Tuesday, October 19, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS MONTRÉAL:
MARCHE POUR LES VICTIMES DE BAVURES POLICIÈRES/MARCH FOR THE VICTIMS OF POLICE BRUTALITY:
À Samedi Octobre 22 à Montréal. On Saturday, October 22 in Montréal.
PBPBPBPBPB
MARCHE COMMÉMORATIVE: Justice pour les victimes de bavures policières!
Time Saturday, October 23 · 12:30pm - 2:30pm
-----------------------------
Location Guy & de Maisonneuve (métro Guy-Concordia)
Montreal, QC
----------------------------
Created By No One Is Illegal Personne n'est illégal MONTRÉAL
---------------------------
More Info [English below]
Justice pour les victimes de bavures policières!
MARCHE COMMÉMORATIVE
...SAMEDI 23 octobre, 12h30
Rassemblement: Guy & de Maisonneuve
(métro Guy-Concordia, sortie Guy)
Nous commémorerons le souvenir de Anas Bennis, Claudio Castagnetta, Ben Matson, Quilem Registre, Gladys Tolley, Fredy Villanueva et de toutes les autres victimes.
JOIGNEZ-VOUS à nous pour la Journée nord-américaine demandant l’arrêt de la brutalité policière. Montrez votre soutien et votre solidarité avec toutes les victimes de bavures policières. Avec les familles des victimes et leurs alliés, demandons vérité, dignité et justice.
Évènements familiaux – Bienvenu à tous et toutes !
INFO: 514-848-7583 – 22oct.mtl@gmail.com -- http://www.22octobre.net
----------
Les familles de personnes tuées par la police, leurs amis et leurs alliés organisent une vigile et une marche à la mémoire des victimes. Ces familles, qui doivent se battre pour connaître la vérité et pour obtenir justice pour les êtres qui leurs étaient chers, ont besoin de notre soutien.
Le vendredi 22 octobre, une vigile aura lieu en compagnie de certaines des familles devant la Fraternité des policiers et des policières (480, rue Gilford, sortie St-Joseph du métro Laurier) entre 16 h et 18 h. À la fin de la vigile nous allumerons des bougies en mémoire des victimes de brutalité policière.
Le samedi 23 octobre, une marche contre l’impunité systématique dans les cas de bavures ou de violence policière aura lieu. La marche commencera à 12h30 au coin des rues Guy et de Maisonneuve, ce sera un évènement à caractère familial. Descendez nombreux dans la rue pour montrer votre soutien aux familles. Le nombre fait la force!
Ce que nous recherchons, c’est LA DIGNITÉ, LA JUSTICE ET LA VÉRITÉ.
Le but principal de la marche est de :
- COMMÉMORER les personnes victimes de bavures policières
- SOUTENIR leurs familles par tous les moyens
Nous soutenons les revendications des familles Bennis, Castagnetta, Matson, Registre, Tolley et Villanueva. Leurs revendications incluent:
- LA FIN de la brutalité policière
- LA FIN de l’impunité policière
- LA FIN du profilage racial, social et politique
- L’ACCÈS rapide à toute l’information
- DES ACCUSATIONS CRIMINELLES contre les policiers ayant tué une personne
- LA TENUE d’enquêtes indépendantes quand une personne est tuée par la police
- L’APPLICATION des recommandations du coroner
- LA FIN de l’utilisation du Taser
Cette initiative est née suite au Forum contre la Violence Policière et l’Impunité qui a eu lieu de janvier 2010 à Montréal, durant lequel des familles ont exprimé leur désir de se réunir pour commémorer leurs proches et renforcer leurs luttes pour la dignité, la justice et la vérité. La date symbolique du 22 octobre a ensuite été choisie pour organiser des événements familiaux pour commémorer les victimes de bavures policières car cette date est la Journée Nationale de Protestation aux États-Unis, organisée par la Coalition du 22 octobre pour arrêter la brutalité policière, la répression et la criminalisation d’une génération depuis 1996.
Nous demandons le soutien d’autres groupes. Pour endosser nos revendications et participer, communiquez avec nous au (514) 848-7583 ou écrivez à 22oct-mtl@gmail.com . Vous pouvez passer prendre des dépliants et des affiches au GRIP Concordia (1500, de Maisonneuve, 2e étage).
Évènements familiaux – Bienvenu à tous et toutes !
INFO: 514-848-7583 – 22oct.mtl@gmail.com -- www.22octobre.net
:::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::
Justice for Victims of Police Killings!
COMMEMORATIVE MARCH
SATURDAY, October 23, 12:30pm
Gathering at the corner of Guy & de Maisonneuve
(métro Guy-Concordia, Guy exit)
facebook event:
We remember: Anas Bennis, Claudio Castagnetta, Ben Matson, Quilem Registre, Gladys Tolley, Fredy Villanueva and all the other victims of police killings.
JOIN US on the North American Day to Stop Police Brutality & Repression to show your support and solidarity with all victims of police killings. Together with the families and supporters of police victims, we demand truth, justice and dignity.
Family friendly - Welcome to all!
INFO: 514-848-7583 – 22oct.mtl@gmail.com -- www.22octobre.net
----------
The families of people killed by the police, their friends and their allies are organizing a commemorative vigil and march to remember victims. These families, who face an uphill battle in uncovering the truth and obtaining justice for their loved ones, need our support.
Friday, October 22: There will be a family-led vigil in front of the Police Brotherhood (480 Gilford St., Laurier metro, St-Joseph exit) between 4 and 6 p.m. We will end the vigil by lighting candles in memory of the victims of police killings.
Saturday, October 23: There will be a family-led, family-friendly march against the systemic impunity in the face of police killings and police violence. The march will begin at 12:30 p.m. on the corner of Guy St. and de Maisonneuve. We strongly encourage as many supporters as possible to come out on the streets and show our support for the families. There is power in numbers!
What we are seeking is DIGNITY, JUSTICE and TRUTH.
The main purpose of the march is to:
- REMEMBER the victims who lost their lives to police violence and abuse and;
- SUPPORT their families in any way we can
We support the list of demands of the Bennis, Castagnetta, Matson, Registre, Tolley and Villanueva families. Their demands include:
- END police brutality
- END police impunity
- END racial, social and political profiling
- ACCESS all information in a prompt manner
- LAY criminal charges in police killings
- HOLD public independent inquiries in police killings
- APPLY the recommendations of the coroner
- STOP the use of tasers
This initiative came out of the Forum Against Police Violence and Impunity in January of 2010, during which the families expressed their desire to come together to remember their loved ones and strengthen their respective struggles for dignity, justice and the truth. The symbolic date of October 22 was subsequently chosen for a family-friendly march to commemorate the victims of police killings to coincide with the National Day of Protest in the United States organized by the October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation, which has been mobilizing every year since 1996.
We ask for your group’s endorsement. To get involved contact us at (514) 848-7583 or at 22oct-mtl@gmail.com . You can pick up flyers and posters for the event at QPIRG Concordia (1500 de Maisonneuve St. W 2nd floor).
Family friendly - Welcome to all!
INFO: 514-848-7583 – 22oct.mtl@gmail.com -- www.22octobre.net
Labels: anti-racism, Canadian politics, demonstrations, events, immigrants, marches, Montreal, No One Is Illegal-Montreal, police brutality., racism
Friday, August 20, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS TORONTO:
DROP THE CHARGES RALLY:
The inevitably long and intimidating legal odyssey has begun for those arrested at the recent G20 summit in Toronto. This coming Monday there will be a rally in front of Toronto Police Headquarters demanding that all charges be dropped. Here's the details. >>>
TOTOTOTOTO
DROP THE CHARGES!
