even know me.
I think that all people that are hired, should be in a position to be fired.
But alas Canada is not a democratic country. I just wish more people could see it.
I think that like with all previous G- meetings the idea is to ensure that the meeting's agenda and proceedings should be removed from public view in favor of smoke, broken glass,and heavily armed police.
I suppose the whole event has played out exactly as planned.
The state is well ahead of the people at this point.
Are you familiar with the Bush family
and their personal,political,and business connections there.
The US history of war and subterfuge and in the middle east goes well back before 9-11.
Paging Kelly - STFU. Go back to sticking your head up your ass.Or better yet - hook up with OneVoice and I"ll buy you both a one way ticket to Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan.
Black Bloc: all white males -( clearly biogots) who hide behind masks - just like the KKK and Al Queda - only dumber!
What a bunch of idiots.
Thanks to the Toronto emergency services for doing all they have thus far.
Man, I effing love Toronto :)
http://jasonfonceca.com/images/i_love_toronto.jpg
I am curious about the consequences of the Summit and whether there will be any for Harper.<p>
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7624440@N03/4725420012/
The violence and vandalism that streaked through the downtown area infuriates me. Anyone who participated in these acts, the ones which completely derailed a perfectly legitimate protest, should leave this city immediately, you are not Torontonians or Canadians as far as I'm concerned.
G20 is unnnecessary to have in toronto, or to have at a place at all.
what the black block have done is outrageous!
First, there were the protesters who, in every situation I saw, were peaceful. Depending on where you were and when, they would make up 10-90% of the crowd.
Then there were the curious onlookers - people like me who live in the middle of the downtown core who just wanted to see what was going on - again depending on when/where, numbers were 10-90%.
Then there were the vandals/anarchists who were neither curious nor protesting and simply wanted to shit disturb and destroy stuff. They were unbelievably small in number and I mostly saw them in groups of 1 or 2. Out of the entire crowd they probably made up less than .1%.
The media have been atrocious and editorial in referring to everyone they see as protestors and CP24 and Ann Rohmer in particular were beyond egregious in their attitudes and generalizations. Living in the exact area where cp24 was located I was in the middle of it all and their reporting was biased and amazingly incorrect most of the time.
I must say, however, that while the police were restrained in that they didn't just rush headlong into the crowd and start whacking people and the arrests were definitely more surgical in nature, the massive police presence itself was gasoline for a fire that was very very small and contributed largely to the unrest. The aggressive stance (feet wide apart, arms on shoulders), banging on riot shields (when nothing but peaceful protest was in evidence), and shouting things like "GET OUT OF THE WAY, I'M NOT STOPPING" when marching up a mostly empty side street instead of just saying "Please move, we're coming through", highlighted the very "us" vs "them" attitude and confrontational nature that had been drummed into the police corps from the ISU.
From all that I saw in downtown Toronto yesterday (and I was all over the place), the confrontations would have been smaller, the damage less intense, and the overall atmosphere substantially improved had the police force been at least 50 if not 80% less (or at least less visible).
The thugs need to be dealt with, as Canadians we all feel that way, but to be intimidated by your own police, being paid with your own tax dollars, engenders feelings of anger and oppression (and I'm sure many of the police also hated the situation they were forced to be in). I love this city, I appreciate it's safety and think our police do a great job, but the image of riot officers by the hundreds along the Queen West will be an image I'll never forget. I guess both Toronto and myself lost a lot of innocence today.
So - you first start off by asserting that 9/11 could be justified b/c of 500k lives lost in Iraq/ME- thus 3000<500k, so it's justified. Again - two wrongs don't make a right. Secondly, those 500k lives lost, were totally unnecessary. The Middle east is run by corrupt plutocratic leaders. I am sure the U.S. / West get no satisfaction from sanctions - we just want change. Do you object to sanctions on Iran after how the Iranian government put down *real* opposition to a democratic movement? Maybe you'd prefer we sat out of involvement - even when the opposition leaders in Iran beg/plead/bleed for our assistance...?
Ask yourself one question today - then look for the answer - why is Gaza and The West Bank blockaded by Egypt and Jordan? (hint - the big bad U.S. is NOT the answer)
Secondly - you are also correct - we (the west) didn't care how Afghanistan treated their wives and daughters - until AQ attacked us. Why did the west like the Taliban? Well, they had almost entirely stopped opium production. So, now use your critical thinking - why would we attack a government that we had previously seen as a friend? What had changed? Hint - the 9/11 was an inside job theory is also *not* the right answer.
