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Toronto's G20 fence in photos

Posted by Tomasz Bugajski / June 8, 2010

G20 security fence torontoThere's been much made of the recent start of construction on the G20 security fence in Toronto. But, lacking a good conception of its size and breadth, I decided to mosey on down to the area around the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to see what I could find out about this thing. As it turns out, I got a pretty good idea for how intense the police and security presence will be.

Police officers were on every corner and already a certain tension is palpable downtown. Though the police and construction crews were happy to let me snap pictures, I was being eyed by countless cops throughout the duration of my visit.

While looking at the massive fence I couldn't help feeling that I was in some sort of war zone. And, judging by the height and extent of the whole thing, it's clear that a lot of people seem very afraid. But not just the security forces tasked with protecting the world leaders coming to visit -- residents of this city aren't used to such drastic security measures on such a wide scale.

Detailed information about the preparations for the summit, along with a map of the security perimeter, can be found here.

Photos (captions underneath):
G20 security torontoBye, bye bike racks.

20100608-g20-6-construction2.jpgConstruction crews work on fencing south of Bremner on Simcoe.

G20 torontoTry getting a shot from here once the summit begins.

G20 torontoA small indication of the growing police presence in the area.

G20 torontoOne of the many entry and exit points along the fence on Windsor Street (which one will require ID to pass through in the coming weeks).

Discussion

50 Comments

Jer / June 8, 2010 at 06:46 pm
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So when do the vicious dog and machine gun-toting security teams start their rounds? Do we get one of those huge urban assault carriers with the monster water cannon atop? How about sniper teams and special recon on the nearby towers?
Should be surreal.
Anton / June 8, 2010 at 08:06 pm
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This whole thing is, on the one hand, so Toronto (Napoleonic complex, caving to the will of the feds, silly) and, on the other, not Toronto at all (war zone, tough security, etc). I don't like it one bit.
Dalia / June 8, 2010 at 08:16 pm
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This is surreal and very disturbing. WHY are we putting up with this! What next!!
geesh / June 8, 2010 at 08:27 pm
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You would think that for a billion + dollars they could have at least printed up some nicely designed custom die cut 4 colour + glossy overlay signs to ask people to remove their bikes as opposed to photocopied hand-written ones.
Alogon / June 8, 2010 at 08:51 pm
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Welcome to dystopia. Please prepare for thought-cleansing and compliance yoke. Those without RFID chips will be terminated.
PrinceJammy / June 8, 2010 at 08:51 pm
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We should do nothing so they feel like a bunch of assholes.
Alogon replying to a comment from Dalia / June 8, 2010 at 08:59 pm
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Because we are Canadians, we don't like to complain or hurt anyone's feelings.

One day we will all wake up in a totalitarian nightmare if things continue on the fascist path they have been on. People laugh and scoff and throw around terms like paranoia or conspiracy theory. Basically dismissing the possibility of the things being warned of could happen - "No, not here". But things have changed since 2001 and complacency, inertia and fear have allowed the dismantling of our very rights. I mean, c'mon, we have basically accepted the idea of a "free-speech zone" as acceptable? I'm sorry, the Charter tells me the whole nation is a free-speech zone and I won't be convinced by weak arguments about a few idiots who use the opportunity to cause trouble since they are the minority and the so-called "freedom-loving" governments often do far worse than break a few windows.
Meera / June 8, 2010 at 09:01 pm
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That entry point looks oh-so-accessible to people who use mobility devices. Not.
papa / June 8, 2010 at 09:08 pm
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20 of the kind of a big deal leaders of the world are going to be here. what should they do: just kinda pretend like it's no big deal and just let things flow as usual? cause it's not like anything bad could happen, right? I mean, who's actually going to come to toronto and try to f@ck with them? the fact that this meeting is being held in toronto is kinda ridiculous. we obviously don't have the infrastructure to support it. that they're preparing for it, isn't.
chino / June 8, 2010 at 09:23 pm
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all these barriers, noise tanks, etc are crowd control measures...but seriously will there be a crowd?

why dont they just build a facility deep in the artic or something and meet there? i bet it wouldn't even cost a billion.

death is certain, when its time, its time. no amount of fences and barriers will prevent that from happening.

