City
Why a public inquiry into police actions during the G20 is necessary
There is a thin line that separates violence sanctioned by the state - the use of police force - from violence that isn't. That line is our collective consent to be held to certain behaviour. In our name, the state delegates the regulation of this behaviour to the police and other law enforcement agencies. This past week in Toronto, such agencies jeopardized the public trust in their judgment and ability, and it for this reason that we need an independent and public inquiry into their actions.
An illustrative example to lead off:
British Columbia Solicitor General and Liberal MLA Kash Heed resigned from Premier Gordon Campbell's cabinet for the first time in April 2010. A Special Prosecutor - Terrence Robertson - was appointed to investigate allegations of elections irregularities, and when he cleared Heed, on May 4 2010, Campbell reappointed Heed to the cabinet. The farce began less than 24 hours later when it was revealed that Robertson's firm, Harper Gray, had made substantial contributions to the BC Liberal party and had directly donated to Heed's campaign. Heed was forced to resign again, the Liberals had to find another Special Prosecutor, and the saga still continues.
I offer up this little bit of arcane BC political trivia to make the point that those who investigate high officials need to be obviously and scrupulously distanced from the subjects of their investigation. You can't investigate yourself with any degree of credibility and neither can those with a vested interest in you.
When it comes to the police, this matter of public trust becomes even more critical. The monopoly on the legal use of force that police have is not an inherent right - it is delegated to them by the state on our collective behalf. The police don't stop you or search you or arrest you by themselves as a private entity. In short, they act for us.
This delegation of authority depends on the people having faith in the conduct of the police. If the people have lost trust in the police, then it becomes entirely legitimate to wonder why the police are indeed authorized to use force - a point made in chants directed at the police lines at demonstrations this week: "Who do you serve?"
Why was there such overwhelming militarization in our streets before the Summits? Why were a thousand people arrested when it now seems charges are warranted on less than three hundred of them? Video and photographs posted online and published both by alternative and mainstream media document the physical violence wreaked upon peaceful protesters by police on Jun 26 and June 27.
Who directed this? There are numerous allegations of egregious and deliberate violations of civil liberties, both on the streets of Toronto and at the detention centre on Eastern Avenue. How was this allowed to happen on such a scale? Rampages along Queen and Yonge streets by black clad miscreants beg the question of why they were not stopped by the many thousands of police in Toronto at the time. Where were the police in scenes like this, when protesters try to stop vandalism?
Add to this the confusing and conflicting evidence provided by Chief Bill Blair about the special powers granted to the police - or lack thereof - by the Province and you create a situation in which it is impossible for the police to investigate themselves. It is simply not enough to have internal review of policing given the seriousness and the scale of public concerns.
Chief Blair has either been caught out lying about the scope of the Public Works Protection Act or has proved to be unbelievably incompetent in his understanding of the law. "I misunderstood the law" is not a defense that anyone in this country should accept, especially from the man who heads police services for the largest city in Canada.
Further, in the presentation to media of "weapons" seized during the G8 and G20, police displayed items that they had already admitted had nothing to do with the protests, including a crossbow seized early in the week and arrows meant for a role-playing game. Again, this is either an outright attempt to justify their cost and actions or sheer incompetence. Neither does much to restore the public's faith in either the honesty of our police services or in their ability. Without that faith, they have no legitimacy.
Thousands who were illegally arrested, detained, questioned or searched still walk in fear when they see police approaching, not to mention those who experienced first-hand physical violence from police officers as they were peacefully demonstrating - as is their Charter right. I have seen the bruises on their bodies. In Canada, in 2010, this is not an acceptable state of things. Clearly, these are not the actions of "rogue" cops who can be investigated internally. This is about what was deemed acceptable in terms of policing at the highest levels.
Under the circumstance, an independent public inquiry is absolutely necessary. We the people - in whose names the police act - need to know what happened and how it was allowed to happen.
Writing by Archana Rampure.
Photos by Jonas Naimark, tomms, ronnie.yip (x 2), Carl W. Heindl.
Discussion
73 Comments
Sort By Oldest First / Newest First
Subscribe
911 calls on Yonge were told to "Protect Yourself", when in fact about 30 teenagers broke windows, with police in vans watching them do so. There must be a public inquiry.
From when to when, where, and on who's orders?
If you live downtown, were you aware if a fire broke-out, your home/business could have burned to the ground?
People called 911 for fire, and they would not come.
They were ordered to stay away, even from a safe area.
If it was a little disorganized, why not send a water cannon, at least to wet the area down, until the trucks came?
That is beyond negligence folks, by the fire authorities, controlled by who?