END CRIMINALIZATION OF DISSENT!
DROP THE CHARGES! END CRIMINALIZATION OF DISSENT!
Time
Monday · 6:00pm - 9:00pm
------------------------
Location outside Toronto Police Headquarters
40 College St
Toronto, ON
------------------------
Created By Toronto Community Mobilization Network
-----------------------
More Info
DROP THE CHARGES!
END CRIMINALIZATION OF DISSENT!
Rally in solidarity with G20 Defendants
Speakers: TBA
...
Most of our bruises have faded, but we haven’t. It was two months ago when many were beaten on the streets of Toronto and in their homes, with rubber bullets and tear gas fired into crowds of people of all ages, from toddlers to seniors. Two months ago, the police conducted the largest mass arrest in Canadian history with 1100 people arrested. Two months ago, the police force conducted their vicious snatch squads to kidnap (and sometimes arrest) our community organizers and others simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Two months have passed since these visible assaults on our very basic right to dissent, and they have continued to try to use every tool in their arsenal to discourage people from dissenting. On Monday, August 23rd hundreds of people will be converging in Toronto again, this time to appear to face outstanding charges from the G20 weekend. The crown is pursuing charges for over 300 individuals, causing huge burdens on the individuals and their families. They have given absurd bail conditions generally reserved for charges such as murder. Some remain imprisoned without bail. The police have also intimidated and harassed people to ensure bail compliance, disproportionately targeting their check-ins on ‘priority neighbourhoods’. Over the last 2 months the police have tried to divide, isolate, and dehumanize us, but we must show them their actions only make us stronger, more motivated, and more resilient.
On August 23rd, let’s get out our friends, families, and communities to make our message clear:
We are united with the people brutalized at the G20 protests, and demand the Attorney General's Office DROP their charges immediately!
We will unite with the communities brutalized by the police every day, and demand the assault on aboriginal and other racialized communities, on queer communities, on street people end immediately.
We will continue to dissent and take to the streets against the polices of the G20, including the proposed austerity measures.
We will continue to build our movements in the struggle for a better world - this decade will not be marked by their austerity, but rather by OUR resistance.
They Few. We Still Many.
Labels: Canadian politics, current events, demonstrations, events, G20 demonstrations, police brutality., political prisoners, prisoners, rallies, repression, Toronto, Toronto Community Mobilization Network
Sunday, July 25, 2010
LOCAL EVENTS WINNIPEG:
COPWATCH TRAINING WORKSHOP:
Next Wednesday, down at the Rudolf Rocker Cultural Centre. Here's the blurb.:
@W@W@W@W@W
Watching the Cops Workshop
Location 3rd floor 91 Albert St.
-------------------------
Created By Winnipeg Copwatch - est. 2006
---------------------------
More Info Winnipeg Copwatch is hosting a free workshop on how to safely and effectively witness police interactions. It will include sections on camera and recording skills, de-escalation techniques, knowing your rights, and more. Whether you’re interested in witnessing on your own to prevent police misconduct, starting a copwatching group with friends, participating in Winnipeg Copwatch patrols, or just learning more skills, this workshop is for you.
Come to the Rudolf Rocker Cultural Centre, on the 3rd floor of 91 Albert Street, Wednesday 28 July 2010 from 7:00-9:00pm. The workshop is free, and volunteers will be there to provide childcare.
Labels: copwatch., events, local events, police brutality., Rudolf Rocker Cultural Centre, Winnipeg, Winnipeg Copwatch, workshops
Saturday, July 17, 2010
LOCAL EVENTS WINNIPEG:
WINNIPEG DEMONSTRATION ABOUT THE G20 EVENTS:
As part of the nationwide actions demanding a public inquiry into police actions at the recent G20 police riot and demanding the release of all political prisoners jailed over these events there will be a demonstration here in Winnipeg at 4:00 pm. Here's the info from Facebook. Hard to say how this will go considering the weather. Thunderstorm as we speak.
WWWWWWW
G20 Solidarity:
Free All Political Prisoners. Drop All Charges. Effective Public Inquiry.
Winnipeg, MB - On Saturday, July 17 at 4pm, citizens concerned about the treatment of demonstrators during the G20 discussions in Toronto, ON in June 2010 will be meeting for a rally and march at the Chinese Cultural Centre Park at the corner of James Ave and King St.
Members of The Canadian Federation of Students, Winnipeg Copwatch, FemRev Collective, CUPE Local 3909, Council of Canadians, Winnipeg New Socialists and Anarchist Black Cross will be rallying in solidarity with the unknown number of people still in custody for exercising their democratic right to protest and with the 1090 demonstrators and members of the public arrested in Toronto during the G20. There will be a march to the Public Safety Building and to Old Market Square for a performance of spontaneous political theatre. This action is occurring to denounce the multitude of Charter Rights violations at the hands of law enforcement, via the Ontario and Canadian governments, including, but not limited to, illegal search and seizure, indiscriminate arrests, beatings, and extended, inhumane and arbitrary detentions, of not only demonstrators, but of journalists, minors, medics, legal observers and passers-by.
“We are demanding that all political prisoners be released and that all charges against demonstrators be dropped. We ask that an effective, binding inquiry with the power to bring charges against law enforcement agents and government officials responsible be initiated immediately,” says Sarah K. an organizer with FemRev Collective and with the G20 Solidarity Coalition.
For further information about the G20 Solidarity Rally please contact 204.509.4724.
Labels: demonstrations, G20, G20 demonstrations, G20 public inquiry, local events, police brutality., Winnipeg
Friday, July 16, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS:
MORE PRESSURE FOR PUBLIC INQUIRY ON G20 POLICE ACTIONS:
Following last weekend's well attended demonstrations calling for a public inquiry into the police actions at the recent G20 summit in Toronto further actions are planned across the country this Saturday, July 17. Here's an item from the Globe and Mail about what happened last weekend in Toronto when thousands turned out to protest the "police riot" at the summit.
CPCPCPCPCP
Thousands of protesters rally for G20 public inquiry
Published on Saturday, Jul. 10, 2010 11:33AM EDT
Last updated on Monday, Jul. 12, 2010 7:19PM EDT
Thousands of people turned out for a protest in Toronto Saturday afternoon, calling for more public inquiries into police treatment of protesters during the G20 summit.
In a route laden with symbolism, protesters marched from Queen's Park, where the first mass arrests took place during the G20 protests, to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the site of the summit itself, which became an inaccessible fortress during the G20.
As samba drummers played and blew whistles, a group of 16 people held up letters spelling "public inquiry" and "civil liberties".
The tension that permeated the G20 protests was largely absent, with police on bicycles blocking traffic for the march and protesters playing cowbells and carrying flags emblazoned with images of snakes the the slogan "don't tread on me."
"Two weeks ago, every official in this city and in this country said there will be no public inquiry," veteran activist Judy Rebick told the crowd. "Today there are three public inquiries being called. But it's not enough. We want a full inquiry at the federal level and the provincial level that will point the finger at who turned our city into a police state."
Protesters were angry with the police response to the G20, which saw 1,000 people rounded up in the largest mass arrests in Canadian history, and with the province's giving the police arbitrary search and seizure powers.
Lisa Walter, a writer and photojournalist for Our Times, a labour magazine, was arrested on June 27, near Bloor and Bay streets with two other independent journalists.
"Two of those journalists were threatened with rape and the third was tasered even after he indicated he had a pacemaker," she said.
Ms. Walter added that she was segregated along with other gay and lesbian protesters in solitary confinement at the detention centre.
Saturday's protest wound its way along College Street and down Spadina Avenue to Queen Street, pausing briefly at the intersection where riot police boxed in hundreds of people and held them in the pouring rain for four hours on the final night of the G20 summit.