what do you call a gathering of 20 scared as f U C K idiots who can't do a damn thing right in this world? do a web conference or something!! this is the 20th century for fk sakes! geeezzz
Marc / June 8, 2010 at 09:46 pm
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This whole thing, the whole event, fence included, is just a joke and complete regression.
jamesmallon / June 8, 2010 at 09:47 pm
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"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin
Bubba / June 8, 2010 at 09:57 pm
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the people of toronto are going to pay the true price of this so called summit. what a joke. why didn't they do this in ottawa instead if it's such a big deal? or on some remote island off the coast of eastern canada if they were so concerned with security?
mangotango / June 8, 2010 at 10:16 pm
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Hmmmm...ugly concrete with no style. Fits nicely with the rest of the architecture in the city.
Al / June 8, 2010 at 11:05 pm
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Skype that shit next time. Seriously. Feed some kids or something, maybe clean up some oil.
ry / June 8, 2010 at 11:57 pm
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maybe a stupid question

But why the hell didn't they just do the whole shebang up at Deerhurst!?
S / June 9, 2010 at 01:48 am
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Hope the governments responsible pay this out of their pockets and not from ours. Toronto deserves better than a $ billion+ photo-op.
Gregory replying to a comment from Marc / June 9, 2010 at 03:32 am
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agreed
Gregory replying to a comment from Al / June 9, 2010 at 03:33 am
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agreed
handfed / June 9, 2010 at 04:33 am
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I, for one, welcome our new architecture.
Ryan L. replying to a comment from ry / June 9, 2010 at 06:28 am
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Because there were not enough hotel rooms for all the attendees, which when it comes down to it is the big reason behind many of the decisions they've made.
Adam replying to a comment from PrinceJammy / June 9, 2010 at 07:52 am
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PrinceJammy said: "We should do nothing so they feel like a bunch of assholes."

That's the most perfectly Zen response to this stupid security freakout I've read so far.

If anything, we should just protest the security B.S. itself in a calm, peaceful, and even fun and laid-back manner.
jennifer / June 9, 2010 at 07:57 am
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I would like to see a map with all of the areas that will be impacted by this mess. You guys are right, skype this shit!
Tim / June 9, 2010 at 09:02 am
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wow.. people seem to be very paranoid and truly believe that George Orwell's 1984 is coming to reality. I guess no one stops to think about the fact that 20 very important dignitaries will be here over a weekend - people that might be victims of assassinations. Do you really think Toronto could just continue on like nothing is happening that weekend? I mean come on.. I didn't realize this city couldn't put two and two together.
The Shakes / June 9, 2010 at 09:03 am
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What a wasted opportunity, here you have miles of 20 foot high fencing, they should be selling advertising space to huge multi-nationals to help cover the costs of the event.
Tim replying to a comment from Alogon / June 9, 2010 at 09:03 am
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and just how is Canada on a totalitarian, fascist path?
I think you may need to go back and take poli-sci again... We are definitely not anywhere near to being fascist! our conservative government is practically socialist with a blue ribbon.
Daryl replying to a comment from The Shakes / June 9, 2010 at 09:26 am
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"they should be selling advertising space to huge multi-nationals to help cover the costs of the event."

I heard they're going to CG that in later.
RBeezy replying to a comment from The Shakes / June 9, 2010 at 09:33 am
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BP's looking to do some PR.....
Jeremy Wilson / June 9, 2010 at 10:51 am
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I'm curious as to what the actual benefit Canada gets from this. Or is it a case that we just have to pay the costs as our fair share of having these bullshit talks?
Dave / June 9, 2010 at 01:56 pm
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Digitaljournal.com also shot some pics of the fence and surrounding area, this time in the gloomy rain. Creates some interesting mood pics.
Check em out here:
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/293153
Mike / June 10, 2010 at 08:33 pm
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Unfortunately our Charter of Rights and Freedoms is more a Charter of Privileges that the government can take away at any time it so chooses, due to the "notwithstanding clause". So basically, in Canada we have freedom only as long as the government lets us. We are really slaves. We have no Bill of Rights like in the USA. Our Charter can be nullified easily.
Arturo / June 10, 2010 at 11:54 pm
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I was just shooting a little video with a friend on the Exhibition grounds. We shot for a good 20 minutes until a security officer pulled up and told us any video or photos were prohibited as it is the G20 Media Centre and they are on high security. She pointed out the security camera that was watching us.