G20 In-Security.
There were no police on Yonge as the kid vandals struck, except armed police in loaded vans WATCHING them, then speeding away and letting them trash those stores. Ask the store owners, they saw it.
Later, no police on Yonge all night.
Next day, Yonge had cops every 3 ft, and they were illegally searching people and there were random arrests and detentions every block.
Too late guys! 24 hrs too late.
That was political theatre.
If a mall is vandalized by some youths, do the police come there 24 hrs later and arrest people who are there then?
It was out of control, all on Orders from the police bosses.
Why were police just watching the little so-called kiddie "riot" on Yonge.
As shown, it is illegal for police to not put down a "riot". But Yonge St was hardly a "riot". The witnesses say it was about 30 "kids", like the girl who got grabbed, the kid who got body slammed by the Bell store, the kids with the sticks.
Some cops have now stated OTR that a few vans in the sidestreets, and a large team of officers could have picked those kids up in minutes. They only had 1 hour to organize the police!
They watched the vandals on video from 3:30 at Queen/Spadina, to 4:30 when they were around Yonge/College. They let the kids go for miles, all the way.
They even let those kids walk right by police HQ, throw stuff at the police HQ, stacked with riot-police.
That is not legal folks. Armed riot-police cannot just stand there, while a kiddie riot parade waltzes by.
Who ordered them to stand-down, and why?
Politics?
How did the kid vandals know that the police had ORDERS to NOT arrest those who did property damage? The vandals must have known, as they walked right in front of Police HQ, apparently throwing bricks?
Attacking police HQ, what is the legal use of force to stop that?
If the police had lawfully tackled the kids on Yonge, like the guy at the Bell store, they would be HEROS, like that guy. Everyone loves the Bell store tackle. He lawfully used appropriate force on a kid vandal, a body-slam.
Why didn't police do that?
Anyone can see this was beyond a dangerous farce, and moves into something else.
That needs to be investigated, not covered up.
Toronto got screwed, by some type of "political policing", that chose to let kid break windows, and just watch them, seemingly to justify 1 billion bucks blown.
Later, there was a type of undeclared random Martial Law on the streets, and they never told anyone! So they picked up lawful people. It was all planned.
If they wanted Martial Law, then declare it, put it on the radio, so people know what is going on.
But they didn't do that.
Instead, you had hundreds and hundreds of police, literally following illegal orders for days at a time.
That is what this is about.
Who wants hundreds of armed police and ETF, to happily follow illegal orders for days at a time, and arrest you if they don't like your face, and throw you in a cage, strip you, mistreat you, then release the person!
That is 1910 folks, its worse than 1910.
This was some type of military live "test" training, and Toronto's guinea-pigs were used as practice.
If did not see it, you don't get it, unless you do some research.
This must never ever happen again in Canada.
Citizens have the right to be lawful.
Police do not have the right to break the laws, on orders, because they have clubs.
Hundreds of police do not have the write to suspend the Constitution, and then cover it up.
This was the biggest gross violation of citizen rights in Canadian history. Which is why those involved, all 3 levels of government, want to cover it up.
At this point, it is a cover-up. That is not hyperbole.
Canada did not exist, randomly, and at the whim of whoever was giving the "orders" to police on the headsets.
Notice how Dalton was hiding all the time?
This does not even scratch the surface of the incredible illegal activity by hundreds of organized police that weekend.
There was No Canada, at many times.
The truth will come out, the question is, who will be also caught for doing a cover-up? And who will come clean.
As the PR people say, its better to come clean fast, than try a cover-up, which will make it worse for them.
So the politicians and police in the cover-up, should instead step up, and be the hero for the Canadian constitution. That is what its about.
Im also surprised BLOGTO has chosen to take a stand on this issue.
The protection of our charter rights is priceless.
For example, now the REAL criminals know that police will NOT stop any vandals and looters, and that 911 says "Protect Yourself".
What will happen then? Ask around on Yonge, the stores owners are terrified as police who where there, refused to protect them.
What if G20 bosses had allowed Queen W to burn to the ground, for no reason? What then?
So you can see how it could go, very easily.
People were scared that 19,000 police would stop any illegal activity.
Instead, they were ordered to stand-down.
So if the robbers had known this, as many store owners now realize, there would have been a mayhem of robberies from every robber in the GTA.
You have to ask. Did someone at the head of G20 In-Security, want to allow something like that to happen?
There were no police anywhere on Yonge all night.
Just large gangs of riot police, 99% of them doing nothing, standing there.
This is a fact. You could have been 50 ft in front of a bus full of 50 riot-police who could fight the Taliban, and if some random crook decided to rob, or beat you to death, they would not have intervened.