The police presence at the march was light, with most officers on bicycles and none of the black-clad riot squads that policed the G20 in sight. Officers co-operated with the protest, blocking traffic and keeping protesters from straying onto a streetcar right of way in the median of Spadina Avenue.
The march continued down Queen and Peter streets to Front Street, and finished outside the convention centre with speeches from the back of a truck.
The crowd was an eclectic mix of middle-aged trade unionists, young students, aboriginal people and some who hadn't been to the original protests but decided to attend after seeing images of mass arrests on TV.
Paul Tornello, a 55-year-old IT recruiter, said he had never been to a demonstration before but felt compelled to attend – along with a home-made sign reading "I left my bat and bricks at home and brought my voice" – after he found out police had allowed the public to remain under the mistaken impression that they had arbitrary powers within five metres of the security fence.
"That's big government making an incursion into our rights," he said.
Beth Washburn, a 34-year-old PhD student who punctuated the lively march with the sounds of her alto tuba, said she was so intimidated by the police presence on the Friday of the G20 weekend that she didn't return on the other days.
"The police circled us in and boxed us in," she said.
Andrew Barber, 25, said he and his friends were stopped and searched several times during G20 weekend by police who dumped out their water.
"The options were 'show your ID and submit to a search, or face arrest,'" he said. "They said 'times are changing, boys.'"
The protest ended without incident around 5 p.m. outside the convention centre. Organizers estimated 5,000 people had turned up for the march; police officers at the scene put the crowd at 1,000.
Both the Toronto Police Services Board and Ontario auditor-general André Marin have announced probes into police and government decision-making at the G20, but activists say both are limited in scope and are calling for more wide-ranging inquiries.
Demonstrations were also planned in Halifax, Kingston and Montreal.
With a report from The Canadian Press
Thousands of protesters rally for G20 public inquiry
Published on Saturday, Jul. 10, 2010 11:33AM EDT
Last updated on Monday, Jul. 12, 2010 7:19PM EDT
Thousands of people turned out for a protest in Toronto Saturday afternoon, calling for more public inquiries into police treatment of protesters during the G20 summit.
In a route laden with symbolism, protesters marched from Queen's Park, where the first mass arrests took place during the G20 protests, to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the site of the summit itself, which became an inaccessible fortress during the G20.
As samba drummers played and blew whistles, a group of 16 people held up letters spelling "public inquiry" and "civil liberties".
The tension that permeated the G20 protests was largely absent, with police on bicycles blocking traffic for the march and protesters playing cowbells and carrying flags emblazoned with images of snakes the the slogan "don't tread on me."
"Two weeks ago, every official in this city and in this country said there will be no public inquiry," veteran activist Judy Rebick told the crowd. "Today there are three public inquiries being called. But it's not enough. We want a full inquiry at the federal level and the provincial level that will point the finger at who turned our city into a police state."
Protesters were angry with the police response to the G20, which saw 1,000 people rounded up in the largest mass arrests in Canadian history, and with the province's giving the police arbitrary search and seizure powers.
Lisa Walter, a writer and photojournalist for Our Times, a labour magazine, was arrested on June 27, near Bloor and Bay streets with two other independent journalists.
"Two of those journalists were threatened with rape and the third was tasered even after he indicated he had a pacemaker," she said.
Ms. Walter added that she was segregated along with other gay and lesbian protesters in solitary confinement at the detention centre.
Saturday's protest wound its way along College Street and down Spadina Avenue to Queen Street, pausing briefly at the intersection where riot police boxed in hundreds of people and held them in the pouring rain for four hours on the final night of the G20 summit.
The police presence at the march was light, with most officers on bicycles and none of the black-clad riot squads that policed the G20 in sight. Officers co-operated with the protest, blocking traffic and keeping protesters from straying onto a streetcar right of way in the median of Spadina Avenue.
The march continued down Queen and Peter streets to Front Street, and finished outside the convention centre with speeches from the back of a truck.
The crowd was an eclectic mix of middle-aged trade unionists, young students, aboriginal people and some who hadn't been to the original protests but decided to attend after seeing images of mass arrests on TV.
Paul Tornello, a 55-year-old IT recruiter, said he had never been to a demonstration before but felt compelled to attend – along with a home-made sign reading "I left my bat and bricks at home and brought my voice" – after he found out police had allowed the public to remain under the mistaken impression that they had arbitrary powers within five metres of the security fence.
"That's big government making an incursion into our rights," he said.
Beth Washburn, a 34-year-old PhD student who punctuated the lively march with the sounds of her alto tuba, said she was so intimidated by the police presence on the Friday of the G20 weekend that she didn't return on the other days.
"The police circled us in and boxed us in," she said.
Andrew Barber, 25, said he and his friends were stopped and searched several times during G20 weekend by police who dumped out their water.
"The options were 'show your ID and submit to a search, or face arrest,'" he said. "They said 'times are changing, boys.'"
The protest ended without incident around 5 p.m. outside the convention centre. Organizers estimated 5,000 people had turned up for the march; police officers at the scene put the crowd at 1,000.
Both the Toronto Police Services Board and Ontario auditor-general André Marin have announced probes into police and government decision-making at the G20, but activists say both are limited in scope and are calling for more wide-ranging inquiries.
Demonstrations were also planned in Halifax, Kingston and Montreal.
With a report from The Canadian Press
CPCPCPCPCP
Well a week has passed, and it's time for yet more pressure. Here from Facebook is the call out and schedule for protests happening on the 17th.
CPCPCPCPCP
Canadian Day of Solidarity
More Info Background:
In light of the actions of the police during the G20 towards innocent and peaceful protesters, and the fact that the Chief of Police wilfully misinformed Canadians regarding laws passed, we believe that it's time that Canadians all over the country stood together in solidarity and in support of our common civil rights!
For more information, please check out some of the helpful links provided below!
Our Goal:
We want an independent inquiry into the events surrounding the G20, the arrests, the treatment of those detained, etc.
And we want to send the message loud and clear that we will stand up for our civil rights!
How Can You Help:
If you're interested in starting a rally in your city, message a group admin today and we can help put you in touch with other organizers, get your rally details up, etc.
If there's already a rally planned in your city, offer a helping hand, and/or simply grab a few friends and come out to show your support!
Remember, the more people, the stronger our voice. Help spread the word! Take a minute to invite your contacts to the event, tell your friends and family, change your FB status to promote the rally details, hand out fliers, etc.
In the meantime, you can also write to your MP demanding an independent inquiry, write to your local papers to keep attention on the issue, and discuss the issues with people around you.
Planned Rallies:
Bancroft, ON: Starting at Freedom Skate Park ending at MPP Leona Dombrowsky's office.
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140353712647224
Barrie, ON: Details pending.
Calgary, AB: Details pending. Volunteers contact: shiloadavis@gmail.com
Hamilton, ON: Event page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=144066552273694&v=wall
Volunteers Contact: hamilton.organizer@gmail.com
London, ON: Details pending. Volunteers contact:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=130628943644457&v=info#!/group.php?gid=130628943644457&v=wall
Montreal, QC: Carré Phillips, Montréal (Coin Sainte-Catherine et Place Phillips)
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137427269611275
Volunteers Contact: pennyless.artist@gmail.com
Nelson, BC: City Hall. Event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141432799204439&ref=mf
Niagara, ON: Montebello Park
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=142452502432092&ref=ts
Volunteers contact: MikkiZaplan@gmail.com
Oshawa, ON: Details pending
Ottawa, ON: Human Rights Monument. Event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=136608409701137&ref=mf
Peterborough, ON: Farmers Market and Trent Radio.