My friend - my eyes are wide open - and I have been studying these topics for a lifetime. You are correct that the media are not your friend (what bleeds -leads) but the crazy whacko side conspiracy theories are so poorly reasoned to be farcical.
Oh rich minerals and resources inside Afganhistan obviously there was a reason to attack Afgan.
Really - you think you can just sneak in a little "which any student of history knows is correct"... why - because you say so?
Are you really going to start down the road of "well THEY/WE started it". That is incredibly juvenile. How far back in history are we going to go? The crimean war? Blame this on the crusades? Maybe the expulsion of the Israelites out or Egypt? Really?
Maybe it's time to think that modern states don't really like war - they are expensive and messy, but sometime necessary to protect our way of life. I am pretty sure most Canadians don't like the war in Afghanistan - but I am also sure that they would rather be fighting in the sh*thole of Afghanistan than watching our buildings attacked, repeatedly.
How many airplanes need to be attacked/hijacked? How many subways need to be bombed? Please tell me when you feel it would be justified to fight back?
As to the 1Bil in mineral resources in Afghanistan - it isn't like we are going to steal the minerals (how?) - the Afghanis need to mine them (hint - CHINA already has an operating copper mine in Afghanistan) - we are helping the Afghanis' find a means of economic development that doesn't involve poppy production...
http://killinghope.org/
That's all I have to say.
Were both sides using citizens of Toronto as a human shield?
Was this an exercise to intimidate everyone who wants to protest peacefully?
Though described as "anarchist" this group behaves more like a mercenary army. It's possible that they were hired to create this disruption. Was this set up to justify the all the riot police and the big expensive fence and security operation?
It hardly represents how people in Canada normally act. I hope that our government will think twice before ever holding any such event in a city downtown again. We have the entire Northwest Territories and lots of small towns up there. Why not just move the G20 up north? Then they won't have to shut down businesses and put them at risk of damage from rent-a-vandal gangs working for god-knows-whom.
I'm happy to cite my sources for your research/info.
As to your link - ever read Thucydides?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24001618/
check that out, this kind of bs happens everywhere.
BLACK BLOCS ARE STUPID C**KS!
Once the confrontation gets going, all the issues are snowed under. There's not much point in being out on the street unless it's to try to get video documentation of who is actually committing vandalism.
To say that we have our freedom now because they have been fought for is still confirmation bias. AlthoughI agree that we had to follow the US into war, but continue to this very day i think is ludicrous. They claim weapons of mass destruction yet no evidence was provided.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24001618/
check that out, this kind of bs happens everywhere.
BLACK BLOCS ARE STUPID C**KS!
. 150 Hells Angels would have settled those black bloc punks down in 10 minutes.
F#ck you!
I wanted proceeding to be broadcast.
I was going to base my next vote in part on what was said on my behalf. I was denied that information.
I'm left with the government's spin.
Democracy cannot work that way.
What better why to avoid talking about the issues than to break few windows and throw the naif media on a tangent . Half of these so called anarchists kids work for the government.
Also, looking at the "Resistance is the solution" sign, it makes me think of every single stupid pet cause that the Uoft groups UTSU, No One Is Illegal, OPIRG, and SAIA have advocated with the same sign. Coincidence?
I can't even believe all of this is real. My heart is broken.
I was thinking of saying something impolite - but instead I'll just say this;
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
(Also, there are two Rachel's on this thread; the one above is not the one who's commented in this thread and the others.)
I wanted proceeding to be broadcast...."
I too wanted to hear more details about the actual policies, and the various arguments pro and con advanced by different countries' representatives.
And rather than confrontational or even peaceful demonstrations, I would favour the approach taken by a group concerned about the dwindling supply of clean water and how it is to be cared for and sustained. Those people assembled a group of informed activists and scientists for the 2010 Fresh Water Summit, held a few weeks earlier in Bracebridge, Ontario. Attendees made presentations, discussed options, and wrote a communiqué that was delivered to the world leaders before they met in Toronto.
This communiqué is online at:
<http://2010freshwatersummit.org/communique.htm>;
Anyone who supports this initiative is also invited to sign a petition and leave a comment if they wish.
Two hours of highlights were aired on CBC Radio's IDEAS program under the title "Speaking Truth to Power" at 9:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday June 24-5, 2010, thus providing Canadians with more insight into the issues than a street demonstration would have achieved. (www.cbc.ca/ideas/ and look in the program archives -- it is not yet clear whether this will be a free podcast -- please request it!)