They had orders to sit, and watch, and only follow orders.
In that sense, there was NO POLICE. Not like a normal cop, who is able to use his judgment.
People who only watched TV, have no idea of how close it came to a catastrophe out there. Not due to "protests", but due to the total withdrawal of policing from the core.
Withdraw police from a city, and what do you get?
When the police go on strike, what happens?
500 riot police standing there in a line, is a form of police strike, as they only will do something if someone comes at them. Ask them.
If a robbery or beating occurred in eyesight, they cannot do anything about it.
People need to wake up about what happened in this city.
Maybe next time, your home will be in a zone, where there is no fire-police 911 response, and you will be told to "Protect Yourself"
Its scary how much of the media has failed to deal or grasp the essential issues.
Obviously BlogTO saw what went down.
What is the evidence of this?
While an armed police van was watching vandals on Yonge and then sped away. That is beyond illegal behavior.
From those who called 911 for the fire on Queen, and nothing came, in a safe area.
The records exist.
Lets see the full 911 records, in a public inquiry.
Who blocked the firetruck from Queen West for an eternity, when the street and entrances were safe? The block could have burnt down.
Whoever did that from G20 HQ, and whoever gave that order, needs to be investigated for beyond criminal negligence, and punished for risking a city block, for no reason.
If its safe to sell hotdogs and play jazz, its safe to put out a fire that could torch a block.
You see what they did to this city? It hasn't sunk in yet.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontog20summit/article/831506--store-owners-defiant-after-property-damaged-during-g20-riot
Salimi checks his phone and sees that he called police at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday. “They said they couldn’t come. They said, ‘Protect yourself.’ ”
The most 'legitimate' answer could be for burning a police car.
The most likely answer is exercising a charter right.
But regarding the worst case. Many people convicted of murder don't even get this treatment. And, in my opinion murder is worse than the burning of a police car.
There are 911 records, just after 8:00 on Queen W, calling for fire assistance. 911 says they know of the fire, but cannot respond.
No firetrucks or water cannons came, and the fire had been burning for a long time, on TV and radio. It could have exploded, and torched the area.
The street was safe at the time, no riot. That can be confirmed by the cameras.
Paramedics on-site saw it and were very upset, police around the corner on stand-down also saw it, but refused to assist when asked to help. That is what happened.
Also, if you know any of the shopkeepers near Yonge/Gerrard, ask them, they will confirm there was a loaded police van on Yonge watching the vandals, and left as they came up to smash his store. That is what happened.
We need a proper investigation to sort it through.
Toronto Star reports this, from Yonge Street"
QUOTE:
"Salimi checks his phone and sees that he called police at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday. “They said they couldn’t come. They said, ‘Protect yourself.’ ”
Its called assault. As we all saw too many times, often to young women who did nothing wrong.
The police "orders" were not only totally inept, many of them were illegal. That needs to go before a judge.
The vandals, and the few goons who were breaking the law, deserved to be lawfully arrested.
But they didn't arrest those who broke the law. They let them go.
Then later, arrested everyone else.
They ended up arresting the idealistic people, who believe in freedom of peaceful assembly.
By then, any vandals were long gone.
So that is the point, independent judge, and full public inquiry.
When people see the facts, they will be shocked.
Even off the record, some local police can't believe what went down. They blame their bad "orders". But its more than that.
They will do this all over again, next time the PM decides to put something like this here, and he will do it.
Lets protect the city, by sorting it out now, before people get killed en masse, or the city gets ripped apart, by REAL criminals, who will be out in force next time, as its like a Police Strike.
Later in the day, there were no "cops" anyone could talk to.
Proof is even asking a question, or walking too close, you WOULD be threatened with arrest. Doesn't matter who you were.
So that is martial law.
They want marital law, then declare it.
You see the massive fraud this was.
Now the other G20's are doing payouts to those hurt years later in the millions. The taxpayer pays for the crimes of the state.
It a racket.
The point? Billions? fear? politics? militarization? new toys for the police?
The RCMP admits now that they had three police officers disguised as protesters for "information gathering" although the deny that it was to cause violence.
Although the video says otherwise, one of the men agent provocateurs was seen holding a rock and all three were attempting to agitate the crowd into violence.
This ain't a black and white issue here when it is the police causing the riots. Isn't it a bit fishy the black bloc were let loose for a hour and a half with not a cop in site?
The police know a flaming car photo-op @ bay and king would give them the right to do anything... and that they did.
THIS IS WHAT A POLICE STATE LOOKS LIKE.
Torontonians must be ensured that those individuals, unions and groups who aided or abetted such criminal and lawless action will not be covered up in any way.