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132160730151936
Volunteers contact: cantbeserius@gmail.com
Quebec City, QC: Église St-Jean-Baptiste, Québec, http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100685483319333
St John's, NFLD: Details pending. Check out: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135377369814575
Toronto, ON: 1:30pm @ Queens Park, South Lawn. Volunteers contact: jpeg.arjoon@gmail.com
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133625160002128
Vancouver, BC: Vancouver Public Library. March to Victory Square.
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132175446816777&index=1
Volunteers contact: ashleyrfehr@gmail.com
Winnipeg, MB: Details pending.
Group Page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=134662713223151&v=wall
Volunteers contact: g20winnipeg@gmail.com
**Volunteers are still needed-if you're interested in helping plan any of the above listed rallies, let an admin know and we'll fire off the contact info for the main coordinators. Or, contact the email address listed, if applicable**
Interesting/Helpful Links
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/06/29/civil-liberties029.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontog20summit/article/829921--i-will-not-forget-what-they-have-done-to-me?bn=1
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontog20summit/article/829917--cabinet-secrecy-opens-door-to-legal-challenge
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/g8-g20/toronto/caught-in-the-storm-penned-in-at-queen-street/article1621255/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/06/26/two-post-photographers-arrested-at-g20-protest/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/police-admit-deliberately-misleading-public-on-expanded-security-fence-law/article1622864/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/weapons-seized-in-g20-arrests-not-what-they-seem/article1622761/
http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/80075--how-i-ended-up-in-a-g20-jail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Heb9BXjYcII&feature=player_embedded
Canadian Day of Solidarity
More Info Background:
In light of the actions of the police during the G20 towards innocent and peaceful protesters, and the fact that the Chief of Police wilfully misinformed Canadians regarding laws passed, we believe that it's time that Canadians all over the country stood together in solidarity and in support of our common civil rights!
For more information, please check out some of the helpful links provided below!
Our Goal:
We want an independent inquiry into the events surrounding the G20, the arrests, the treatment of those detained, etc.
And we want to send the message loud and clear that we will stand up for our civil rights!
How Can You Help:
If you're interested in starting a rally in your city, message a group admin today and we can help put you in touch with other organizers, get your rally details up, etc.
If there's already a rally planned in your city, offer a helping hand, and/or simply grab a few friends and come out to show your support!
Remember, the more people, the stronger our voice. Help spread the word! Take a minute to invite your contacts to the event, tell your friends and family, change your FB status to promote the rally details, hand out fliers, etc.
In the meantime, you can also write to your MP demanding an independent inquiry, write to your local papers to keep attention on the issue, and discuss the issues with people around you.
Planned Rallies:
Bancroft, ON: Starting at Freedom Skate Park ending at MPP Leona Dombrowsky's office.
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140353712647224
Barrie, ON: Details pending.
Calgary, AB: Details pending. Volunteers contact: shiloadavis@gmail.com
Hamilton, ON: Event page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=144066552273694&v=wall
Volunteers Contact: hamilton.organizer@gmail.com
London, ON: Details pending. Volunteers contact:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=130628943644457&v=info#!/group.php?gid=130628943644457&v=wall
Montreal, QC: Carré Phillips, Montréal (Coin Sainte-Catherine et Place Phillips)
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137427269611275
Volunteers Contact: pennyless.artist@gmail.com
Nelson, BC: City Hall. Event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141432799204439&ref=mf
Niagara, ON: Montebello Park
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=142452502432092&ref=ts
Volunteers contact: MikkiZaplan@gmail.com
Oshawa, ON: Details pending
Ottawa, ON: Human Rights Monument. Event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=136608409701137&ref=mf
Peterborough, ON: Farmers Market and Trent Radio.
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132160730151936
Volunteers contact: cantbeserius@gmail.com
Quebec City, QC: Église St-Jean-Baptiste, Québec, http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100685483319333
St John's, NFLD: Details pending. Check out: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135377369814575
Toronto, ON: 1:30pm @ Queens Park, South Lawn. Volunteers contact: jpeg.arjoon@gmail.com
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133625160002128
Vancouver, BC: Vancouver Public Library. March to Victory Square.
Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132175446816777&index=1
Volunteers contact: ashleyrfehr@gmail.com
Winnipeg, MB: Details pending.
Group Page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=134662713223151&v=wall
Volunteers contact: g20winnipeg@gmail.com
**Volunteers are still needed-if you're interested in helping plan any of the above listed rallies, let an admin know and we'll fire off the contact info for the main coordinators. Or, contact the email address listed, if applicable**
Interesting/Helpful Links
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/06/29/civil-liberties029.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontog20summit/article/829921--i-will-not-forget-what-they-have-done-to-me?bn=1
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontog20summit/article/829917--cabinet-secrecy-opens-door-to-legal-challenge
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/g8-g20/toronto/caught-in-the-storm-penned-in-at-queen-street/article1621255/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/06/26/two-post-photographers-arrested-at-g20-protest/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/police-admit-deliberately-misleading-public-on-expanded-security-fence-law/article1622864/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/weapons-seized-in-g20-arrests-not-what-they-seem/article1622761/
http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/80075--how-i-ended-up-in-a-g20-jail
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Heb9BXjYcII&feature=player_embedded
Labels: Canada, Canadian politics, current events, demonstrations, G20 demonstrations, G20 public inquiry, police brutality., protests
HUMOUR:
TEAR GAS ON THE WIND:
Labels: Canadian politics, cartoons, G20, G20 demonstrations, humour, jokes, police brutality., Steven Harper
Thursday, July 15, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS:
COMPLAINTS ABOUT POLICE AT THE G20:
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has launched a number of formal complaints about the behavior of police at the recent G20 summit in Toronto. Aside from their own general complaints they have been gathering individual complaints of police misconduct. The deadline for the latter is fast approaching, and here is a final appeal for people to add their specific instances to the CCLA's general concerns. Here's the last minute appeal.
CPCPCPCPCP
DEADLINE JULY 16th.
From the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
"You do not have to be a victim of police misconduct to file a complaint.
The complaint can be about something that you saw happen to someone else or about a policy of the police more generally. You also do not need officers' names or badge numbers. You do not have to meet with the officer who is the subject of the complaint if it would be traumatic or abusive for you. There is also no fee or cost involved."
Step 1- Complaint form:
http://www.facebook.com/l/8179efBC1SlzGkRP06sGeqcWeeg;ccla.org/2010/06/29/resources-for-g20-related-complaints/
Stays with the CCLA and is kept confidential if you request it. It is
helpful for them to have this info even if you don't take the second step
(below)
Step 2- Optional but helpful : Once the above form is filled out, the CCLA
may ask you if you want them to forward your complaint to Office of the
Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD - http://www.facebook.com/l/8179esbeTIHMZc_mjWTp345b2qQ;www.oiprd.on.ca) - They will contact you directly with this request.
DEADLINE JULY 16th.
From the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
"You do not have to be a victim of police misconduct to file a complaint.
The complaint can be about something that you saw happen to someone else or about a policy of the police more generally. You also do not need officers' names or badge numbers. You do not have to meet with the officer who is the subject of the complaint if it would be traumatic or abusive for you. There is also no fee or cost involved."
Step 1- Complaint form:
http://www.facebook.com/l/8179efBC1SlzGkRP06sGeqcWeeg;ccla.org/2010/06/29/resources-for-g20-related-complaints/
Stays with the CCLA and is kept confidential if you request it. It is
helpful for them to have this info even if you don't take the second step
(below)
Step 2- Optional but helpful : Once the above form is filled out, the CCLA
may ask you if you want them to forward your complaint to Office of the
Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD - http://www.facebook.com/l/8179esbeTIHMZc_mjWTp345b2qQ;www.oiprd.on.ca) - They will contact you directly with this request.