Because of this Fresh Water Summit, the world's elected leaders and their advisers have been made aware of the concerns and options for protecting and sharing clean water. But if the folks concerned about water had merely done a protest march and waved signs, nobody in the Toronto Convention Centre would have heard anything about it, and the public would also have heard nothing.
People who want to influence the world policy negotiations should adopt the model of holding a summit about their topic of concern, preparing a consensus report, and delivering it to world leaders. There's no future in adopting an adversarial stance and milling around outside the police barricades. You are only marginalizing yourselves.
(Didn't those burning cars and smashed glass kind of look "staged" to anyone else?)
Why are people so upset about a riot, what about billions of dollars spent on a useless meeting of fake-world leaders when that could have gone to the setup Oil spill in the Gulf, and why is every g20 member country that same country corporations run sweatshops.....Italy,..canada...us...france....the list goes on!!!!!!!!!!!
Like what was said earlier extroadinary claims require extroadinary evidence.
If you want to go making statements like that we mgith as well say that, the people who smashed zanzibar were from religious groups, and feminist groups posing as black block who are against women being seen as object.
on the side. THOSE BASTARDS!
In times past, people were suspicious of their rulers. This was because, lacking a mass media, it was rumor which conveyed information, and rumor has no respect for authority.
In our world today, it is the media which we rely upon for our information, and even rumors have become subservient to the mass media. In those places of the world which lack the electronic infrastructure with which to convey the mass media, rumors continue, and governments seek to control the population through violent force. In nations such as ours today, the power of the media has become such that the government is able to control us so effectively that violent force is no longer required. As a result of this lack of violent oppression by government, we have been deluded into believing that we live in a democracy.
One element of the media’s focus over the last hundred years has been to discredit any theory which can be classified as a "conspiracy." As a result many people have come to view conspiracy theories with suspicion, rather than viewing government with suspicion. This is a very strange reversal of human opinion, and it is important to note that this is a very recent development in the history of mankind. Conspiracies have driven political direction since the beginning of civilization, and are the rule rather than the exception. It is a testament to the power of modern media that over the course of the last hundred years, a carefully controlled media has been able to condition the population into the belief that conspiracies are the last resort of those citizens who are either paranoid or are white heterosexual males or unable to explain their own failures by any other means.
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!
In our world today, it is the media which we rely upon for our information, and even rumors have become subservient to the mass media. In those places of the world which lack the electronic infrastructure with which to convey the mass media, rumors continue, and governments seek to control the population through violent force. In nations such as ours today, the power of the media has become such that the government is able to control us so effectively that violent force is no longer required. As a result of this lack of violent oppression by government, we have been deluded into believing that we live in a democracy.
One element of the media’s focus over the last hundred years has been to discredit any theory which can be classified as a "conspiracy." As a result many people have come to view conspiracy theories with suspicion, rather than viewing government with suspicion. This is a very strange reversal of human opinion, and it is important to note that this is a very recent development in the history of mankind. Conspiracies have driven political direction since the beginning of civilization, and are the rule rather than the exception. It is a testament to the power of modern media that over the course of the last hundred years, a carefully controlled media has been able to condition the population into the belief that conspiracies are the last resort of those citizens who are either paranoid or are white heterosexual males or unable to explain their own failures by any other means. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!
Look at those G20 photos. Very strange looking. Totally planned and orchestrated, especially those police car and shopfront photos.
Some of these Criminals were as young as 14 or 16 years! Wonder where their parents were?? If caught, Parents must be held responsible in paying for the damage caused by their criminal kid. No mercy!
I was out there on Sunday, the police were very aggressive. We sang our national anthem and right when were finished the cops opened fire with rubber bullets. Everyone ran in a panic and it's a miracle no one was was trampled as lots of people fell around me. There was no need for it, people were just taking pictures and some were chanting.
This was the largest training exercise our government has ever perpetrated. What do you think they are training for?
So in order to show my disagreement with them, I have looked up what their causes are and I will not support them.
Eg: I will not give to panhandlers...ever..and tell them why.
I will ask politicians to get tough on the homeless issue
I will back candidates who want to lower the minimum wage
I will back candidates who want to lower welfare benefits.
You will not hear me in the streets, but you may notice that the change you are eager for comes slower now.
How do I know this, because unlike most involved in these protests I will actually take the time to vote.