It’s my opinion these masked malcontent anarchist protesters blatantly ignored our civil laws and committed lawless criminal acts against mankind, peace and the planet they fictitiously claim to represent from the very beginning by threatening to illegally disrupt the summit itself and the civil liberties of those attending.
Aiding, Abetting and urging malcontent protesters to ignore our Civil Laws and the rights of others and then stand by and Watch Lawless Criminal Acts against Mankind, Peace and the Planet they Fictitiously Claim to Represent said it all.
These union leaders and University of Toronto student union leaders who permitted such malcontent anarchist and civic terrorists to be housed on our public campuses are directly responsible and have left Toronto and all law abiding citizens with an everlasting black stain in the eyes of the world.
Torontonians don’t seek revolutions and when so called protesters cannot and do not abide by laws of civil society but begin burning police cars, smashing store windows they themselves have then lost any rights to protest.
http://peterclarketoronto.com
Here are some facts for the rest of you hippies on this site.
1. Police officers are not allowed to use excessive force to protect property. That is why they couldn't do much when rioters were smashing windows or burning isolated objects.
2. "Disturbing the peace" is grounds for arrest, which means swearing, shouting and crowding. This law has been in place for years! This is nothing new.
3. The worlds 20 most important leaders were in one room that weekend. The police officers were not going to act like security at a club, they were protecting our leaders, whom people in this world actually want to kill.
Start taking some responsibility for your actions people.
If you were in the police officer's position I doubt any of you would have done anything much different.
Take your bias blinders off and look at the facts!
PEOPLE NEED TO START TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS
But this isn't good enough.
We need to have a broad understanding of how this happened, why this happened, and what we can do to prevent it from happening again. Only a full public inquiry will achieve this. It would be nothing short of a travesty if one isn't carried out, and the cost to taxpayers will be immense with or without one. When we're forced to turn to lawyers, rather than our elected politicians, to ensure the upholding of our rights and freedoms as citizens, what does that say about the state of our democracy?
(from my <a href="http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/07/is_a_class-action_lawsuit_against_toronto_police_services_for_their_conduct_during_the_g20_inevitable/";>post</a> published yesterday)
You need to take off your own blinders. Not everyone detained by the police last weekend was breaking the law. Most of the protesters were peaceful, and some people caught by the police weren't even protesting at all!
It's absurd, I am responsible for and can be held accountable for MY actions, and anyone who attempts to punish me for the actions of others has, according to Canadian law, violated my rights and acted illegally.
If the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Criminal code, and in fact the entire tradition of personal freedoms and Canadian human rights law can be suspended periodically and without notice, then we don't have rights at all.
The people in these marches WANT police to arrest any vandals immediately, so why didn't you do your job? You let the vandals go after watching them for 2 hrs..
And over 95% of marchers were at Queen and Spadina, or went home after the march. Look at the video. Queen was sealed off, after the vandals ran East on Queen.
The other talking point from police HQ is that...
"citizens should have stopped the vandals"
"protesters should have stopped the vandals"
They say it in the media, they will say it to your face. Try it. go to police HQ, and ask to speak with a commander, about why they did not stop the vandals on Yonge or in front of Police HQ. Ask him.
Then when the facts come out that in fact police WATCHED some kids vandalize and did nothing, they try to backpedal and say they can't use excessive force for property damage.
Why didn't you tackle them, like the guy 10 secs from police HQ who gave the vandal a body-slam? If your officers did that, they would be heros on YouTube, not examples of police brutality, and telling people "they don't live in Canada anymore".
Whoops, it slipped out eh?. Unofficial martial law was declared by HQ, and they forgot to tell the public. Another crime, it would seem to common sense.
In fact, since police HQ had shut down 911 service on Yonge, "Protect Yourself" ...the police on Yonge were legally obligated to intervene in the alleged "riot". If they don't, that is a violation of the Police Act, and they can go to jail for that offense.
So the police in vans on Yonge watching the black bloc kids have a little "riot", were breaking the law again, it would seem.
The hundreds of police watching the TV cameras of the kids breaking windows for 2 hrs, are in very serious trouble for not doing anything.
So are all the police caught on video standing and watching, or retreating from the vandals.
All those tapes and transcripts have to be released, to see who was giving those "orders" to do nothing for hours.
Even worse, later YouTube shows countless brutal violent illegal arrests of young small WOMEN by huge MEN in riot gear.
For what? Nothing.
That level of violence is sick against passive arrests, and the world has seen Toronto's police using excessive violence on small young women, why these "men" are in riot gear.