CPCPCPCPCP
Here's more info on the "general" complaints that the CCLA is taking before the Police Review Board.
CPCPCPCPCP
CCLA Files Five G20 Policing Complaints with OIPRD
July 15th, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Penelope Chester
Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Phone: (416) 363-0321
Fax Number: (416) 861-1291
pchester@ccla.org
http://www.ccla.org/
PRESS RELEASE:
July 15th, 2010
On July 13, 2010, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association filed five (5) complaints with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD), regarding policing of the Toronto 2010 G20 summit.
CCLA’s complaints allege that the following police actions contravened the Criminal Code, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Canadian and international standards of policing:
- illegal mass arrests of 1105 persons;
- illegal detentions;
- unlawful dispersals of peaceful protests;
- unlawful use of excessive force on peaceful protesters and passersby;
- unlawful and inadequate conditions of detention.
CCLA Files Five G20 Policing Complaints with OIPRD
July 15th, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Penelope Chester
Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Phone: (416) 363-0321
Fax Number: (416) 861-1291
pchester@ccla.org
http://www.ccla.org/
PRESS RELEASE:
July 15th, 2010
On July 13, 2010, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association filed five (5) complaints with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD), regarding policing of the Toronto 2010 G20 summit.
CCLA’s complaints allege that the following police actions contravened the Criminal Code, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Canadian and international standards of policing:
- illegal mass arrests of 1105 persons;
- illegal detentions;
- unlawful dispersals of peaceful protests;
- unlawful use of excessive force on peaceful protesters and passersby;
- unlawful and inadequate conditions of detention.
CCLA’s five (5) complaints are respectively about policing at Queen’s Park on June 26th, 2010 at 5 p.m.; Esplanade during the evening of June 26th, 2010; Eastern Avenue Detention Centre on June 27th, 2010; Queen and Spadina on the late afternoon and early evening of June 27th, 2010; and conditions inside the Eastern Avenue Detention Centre.
“Police are supposed to protect and facilitate the rights of people to protest,” says Nathalie Des Rosiers, General Counsel of CCLA. Noting that there were too many instances of police infringing people’s constitutional rights during the G20 weekend, Des Rosiers added “By their own guidelines, police are not supposed to abuse the extraordinary powers they have been granted.”
The Office of the Independent Police Review Director has the mandate to review allegations of police misconduct. The illegal mass arrests, detentions, and excessive force used against peaceful protesters must be accounted for.
Canadian law imposes limits on preventative arrests which were not respected during the G20. The “breach of the peace” provision must not be used to unlawfully detain and indiscriminately arrest large groups of people.
“We understand the enormous responsibility upon police to protect the peace,” says Des Rosiers, “but police cannot use “breach of the peace” provisions to act in a manner that is unlawful.” All arrests, detentions, and use of force must comply with the Charter and criminal law.
According to Des Rosiers, “The courts are clear. ‘Breach of the peace’ is only grounds for arrest if there is an imminent threat of danger to person or property by the specific individual being arrested. Mass arrests are illegal.”
CCLA’s complaints also concern the “kettling” and “containment” of peaceful protesters, journalists, and passers-by during the G20 weekend and their conditions of detention
Labels: Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Canadian politics, G20, G20 demonstrations, police brutality., protests, repression, Toronto
Saturday, July 10, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS:
FREE THE G20 DETAINEES:
The mainstream media is wandering further and further away from the events in Toronto where the G20 summit was the occasion for the largest show of illegal police behavior ever seen in Canada. Still, 20 people remain incarcerated in connection with what happened none of them charged with participation in the 'mini-riot' that was the excuse for the subsequent 'police riot'. These people are political prisoners, imprisoned simply for exercising their freedom of speech. Here's an update from the Vancouver Media Co-op about what is happening with these people.
CPCPCPCPCP
Free Our Friends! Community Update on G20 Detainees
by Direct Support Committees of G20 detainees
While G20 leaders met behind a steel cage and a 1-billion dollar Fortress Toronto operation, we witnessed an unprecedented coordinated police operation in the city of Toronto. Police brutality against protest participants, journalists, legal observers, medics, and random passersby came in the form of indiscriminate arrests, beatings, pepper spray, rubber bullets, police horse charges, illegal searches and seizures, and extended arbitrary detentions. While in custody, people were forced into steel cage cells with up to 40 people per cell; made to sleep on concrete floors with open bathrooms; denied food, water, toilet paper, and sanitary products; subjected to sexual harassment, threats, humiliation, and intimidation; and refused access to medical attention, phone calls, and legal counsel.
Many were beaten and brutalized, leading to serious injuries and hospitalization. According to an article authored by resident physicians of the Toronto Street Medics, “All of the serious injuries we treated were inflicted by the police. While violence against property received a great deal of coverage, violence against people -- broken bones, cracked heads and eyes filled with pepper spray - has yet to feature prominently in any mainstream media. Our teams of medics witnessed and treated people who had been struck in the head by police batons, had lacerations from police shields and had been trampled by police horses.”
Over the weekend, there were 1090 arrests, of whom 113 were released without charges on the street, 714 were held for breach of the peace and released within 72 hours, and 263 released with pending charges.
Around 20 people still remain in custody. While the exact numbers and charges of some of those still being held in detention are unclear at this time, we know that 17 people are facing a variety of trumped up and politically-motivated allegations including conspiracy.
*At the time of writing (July 9), four have been released with stringent bail conditions including house arrest; one was denied bail; and others are awaiting bail hearings over the next 1-2 weeks.*
These seventeen people are our friends. They come from towns and cities across Ontario and Quebec and are respected and committed activists for a multitude of causes such as environmental justice, women’s rights, economic justice, antiwar, Indigenous rights, queer and trans liberation, and migrant justice. They envision and embody worlds rooted in love, justice, freedom, and self-determination. They are also known in their communities as legal workers, students, animal lovers, childcare providers, and academic researchers. Many were targeted and arrested, including at gunpoint, in pre-emptive raids before the protests even began.
We remain steadfast in standing by our friends. Targeting organizers is intended to weaken our thriving social and environmental justice movement, to isolate effective and vocal community activists, and to criminalize dissent against the violent policies of the G20 that perpetuate environmental degradation, militarization, labour exploitation, theft of Indigenous land and resources, and misery for the world’s majority. This escalating attack on certain individuals and groups is intended to intimidate and silence us all in our various movements and communities across Canada. Make no mistake, if these politically motivated charges against organizers are not defeated, police will seek to use them against organizers in all sectors of our movement.
A recent Toronto open letter against police state tactics with prominent signatories calls for a full campaign to defend the civil rights of those facing excessive charges. The Asian Canadian Labour Alliance – Ontario Chapter is demanding the immediate release of all detainees still being held, and an end to the persecution and daily criminalization of Indigenous, migrants, and marginalized communities.
We encourage our allies to build on this growing solidarity within our diverse social movements to free our friends and demand that charges be dropped against all G8/G20 arrestees, and to keep organizing for liberation for all people, especially those who daily bear the brunt of police, state, and corporate oppression.
They cannot jail our hearts.
- Direct Support Committees of G20 detainees still being held at Maplehurst Men’s Detention Centre and Vanier Women’s Prison in Ontario.