If the police had responded equally harshly to World Cup Soccer hooligans, you wouldn't have the jokers who write for Now magazine and the whining self-righteous protesters talking about how this event has somehow heralded the end of Canada, and the loss of our freedom, and a dystopian future, etc.
This was a manufactured event. Stephen Harper was a dummy for organizing it in the middle of a massive city like Toronto. But he did. And in so doing, he brought the eye of the storm onto this city, as every single person with a bone to pick with some pseudo-political issue saw their chance to run wild in the streets and get on youtube videos.
This was not a landmark event. It was a big spectacle, no better or worse, and definitely NOT more important in the grand scheme of things than say, people spilling onto the streets to celebrate a Blue Jays World Series or a Montreal Canadiens playoff win.
Get over yourselves. You didn't change the world and you didn't bring any sort of meaningful attention to your cause. If your goal was to make it onto G20KuruptCop's youtube video at the 1:11 mark, consider the weekend a roaring success.
Otherwise go back to squeegeing windows and holding Darfur fundraising potlucks in your church basements and leave the rest of us alone until you figure out exactly what goals you are hoping to achieve.
To stand here and bemoan the downfall of democracy, or the loss of Canadian identity with the events that transpired in Toronto this weekend, is to give yourselves WAYYYY too much credit.
My friend wrote something much more eloquently than I could (parenthetical comment was my frustration with these people):
"Totally agreed on the parenthetical comment. "Oh, you're such babies for complaining that it was cold and you were wet and you didn't get any food, when there are people in worse situations in war-torn countries!" The difference being, of course, that we are not a war-torn country; we have a standard of decency that is expected to be maintained, and when it is not we should rightfully be appalled. These are rights and privileges that we should be proud to have, and their revocation should not be treated lightly. It's the same reason why there's the big hubbub about the torture inquiry in Afghanistan - we, as a people, are supposed to be better than this, and our authority figures (military, police, or otherwise) are supposed to represent and uphold these ethics, rather than degenerate into thugs in uniforms, even when faced with people who are not willing to show the same respect.
I much prefer the police action of standing the line while Black Bloc hooligans destroyed things nearby than the police action of charging and attacking peaceful protestors. I can even approve of the former as a maintenance of order, prioritising safety of persons over property, but the latter was just bullying with the backing of threats of the law."
I suppose everyone wants an inquiry. Well see how good it did for the AdScam situation!! Tens of millions spent. Counter lawsuits were launched. And in the end, nothing. No one held accountable.
Time to move on.
By the time the riot subsided, 34 people had been killed, 2,032 injured, and 3,952 arrested.
Now that's a real riot.
Police stomped on our rights, by their orders, throughout the entire weekend. Due process, freedom of speech and peaceful assembly and any number of human rights were violated. All for nothing but a show of force.
Come on!! Who are they bulls..g? Now at least they will get MORE
manpower, BETTER equipment and NEWER TOYS to intimidate the general public!! Well done; Great PR stunt!! Only in a World-ASS
City like Toronto. Really pathetic!!!!
Thousands of innocent people were detained and injured by police officers. Those in power granted new laws to authorities which allowed for illegal searches and detainment of anyone who looked suspicious. This included certified media personnel, children and students and even everyday people who were on their way to work. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was abandoned and our government allowed the city of Toronto to turn into a martial law type war zone.
We have spent hundreds of hours editing this footage and posting it, in the hopes of opening peoples eyes to the seriousness of this issue.
We must never let this happen in Canada again! Stephen Harper and whoever follows after him should be made aware, that the most Canadians disagree with this type of mismanaged funds and totalitarianism tactics. We in Canada value our freedom of speech. Even though some opinions may will differ on this subject, one message should ring loud and clear....NEVER IN CANADA AGAIN MR HARPER!!!! NEVER EVER AGAIN!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoM5k0cSGE0
In reading the comments and looking at the facts that have emerged over the last few months I can't help but draw a modern parallel.
The vast majority of Muslims claim their religion is a peaceful religion, yet the message is skewed to the point where terrorism is happening almost every day.
The vast majority of protestors claim their movement is a peaceful movement, yet the message is skewed to the point where terrorism happens at almost every protest.
I don't see a difference, anymore, between the two.
I know this is way late, but I just realized that my name has been used in this blog. I just googled my name, and found this.
I have never been on this blog before, and the remarks that were said using my name were not my remarks. The language is not mine, the opinions aren't mine, and what was said does not represent me at all.
I appologize for what was said, and the ignorance that it portrayed.
cheers
Brendon
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