Those "men" often covered their badge numbers, which is illegal, and beyond cowardly, and frankly a criminal mentality to break the laws of lawful arrest, and beat some heads.
People are not fooled by the BS, PR, spin and lies.
The G20 leaders could not have been touched by an ARMY, down there. Please.
The local cops on the ground were used as patsies by the brass. They used them by ordering them to stand-down, and let some glass get broke for the TV, to justify the billion.
The cops were then used by the brass, by the brass giving false information in their earpieces, about peaceful assembled citizens, and illegally attacking them without warning. There was no "riot act" read through loudspeakers. Another illegal act.
Wanton illegal behavior by huge gangs of armed police.
Just Following Orders.
They will see that they were lied to by the brass. People's heads are not for "training exercises".
Cops who have integrity and common decency will come forward, and expose the brass giving those illegal, political "orders" to go after the wrong people.
Some of us, non-protesters who live here, tried to DO SOMETHING, to help, but could not. It was out of control.
Queens Park "Free Speech Zone" was trampled by horses, and r-bullets, and clubs, nice symbolism HQ, point taken.
You should have had your bosses call Martial Law over the radio, if you wanted to clear areas out. Why didn't you? More deception from the top, to fill up the little Gitmo?
More arrests = bigger budgets, they were heard saying.
So they grabbed the kids and girls who were closest, and smallest, for an easy arrest.
The vandals would have just walked away from the clumsy police line, they have seen it all before.
Police should know the law?
But many of them were jacked up and looking for action, and having a ball out there.
We tried to find a Captain on the ground, for some sanity, but there were none.
Just "Orders" from the "Das Commander" at HQ over the ear-piece which made cops into robots who could not judge the situation, and ironically made them wide-open if there was a real threat.
You know who's heads you were beating in?
Officers, read this article below.
Its about a pacifist girl who got beat and arrested. Her dad was a G20 cop.
Mourning Canadian democracy http://www.thespec.com/article/800965
Your blind, illegal, stupid "orders" did this to many hundreds of innocent girls and young people who believed in the Charter and the law of the land.
The police, after watching crimes for over 2 hrs and doing nothing, then went on to break law after law.
It was not Canada, when they appeared with clubs.
We tried to find someone to talk to, no one cared.
The "law" was "lawless".
It will all come out. Police were given illegal orders, and they also went mad with "power" in cases.
Now the brass want a cover-up.
Instead, expose the brass following political orders.
Tell the truth, clean it up.
They were trapped in a van, or on a line, taking (bad) orders from an ear piece.
Whereas a Free Citizen, can move on a bike everywhere quickly, and see what is happening operationally, and cross both sides of the line, and get a sense of reality.
When you see a group of a hundred middle-class young people protesters (Steve Paikin), and 3 blocks away see massive lines of riot-police panicking to get setup, as these "anarchists" are coming to kill them...you know the police are being lied to by their bosses.
Brazen lies.
There was NO rioting by Commerce Court, just normal young TO people, a little chanting. Nothing. Peaceful protest, and just looking LEGALLY at the fence. No threat at all. Threat level 0-10? Zero, from the crowd.
Of course, there may have been one crazy person in any crowd, but that is a different thing to handle.
There was no proper policing strategy. What ever happened to SAFE containment, and calming things down. Instead, the police just attacked. More fun for them, and training practice.
Those kids who stood up for FREEDOM and LAW had great courage. I challenge one officer to stand up like they did for the Constitution of Canada, when 100 armed riot-cops are coming at them in the dark, with ETF back there.
Yonge Vandals:
How did the Yonge teen vandals come to throw things at police HQ? What force can police use to repel an attack on HQ? Lethal? The mob or Hells Angels wouldn't try it.
But a group of teens, turns west on College, and then goes right by HQ, apparently even throwing bricks at HQ?
The video needs to be studied, to see WHO in that vandal group, got them to go west past Police HQ, as they would have to have known the police order to not go after them.
That is beyond suspicious.
Then later, once assumes the police say over their radio that anarchists attacked the police station, and lets get them at Queens Pk.
Meanwhile, any vandal would know the game, and simply walk north when the riot-line moved in.
It was obscene, and illegal.
The kettling, shows their intent. If there was a bad guy in the group, they could have kettled them, located the bad guy from a photo in 5 minutes, then released everyone.
But no, they hold them for in the rain for many hours, to punish them as a grouo, and to test their officers in rainy conditions.
Then release them.
Then the Chief says they were dangerous protesters? When in fact they were not, as proven by many witnesses.
The politicians are so freaked out, they have to try and deny what happened to the citizens.
The police running amok over the Charter, and the politicians covering it up.