To donate to the legal defence fund in Ontario: http://g20.torontomobilize.org/
To donate to the legal defence fund in Quebec: claclegal2010@gmail.com
Free Our Friends! Community Update on G20 Detainees
by Direct Support Committees of G20 detainees
While G20 leaders met behind a steel cage and a 1-billion dollar Fortress Toronto operation, we witnessed an unprecedented coordinated police operation in the city of Toronto. Police brutality against protest participants, journalists, legal observers, medics, and random passersby came in the form of indiscriminate arrests, beatings, pepper spray, rubber bullets, police horse charges, illegal searches and seizures, and extended arbitrary detentions. While in custody, people were forced into steel cage cells with up to 40 people per cell; made to sleep on concrete floors with open bathrooms; denied food, water, toilet paper, and sanitary products; subjected to sexual harassment, threats, humiliation, and intimidation; and refused access to medical attention, phone calls, and legal counsel.
Many were beaten and brutalized, leading to serious injuries and hospitalization. According to an article authored by resident physicians of the Toronto Street Medics, “All of the serious injuries we treated were inflicted by the police. While violence against property received a great deal of coverage, violence against people -- broken bones, cracked heads and eyes filled with pepper spray - has yet to feature prominently in any mainstream media. Our teams of medics witnessed and treated people who had been struck in the head by police batons, had lacerations from police shields and had been trampled by police horses.”
Over the weekend, there were 1090 arrests, of whom 113 were released without charges on the street, 714 were held for breach of the peace and released within 72 hours, and 263 released with pending charges.
Around 20 people still remain in custody. While the exact numbers and charges of some of those still being held in detention are unclear at this time, we know that 17 people are facing a variety of trumped up and politically-motivated allegations including conspiracy.
*At the time of writing (July 9), four have been released with stringent bail conditions including house arrest; one was denied bail; and others are awaiting bail hearings over the next 1-2 weeks.*
These seventeen people are our friends. They come from towns and cities across Ontario and Quebec and are respected and committed activists for a multitude of causes such as environmental justice, women’s rights, economic justice, antiwar, Indigenous rights, queer and trans liberation, and migrant justice. They envision and embody worlds rooted in love, justice, freedom, and self-determination. They are also known in their communities as legal workers, students, animal lovers, childcare providers, and academic researchers. Many were targeted and arrested, including at gunpoint, in pre-emptive raids before the protests even began.
We remain steadfast in standing by our friends. Targeting organizers is intended to weaken our thriving social and environmental justice movement, to isolate effective and vocal community activists, and to criminalize dissent against the violent policies of the G20 that perpetuate environmental degradation, militarization, labour exploitation, theft of Indigenous land and resources, and misery for the world’s majority. This escalating attack on certain individuals and groups is intended to intimidate and silence us all in our various movements and communities across Canada. Make no mistake, if these politically motivated charges against organizers are not defeated, police will seek to use them against organizers in all sectors of our movement.
A recent Toronto open letter against police state tactics with prominent signatories calls for a full campaign to defend the civil rights of those facing excessive charges. The Asian Canadian Labour Alliance – Ontario Chapter is demanding the immediate release of all detainees still being held, and an end to the persecution and daily criminalization of Indigenous, migrants, and marginalized communities.
We encourage our allies to build on this growing solidarity within our diverse social movements to free our friends and demand that charges be dropped against all G8/G20 arrestees, and to keep organizing for liberation for all people, especially those who daily bear the brunt of police, state, and corporate oppression.
They cannot jail our hearts.
- Direct Support Committees of G20 detainees still being held at Maplehurst Men’s Detention Centre and Vanier Women’s Prison in Ontario.
To donate to the legal defence fund in Ontario: http://g20.torontomobilize.org/
To donate to the legal defence fund in Quebec: claclegal2010@gmail.com
Labels: Canadian politics, G20, G20 demonstrations, police brutality., political prisoners, prisoners, Toronto, Vancouver Media Co-op
Thursday, July 08, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS TORONTO:
CALLING THE CITY FOR RESIGNATION OF POLICE CHIEF:
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair has come to be the foremost flack runner for the "police riot" during the G20 summit in Toronto. Rather sad actually as it takes the heat off his political masters who set the general tone of the police response, but he has served them well, rising to heights of dishonesty over and above the call of duty. Whether it is justifying arrests that were outside of the scope of a law that was actually invalid or displaying seized "weapons" that had nothing to do with the demonstrations it could be said that if he was Pinocchio his nose would be half way to Ireland by now.
At least the lower level of his masters expressed their gratitude the other day when Toronto City Council voted 36-0 (yes so called 'progressives' as well) to "commend his outstanding work". This has outraged many Torontonians, and there is a campaign for people to call their city councillors to complain about the way they voted. Here's the story from facebook.
BLBLBLBLBL
5 minutes to call your city councillor: Demand resignation of Chief Bill Blair
Toronto Community Mobilization Network
July 8 at 2:13am
5 minutes to call your city councillor: Demand resignation of Chief Bill Blair. We cannot let this go without an immediate response. City council voted 36-0 to “commend the outstanding work” of Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair.
Contact your city councilor and let them know that you want to see the resignation of Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair. What happened during the G20 summit in Toronto was a complete violation of civil liberties and hundreds of unprovoked arrests. There are countless stories of people being brutalized and having their rights taken away. There needs to be a full public inquiry of police strategy, budget, and decision-making that surrounded the G20 security operations.
You can find the phone number of your local councillor at the following website: http://app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp
For more information on the city council vote:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontog20summit/article/833106--city-council-commends-outstanding-police-g20-work?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Labels: Bill Blair, Canadian politics, G20, G20 demonstrations, police brutality., protests, repression, Toronto
G20 AFTERMATH ?:
THE FUTURE OF FREE SPEECH IN CANADA ?:
Labels: Canadian politics, free speech, G20, G20 demonstrations, police brutality., repression, Toronto
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
HUMOUR:
A STUDY IN CONTRAST:
Labels: Canadian politics, G20, G20 demonstrations, hockey riots, humour, jokes, police brutality., repression, riots, Toronto
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
HUMOUR:
THEY TOLD YOU SO ?:
Tales from the Toronto police...
Labels: cartoons, G20, G20 demonstrations, humour, jokes, police brutality., Toronto
Sunday, July 04, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS CANADIAN LABOUR:
SEIU CONDEMNS POLICE ACTIONS AT G20:
In the aftermath of the police riot at the Toronto summit of the G20 more and more Canadian labour organizations are condemning the actions of the police in arresting over 1000 peaceful protesters while totally ignoring (encouraging ?) the actions of less than 100 rioters. At last count when Molly looked 41,775 people had joined the Facebook group 'Canadians Demanding A Public Inquiry Into Toronto G20'. Molly wants to reemphasize that this is not just a question of police misconduct. The general security plans for the summit were set by political masters. The concentration of huge numbers of police from various jurisdictions shows this quite plainly. It is also entirely possible that the decision to both bait the Black Bloc with abandoned police cars and to not engage the rioters was a political decision rather than a tactical police decision.
TRTRTRTRTR
Canadians' Civil Rights Trampled At G20 in Toronto
A group, colourfully attired, some in decidedly unmilitant summer dresses and open toed shoes hemmed in at the corner of Spadina and Queen street in downtown Toronto break into a spirited rendition of O'Canada, a moment later a boom, then a line of riot police standing down the group charge forward trampling some and beating others with their batons. It's a searing image that neatly sums up what happened in Canada's biggest city over the weekend - while the world watched.
The lesson here is that when a government spends 1.1 billion dollars on security infrastructure, tear gas, rubber bullets, sound cannons, they're going to use it - and other than the five million dollar fence that went down as quickly as it went up - that infrastructure and the elastic approach to civil rights in this country is likely here to say. After all the spot searches of persons well outside the security zone was routinely witnessed by the nations media, becoming routine and unremarkable by Sunday afternoon.
How did the temporary regulation added to the Public Works Protection Act that covered 5 metres from the security perimeter get extended to the faraway corner of Queen and Spadina? The nation's media failed to ask.