I've shot things there before without a problem from security, so I don't know whether the security cameras are new or not, and if they are new I'm betting they'll stay past the event. I'd expect this the week of the event, not two and a half weeks before. Maybe someone was worried we were planning to put piranhas in the fake lake.
Richard Flannigan / June 15, 2010 at 11:14 pm
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Videos of the G20 fence can be seen here, for anyone that wants a tour of it: http://www.youtube.com/user/torontogoat
susee / June 17, 2010 at 06:54 pm
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this is a big wast of hard working tax payer's money.
S / June 17, 2010 at 07:20 pm
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Let the CONservative party pay this out of their own personal pockets. Politically they are toast. No retirement funds from the taxpayers either!
Tomasz / June 18, 2010 at 10:37 pm
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I was taking more photos today of the fence and I was stopped and questioned by the police. They asked for my ID and took my phone number and address, and told me that if they find out that I was taking pictures to help protesters figure our the security situation I'd be in trouble.

Jeez, basically you can't take photos down there at all. Even though it's not technically illegal, the cops give you so much trouble that, in practice, it's not allowed.

Armi replying to a comment from Dalia / June 20, 2010 at 03:45 pm
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I assume we do not yet have the technology to build a dom similar to the one that I saw in Simpson's movie.
Armi replying to a comment from Dalia / June 20, 2010 at 03:52 pm
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Chino, we are in 21 century by the way.
Toronto Elli / June 20, 2010 at 09:12 pm
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Yeah, war zone is exactly what i thought when I saw what Toronto looks like now. Security measures are important, that is true, but I am afraid this is too much. It will be extremely hard to move around the city in next couple of days. Not looking forward to that
Tdot_mike replying to a comment from susee / June 21, 2010 at 09:33 am
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ironic that its being spend on unemployed, time wasting, scumfucks then.
whatever replying to a comment from Tomasz / June 21, 2010 at 04:44 pm
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I was also downtown today taking pictures and was also stopped by police.

They pretty much interrogated me and took my ID and information as well.

Apparently even before the summit, taking pictures is borderline illegal.

funint.o. / June 21, 2010 at 05:19 pm
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The bored middle class white kids with their rocks will be here soon.
Mia / June 23, 2010 at 06:04 pm
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mwahahaha! Can you say "District 9"? Let me know when the mass-extermination commences!
rob / June 25, 2010 at 10:54 pm
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It's a shame the govement has to spend the money on security but I guess they do this becuase of people showing up with weapons. I saw on the news the guys carrying weapons, monlitive cocktails and trying to pull fences down. If these guys want peace then why would they choose to act that way. The police were very courteous polite and the protestors were carrying hammers and things to set on fire and throw at the police. So why are the police made out to be bad. So many of them wouldn't have to be there if the protestors behaved themselves. They all seem to be calculating and too angry. They may feel better if they got jobs so they wouldn't be out protesting everything. My grandparents protested in the 60's and never smashed things or hurt anyone. They say they are ashamed of how protestors behave nowadays.
psykik / June 26, 2010 at 09:31 pm
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Full Moon tonight too...
psykik / June 26, 2010 at 09:31 pm
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full moon tonight too....
ARATA BELA / June 27, 2010 at 12:19 am
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MELES ZENAWI of Ethiopia: Worse than the former Marxist dictator he ousted nearly two decades ago, Zenawi has clamped down on the opposition, stifled all dissent, and rigged elections. Like a true Marxist revolutionary, Zenawi has stashed BILLions in foreign banks and acquired mansions in Maryland and London in his wife's name, according to close associates -- even as his barbaric regime collects a whopping $1 billion in foreign aid each year. 19 Years in power: 19 YEARS
Lumiere / April 23, 2011 at 05:43 pm
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Looking back on all of this after experiencing it almost a year ago is just nuts. It feels very surreal - as if none of it ever happened - though I'm well aware that it certainly did!
Pat / April 23, 2011 at 06:54 pm
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This is what a police state looks like.

Continue with your lives, nothing to see here.
Pat replying to a comment from rob / April 23, 2011 at 06:56 pm
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Hey bob you are reading only half the story.

People were detained and search without due process.

The rights of the citizens in the city come before the rights of big business.

They aren't going to have to live here after the smoke settles and the broken-bones heal.

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