That is a lesson in real civics.
Get a constitution.
Whoever blocked those firetrucks to Queen, are going to be held to account. There is no escape from that one, the evidence is there.
Whoever was in uniform and stood-back from putting down a "riot" before it got going, are also going to be held to account.
Those police who drove away from Yonge, and let those stores get trashed, have to answer for that.
Those so-called "men" in riot-gear who violently beat and arrested young girls without proper cause, will also be held to account. Shame on them.
Huge gangs of police, breaking the law all over Toronto, following orders.
Police are not above the law.
Those who peacefully stood up to them, they are true Canadians. That is what this country is all about.
Many cops have no real idea yet of what they did, but they will, this is not going away.
Tell this mother to get a life. Her pacifist daughter was illegally beaten and arrested at the G20. Her father was a G20 cop.
Mourning Canadian democracy
http://www.thespec.com/article/800965
It is now a clear and de facto offence to critize, annoy or refuse to instantly obey any police office, whether he has the law behind him or not. The police chief has now st a precedent of creating law as he goes along, and the politicians are backing him up uniformly in this.
If beating people up, threatening female prisoners with gang-rape, and arbitrarily arresting citizens by the hundreds is the price of maintaining peace in our city, then so be it. The police know best; they are trained professionals. The average citizen is a mere amateur in these matters, and should either keep his mouth shut or surrender himself for some voluntary re-education at Eastern Avenue before he disturbs the peace any further.
Personally, I think that the police should have arrested *everybody* in the GTA during the G20. After all, we had 20 Very Important People coming to our city and $1.3 billion had been spent to ensure their comfort.
Why this wasn't done I simply can't understand. It would have given police experts a whole weekend to beat this crap about 'human right' and 'Charter violations' out of them all, and they could have all been forced to sign an undertaking to vote for Stephen Harper in the next election. Think of the prolems that would have solved - an obedient city instantly, and the promise of endless law and order.
Ah well, perhaps next time.
Any group that would sacrifice our liberty for their security deserves neither. - benfranklin
go move to china i hear people there agree with you.
It's much easier for me to offer my criticism of the system from my cheetoh-stained chair to this blog, rather than lobby my government.
In the eyes of the hoodlums and their supporters only a ruling that the police are "guilty" would stand. If the ruling was not guilty, the hoodlums would cry conspiracy which would only make the matter worse.
@Me123 You're right, people do need to start taking responsibility for their actions. Remember though, police are people too and over the g20 weekend the ISU demonstrated either complete (and well manned/armed) incompetence or willful intent. Either way it needs discussion and investigation. Yes it'll have financial expense but the cost of not knowing what really happened is far worse.
As for your list, points 1 & 2 cancel one another out. If police can charge you with 'Breach of Peace' for shouting or spitting then they can probably step in and stop the small handful from breaking windows and running amok. But they didn't, seemingly on order to stand down.
Bill Blair, nor anyone else, has adequately explained why that was allowed to happen. The police weren't outnumbered, they demonstrated self-appointed power throughout the weekend, and the notion that they didn't want to be distracted from the G20 venue is in contradiction of police presence elsewhere in the city.
We're mostly focusing on what appears a causal relationship between the events of thugs on Saturday and bystanders on Sunday. Which is fair but we also need to step back to before the thugs, when police repeatedly stormed the 'Free Speech Zone'. Why was that done before Saturday afternoon, what did it accomplish. What of those quashed rights and false detainments?
Over the last week and a half I've watched the Facebook group called "Canadians Demanding a Public Inquiry into Toronto G20" grow to just over 44,000 people as of this writing. Lots of discussion going on over there:
http://www.facebook.com/editapps.php#!/group.php?gid=135629036463012
http://www.g20justice.com
If it WAS an offense, Police Chief Bill Blair would be busily asking citizens for the names and badge numbers of offending officers, and he ISN'T - and HE knows the law on these matters better than most of you do!
If it WAS an offense, politicians would be screaming out for a public inquiry, and they're NOT - and, again, they have access to better legal advice than most of you do.
So what's the big deal? Trying to distract everyone with talk of 'their rights' and 'the Charter' just makes the job of the police harder as they go about their tasks of beating people up, arbitrarily arresting them, or threatening to rape them while in their custody.
For crying out loud, even the MAYOR can see this because he's been effusive in his praise of the police!
Why don't you all quit whining and learn to do what you're told! That would go a long way toward keeping the peace in this idyllic and world-class city.
For my money, people who start muttering about their 'rights' are just potential troublemakers, and it's a well-known tactic of would be domestic terrorists to start quoting 'the Charter'.