According to the Toronto Star blog that ran live during the G20 Police Chief Bill Blair, challenging and unapologetic throughout, said the people on the corner had three chances to leave, and suggested that any criminal activity was made easier by the complicity of the crowd, ""It's unfortunate some innocent people had to stand in the rain," says Blair. "We had to stand in the rain with them." The deluge, he says, was the "good part" because the rain "cooled their ardour. That's what we wanted it to do."
When asked at a press conference Saturday night about the beating of an accredited journalist by police, Blair ominously suggested that they (The Toronto police) had video of the incident as well. The video by the Real News Network clearly shows journalist Jesse Freeston being struck and pushed backward. When he asked a supervisor on the scene why he was struck the supervisor instead of answering his question instructs the police to "give him another shot" - which they do - several more times.
G8/20 summits are where the worlds rich and most powerful leaders make decisions that affect all of us. The theme of this summit was austerity - a reduction in worldwide deficits that is facilitated by a reduction in the standard of living brought about by decent wages and social programs - as viewed by fiscal conservatives such as Stephen Harper and Jim Flaherty. What has become the brutal routine in the developing world and now underway in Greece - what Canada's G8/20 architect (or parrot?) Mark Carney calls the "canary in the mine" - is all that's at stake at these summits. It's what brings the crowds out.
Downtown Toronto was a testing ground both for what we can expect, and what we'll withstand.
Canadians' Civil Rights Trampled At G20 in Toronto
A group, colourfully attired, some in decidedly unmilitant summer dresses and open toed shoes hemmed in at the corner of Spadina and Queen street in downtown Toronto break into a spirited rendition of O'Canada, a moment later a boom, then a line of riot police standing down the group charge forward trampling some and beating others with their batons. It's a searing image that neatly sums up what happened in Canada's biggest city over the weekend - while the world watched.
The lesson here is that when a government spends 1.1 billion dollars on security infrastructure, tear gas, rubber bullets, sound cannons, they're going to use it - and other than the five million dollar fence that went down as quickly as it went up - that infrastructure and the elastic approach to civil rights in this country is likely here to say. After all the spot searches of persons well outside the security zone was routinely witnessed by the nations media, becoming routine and unremarkable by Sunday afternoon.
How did the temporary regulation added to the Public Works Protection Act that covered 5 metres from the security perimeter get extended to the faraway corner of Queen and Spadina? The nation's media failed to ask.
According to the Toronto Star blog that ran live during the G20 Police Chief Bill Blair, challenging and unapologetic throughout, said the people on the corner had three chances to leave, and suggested that any criminal activity was made easier by the complicity of the crowd, ""It's unfortunate some innocent people had to stand in the rain," says Blair. "We had to stand in the rain with them." The deluge, he says, was the "good part" because the rain "cooled their ardour. That's what we wanted it to do."
When asked at a press conference Saturday night about the beating of an accredited journalist by police, Blair ominously suggested that they (The Toronto police) had video of the incident as well. The video by the Real News Network clearly shows journalist Jesse Freeston being struck and pushed backward. When he asked a supervisor on the scene why he was struck the supervisor instead of answering his question instructs the police to "give him another shot" - which they do - several more times.
G8/20 summits are where the worlds rich and most powerful leaders make decisions that affect all of us. The theme of this summit was austerity - a reduction in worldwide deficits that is facilitated by a reduction in the standard of living brought about by decent wages and social programs - as viewed by fiscal conservatives such as Stephen Harper and Jim Flaherty. What has become the brutal routine in the developing world and now underway in Greece - what Canada's G8/20 architect (or parrot?) Mark Carney calls the "canary in the mine" - is all that's at stake at these summits. It's what brings the crowds out.
Downtown Toronto was a testing ground both for what we can expect, and what we'll withstand.
Labels: Canadian labour, Canadian politics, G20 demonstrations, G20 public inquiry, labour, police brutality., SEIU
Saturday, July 03, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS TORONTO:
SUPPORT THE G20 ARRESTEES:
The legal sequellae to the mass arrests in Toronto are playing out as many call for the firing of the Toronto Police Chief and many others are calling for a public inquiry into police actions during the summit. Meanwhile the legal cases of those arrested ( Molly reminds her readers that none of these are actual rioters. They are people who were kidnapped at peaceful protests and even in the middle of the night while they slept ) are sure to drag on for many months. The Toronto Community Mobilization Network is calling for donations to help defray legal costs. Here's how you can help out.
TATATATATA
Legal Defence Fund- Updated info
More information will come soon, but here is some updated information for ways to contribute to the legal defence fund. Ways to donate:
1) Transfer funds to:
OPIRG York
transit number 00646
institution number 842
account number 3542240
Use your online bank account or contact your bank directly to transfer funds. Please put "G20 legal defence" in the memo.
2) Write a cheque
Cheques (payable to OPIRG York, with 'G20 legal defence' on the subject line) can be mailed to:
OPIRG York / Toronto Community Mobilization Network
360A Bloor Street W
PO Box 68557
Toronto, ON M5S 1X0
3) Donate by PayPal
Make sure to put 'G20 legal defence' in the "Add special instructions for the Merchant" section.
The Donation link is available in the top right hand corner of the Toronto Community Mobilization Network website .
Legal Defence Fund- Updated info
More information will come soon, but here is some updated information for ways to contribute to the legal defence fund. Ways to donate:
1) Transfer funds to:
OPIRG York
transit number 00646
institution number 842
account number 3542240
Use your online bank account or contact your bank directly to transfer funds. Please put "G20 legal defence" in the memo.
2) Write a cheque
Cheques (payable to OPIRG York, with 'G20 legal defence' on the subject line) can be mailed to:
OPIRG York / Toronto Community Mobilization Network
360A Bloor Street W
PO Box 68557
Toronto, ON M5S 1X0
3) Donate by PayPal
Make sure to put 'G20 legal defence' in the "Add special instructions for the Merchant" section.
The Donation link is available in the top right hand corner of the Toronto Community Mobilization Network website .
Labels: appeals, Canadian politics, G20, G20 demonstrations, police brutality., prisoners, repression, solidarity., Toronto Community Mobilization Network
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
LOCAL EVENTS WINNIPEG:
SOLIDARITY DEMONSTRATION WITH G20 ARRESTEES:
As part of part of the countrywide mobilization to protest the police riot in Toronto and support those arrested there will be a support demonstration tomorrow here in Winnipeg. Here's the notice.
WWWWWWW
Demonstration in solidarity with G20 political prisoners and arrestees
Date: Thursday, July 1, 2010
Time: 11:30am - 2:00pm
Location: Meet at the park behind the River-Osborne Community Centre
Winnipeg, MB
Description.
Demonstration in solidarity with G20 political prisoners and arrestees
Date: Thursday, July 1, 2010
Time: 11:30am - 2:00pm
Location: Meet at the park behind the River-Osborne Community Centre
Winnipeg, MB
Description.
In the face of police violence, attacks against protesters and the unprecedented arrests of the G20 resistance, we are calling out to all social movements to mobilize and act in solidarity with the victims of the repressive systems, who have fallen in the hands of militarized police.
More than 900 have been arrested over the course of the weekend in Toronto, either by kidnapping, political profiling, raids in private residences and places of accommodation, violence, brutality, intimidation, as well as other forms of police violence. To date, this is the largest number of mass arrests in the history of Canada, criminalizing protesters who have dared to express their disagreements towards the capitalist, security enforced, sexist, colonialist and anti-social politics of the G20.
We must publicly demonstrate our solidarity with all those arrested so that they are released as quickly as possible and charges are dropped against all those caught up in the net of the police state. We also demonstrate to recognize and denounce the excessive force used by police daily in many people's lives in our community and others.