The police know this. So when they beat someone up, arbitrarily arrest them, or threaten to rape them while in their custody, they're actually doing it for YOUR protection!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjVtsuoPlzk&;feature=player_embedded#!
The kids were smart enough to get the numbers of each of the police involved in the intimidation. Nice...
I agree. I'm looking forward to seeing Police Chief Bill Blair set an example in doing this, closely followed by Premier McGuinty and Stephen 'Bilderberger' Harper!
What a joke of a site. It's just stories about police you're after. Talk about making your mind up before seeing the facts.
People take their neighbors to court for planting a tree within an inch of the property line, but when it comes to free speech, the most we can muster is to anonymously rant at strangers.
If you ARE going to follow this matter through to the courts, or to diligently communicate with your MPP, then you're probably too busy to waste your time reading this to begin with.
"There are no civil rights here in the area. How many times to you need to be told that?"
"This is our area."
"This isn't Canada."
How can Mayor Miller see <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjVtsuoPlzk&;feature=player_embedded#!">THIS</a> and NOT demand an inquiry? It's despicable!
As if they did call actual martial law, and set a curfew, then there would be an inquiry to sort it out.
Frankly it may have been safer to call martial law, that to have roving bands of riot-police attacking peaceful people, and letting vandals run as free as the wind.
So it appears that RCMP HQ sent an order for internal martial law.
A young lawyer was falsely arrested, and he says a plainclothes office in little-Gitmo, said it was martial law.
What they did on Queen W, was martial law.
So when the cop from out of town starts saying, "there are no civil rights in the area" that is what he is saying.
He was given that police order to suspend civil rights.
So an inquiry will be able to find the police order that went out, and how it was worded.
Of course, they would have worded it in weasel words, like the fence law Doublespeak, but that makes it worse.
They literally did suspend civil rights and the constitution...randomly...according to how the police were feeling in the moment, and how they were ordered.
They just didn't tell the public.
It looks like the politicians know all this by now, and are very worried of their own skin, and know there are going to be massive lawsuits for years, and just want to hide. Their lawyers probably told them to read an inane statement without content, then go fishing and pray.
No one in authority seems to care if it happened again, with some accident or emergency, that NOT having 911-Fire and 911-Police could destroy a chunk of the city.
One would think business owners would care about that.
Apparently the "police report" is coming out tomorrow. Prediction:
It will be a white-page, with praise for police "restraint", and suggest some small improvements, but that all police did a great job, especially the police HQ, who wrote the report. They will ignore the many "lies" by the Chief, which undermines the entire police system.
They will ignore police letting the kids riot, and ignore the illegal arrests.
They will ignore the suspension of 911 in downtown.
They will say, next time, for another 100 million, we'll bring in another 10K or 20K cops, so we can have 40,000 cops, then they should be able to contain 50 teenagers.
Its a nightmare what happened to this city and country.
If the general public and government both think you're crazy, how far do you honestly think you're going to get? To ignore the importance of public support means you're either A) Stupid or B) Uncaring about actually getting the issue resolved and just like hearing the sound of your own voice yelling.
For example, when the topic of the G20 has come up with people around work, or basically anyone who isn't a college aged kid majoring in sociology or polysci, I've noticed almost <b>zero</b> empathy for the plight of the people arrested.
Despite my feelings on traditional protesting, I still feel that the police and administration definitely did some things that need to be addressed (and normally I'm one of the guys that think the protesters are full of crap). This time they actually have something worth protesting about and they're going about it so poorly that it seems even less of the general public cares about it than usual.
You were handed a gift, and you're lousing it up. You don't realize that if you actually stop and think you can get the world on your side.
To those people I offer a few suggestions:
1) Stop lying. Don't tell people you were sexually assaulted when it didn't happen. Don't tell them you didn't have room to lay down in your cell when you did. The truth <b>will</b> come out and when it does you help to discredit your entire message by trying to exaggerate your plight. This is particularly annoying this time around because <b>you don't have to</b>. The police effed up, so stop trying to add to it with things people will eventually find out were fabrications.
2) Enough with the conspiracy theories. Seriously. The big problem with conspiracy theories is how unlikely they all are for one simple reason: People are not infallible. There were thousands of police involved in keeping the peace and if some of these conspiracy theories are to believed, then all of those police would have to be in on it, not to mention other support staff and other witnesses. To believe in one of these conspiracy theories is to throw logic out the window. Do you really think all police officers and support staff are evil that not a single one of them would have an issue with committing such a conspiracy? Add in the fact that the police at the event were comprised of many different forces and don't really have an allegiance to those in command and you're really just dealing with a ridiculous scenario.
3) Keep your other, unrelated and controversial views to yourself. This is not the place to bring up the issue of legalizing pot for example. The reasons should be obvious. This includes waving Pot leaf/Canada flags.
4) Leave the Bongos at home. You're trying to get people to take you seriously, remember?
5) Please stay informed and keep up to date on information. You lose credibility if you continue to criticize police about things that turned out to be inaccurate (see #1). If something is hearsay, you're best not bringing it up or at least do some <b>research</b> before using it as an argument.
I could go on, but these are some pretty basic points. Just remember, even if you're right, it won't matter if the public doesn't treat your opinions with respect (and right now, frankly, they don't).
6) As an emphasis on #1, for the love of god, don't compare this situation to things that are of a completely different scope. Don't compare it to Nazi Germany, Communist Russia, dystopian 1984 future, etc. The people who are educated on these subjects and are aware of the horrible things that happened will probably want to slap you for being so goddamn ignorant, let alone support you in your cause. Not only do you deserve to have people laugh at you and your issues for doing this, but being hit by a truck wouldn't be out of the question. You are an awful person for trying to make this sort of comparison where there isn't one and thereby diminishing the seriousness of those other events. Stop it.
Were you even there? If so, did you have your eyes open? I was there and my eyes were open. I saw what happened. So if you think I'm making my mind up before seeing evidence - then you're dead wrong... now I'm just 'collecting' it... and the story beginning to be told is a pretty damn scary one. Don't worry though - I'll stand up for your rights too - you won't even need to thank me.
Actually, I am totally shocked that so many Canadians don't seem to understand that people's civil rights were grossly violated - ordinary people walking home or to work were dragged off to jail. These people HAD NO OPTIONS but walk because no public transit was available. No one condones violence, however, I find it just as shocking that we, the taxpayer paid for thousands of well armed, trained police to simply stand around and watch the vandalism then arrest 1000 people the next day - three quartes of whom were entirely innocent. Excuse me, is that what Canada and Canada's respect for civil liberties is all about?
Name:
Mark Charlebois
Phone:
905-751-4402
Email:
815@yrp.ca
The guy is so dirty and corrupt he can't advance. He's a dumb, substance abusing cowboy and it's a disgrace and a shame that Chief Eric Jolliffe has this idiot and fool on board.
Detective Mark Charlebois #815 of teh York Regional Police current and past "investigations":
- Charged with Assault ad battery on a handcuffed prisoner. Covered up by Chief La Barge and his like minded Inspector Graeme Turl
- multiple "visits" to rehab programs for substance abuse
- investigated for sexual "inappropriateness" with a 14 year old female "victim" he was investigating for
- multiple complaints from neighbors in Newmarket Ontario for bizarre and sexually inappropriate behavior , once again covered and hidden by like minded weirdo and wannabe police Chief Inspector Graeme Turl. His neighbors consider him a dangerous weirdo and keep their kids far away from this sociopath with a badge
Let's put it this way, this old fool is #815. Police officers who have been on the force that long are usually Inspectors or higher. He is a Detective. The reason is he's an idiot and a corrupt weirdo who gets a little silly around underage girls.
Needless to say his neighbors in Aurora have been posting some "interesting" facts about the creep. The question remains: Why would the York Regional Police allow such a loose canon out of the York Region Police cage? He basically is the face of police stupidly and incompetence in Ontario.
They are scum bags and racist Neo-Nazis that's why officers like Detective Mark "The Child Molester" Charlesbois hook up with this muslim filth. Who else rapes children, molest women and treat others like sh%$? Goofs like York Region Police.
Stop the madness:
http://www.bikernews.net/index.cfm/d/news/p/read/newsid/26113
"Technically" he shouldn't be a cop.
But welcome to the Neo Nazi police state of KKKanda.
The OIPRD refused to investigate saying they "had no jurisdiction" on the crime. Chief Eric Jolliffe refused to investigate saying she was lying without an investigation and no police officer would investigate and only harassed her and my family.
No charges were laid and no justice was done. Since this time I have learned that 2 York Regional Police officers were charged for sexual assault (Cst. Noor Khan and Cst. Brent Rouillard).
The York Regional Police force is sick, twisted and corrupt. They can not be trusted and females must be aware of how sick and twisted these individuals are. Do not trust the YRP and do not trust Detective Mark Charlebois #815. He is a rapist, a pervert and a sick and twisted individual as are many other York Regional Police officers. They will lie and cover up their crimes.
My daughter has been traumatized and will suffer for the remainder of her life because of this monster. I understand this pervert and creep did this to many others and it is always covered up. SHAME!!