WINNIPEG DEMONSTRATION THURSDAY JULY 1ST
FemRev, Copwatch, the Anarchist Black Cross, the Winnipeg New Socialist Group, Canadian Federation of Students and local community activists are calling on you to show your solidarity with those who have been imprisoned, are still imprisoned and who have endured violence and human rights violations.
Meet at the park behind the River Osborne Community Centre at 11:30 AM on Thursday July 1st.
Bring your bicycles, your experiences and your friends and comrades as we carve out space in the public sphere to share our voices and denounce police repression and brutality.
More than 900 have been arrested over the course of the weekend in Toronto, either by kidnapping, political profiling, raids in private residences and places of accommodation, violence, brutality, intimidation, as well as other forms of police violence. To date, this is the largest number of mass arrests in the history of Canada, criminalizing protesters who have dared to express their disagreements towards the capitalist, security enforced, sexist, colonialist and anti-social politics of the G20.
We must publicly demonstrate our solidarity with all those arrested so that they are released as quickly as possible and charges are dropped against all those caught up in the net of the police state. We also demonstrate to recognize and denounce the excessive force used by police daily in many people's lives in our community and others.
WINNIPEG DEMONSTRATION THURSDAY JULY 1ST
FemRev, Copwatch, the Anarchist Black Cross, the Winnipeg New Socialist Group, Canadian Federation of Students and local community activists are calling on you to show your solidarity with those who have been imprisoned, are still imprisoned and who have endured violence and human rights violations.
Meet at the park behind the River Osborne Community Centre at 11:30 AM on Thursday July 1st.
Bring your bicycles, your experiences and your friends and comrades as we carve out space in the public sphere to share our voices and denounce police repression and brutality.
Labels: arrests, current events, demonstrations, events, G20, G20 demonstrations, police brutality., Winnipeg
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS:
SOLIDARITY RALLIES WITH G20 DETAINEES:
As those arrested at the G20 protests are gradually being released or charged solidarity for their situation is growing across Canada. It may be that the federal Conservative government has made a grievous miscalculation in their plans, both in holding the summit in downtown Toronto which a majority of Canadians disapproved of, especially considering the cost, and then in authorizing the mass arrests that seemed targeted at everyone but the small group of rioters. Given the fact that the Canadian population was quite divided about the protests to begin with and the fact that few if any arrests were made of actual rioters while numerous ordinary citizens unconnected with the protests were scooped up and held in cages it is likely that the consequences for the show of force may rebound on the heads of the Harperites. Questions about police tactics during the initial riots are revolving around whether it was deliberate or not that police cars and a section of downtown Toronto were left for the rioters to play with.
Meanwhile solidarity rallies for those arrested are being held in many cities across eastern Canada. Here's a rundown from the Ontario platformist group Common Cause.
PPPPPPPPPP
The fight back is on!
The fight back is on!
Solidarity with the Toronto 900 rallies organized across the country
All out against police brutality and in solidarity with the Toronto 900!
All out against police brutality and in solidarity with the Toronto 900!
A protest outside police headquarters in every city!
June 30, 2010 in Hamilton
5:00pm at Hamilton Police Headquarters
155 King William Street
June 30, 2010 in London
6:00 pm at London Police Headquarters
601 Dundas St (Dundas and Adelaide)
June 30, 2010 in Windsor
6:00pm at Windsor Police Headquarters
150 Goyeau Street
June 30, 2010 in Ottawa
7pm at 474 Elgin Street (Ottawa Police Station)
July 1, 2010 in Montreal
1pm carré Phillips,
St. Catherine
The events of the past week in Toronto have been unprecedented in Canadian history. Over 900 people were arrested, the biggest mass arrests ever in Canada, for daring to protest against the destructive policies of the G20.
Protesters and local residents were subjected to violent baton attacks, snatch squads, tear gas and rubber bullets. Sleeping people have been pulled from their homes at gunpoint in the middle of the night. Many have been beaten. People who have been arrested have been strip-searched and held in cages, facing long delays in obtaining legal support. We have heard numerous accounts of sexual abuse by police from women who were arrested. Journalists have been punched, arrested and had their equipment broken.
On the streets of Toronto, the mask of “liberal democracy” has slipped off and the police reminded us of the State's willingness to use blatant violence against its own population in the face of popular dissent. And thanks to citizen journalists, the alternative media and even some in the corporate media, the truth of what happened in Toronto is slowly emerging.
In order to make sure that the actions of the police state are fully exposed, we must keep up the pressure on the police and the government.
We must also publicly demonstrate our solidarity with all those arrested so that they are released as quickly as possible and charges are dropped against all those caught up in the net of the police state.
In Toronto, solidarity rallies outside detention centres and police stations are already taking place. But just as police forces from across the province converged on Toronto for the G20, so our resistance must spread out from the epicentre of oppression to every corner of the province.
Common Cause thus calls on all those concerned to take the fight back across the province and across the country.
Starting this Wednesday, June 30, we are calling for solidarity rallies outside police headquarters in as many cities as possible.
Our message will be clear:
Free the Toronto 900!
Fight back against the police state! We are putting you under surveillance!
Build the resistance against the G20! Build the resistance against austerity!
Build the general strike!
Common Cause
http://www.linchpin.ca/
To add your rally to the list or to send pictures from rallies, please email us at commoncauseontario@gmail.com Media may also use the same email address to contact us. Check our website for regular updates on rallies in your city.
June 30, 2010 in Hamilton
5:00pm at Hamilton Police Headquarters
155 King William Street
June 30, 2010 in London
6:00 pm at London Police Headquarters
601 Dundas St (Dundas and Adelaide)
June 30, 2010 in Windsor
6:00pm at Windsor Police Headquarters
150 Goyeau Street
June 30, 2010 in Ottawa
7pm at 474 Elgin Street (Ottawa Police Station)
July 1, 2010 in Montreal
1pm carré Phillips,
St. Catherine
The events of the past week in Toronto have been unprecedented in Canadian history. Over 900 people were arrested, the biggest mass arrests ever in Canada, for daring to protest against the destructive policies of the G20.
Protesters and local residents were subjected to violent baton attacks, snatch squads, tear gas and rubber bullets. Sleeping people have been pulled from their homes at gunpoint in the middle of the night. Many have been beaten. People who have been arrested have been strip-searched and held in cages, facing long delays in obtaining legal support. We have heard numerous accounts of sexual abuse by police from women who were arrested. Journalists have been punched, arrested and had their equipment broken.
On the streets of Toronto, the mask of “liberal democracy” has slipped off and the police reminded us of the State's willingness to use blatant violence against its own population in the face of popular dissent. And thanks to citizen journalists, the alternative media and even some in the corporate media, the truth of what happened in Toronto is slowly emerging.
In order to make sure that the actions of the police state are fully exposed, we must keep up the pressure on the police and the government.
We must also publicly demonstrate our solidarity with all those arrested so that they are released as quickly as possible and charges are dropped against all those caught up in the net of the police state.
In Toronto, solidarity rallies outside detention centres and police stations are already taking place. But just as police forces from across the province converged on Toronto for the G20, so our resistance must spread out from the epicentre of oppression to every corner of the province.
Common Cause thus calls on all those concerned to take the fight back across the province and across the country.
Starting this Wednesday, June 30, we are calling for solidarity rallies outside police headquarters in as many cities as possible.
Our message will be clear:
Free the Toronto 900!
Fight back against the police state! We are putting you under surveillance!
Build the resistance against the G20! Build the resistance against austerity!
Build the general strike!
Common Cause
http://www.linchpin.ca/
To add your rally to the list or to send pictures from rallies, please email us at commoncauseontario@gmail.com Media may also use the same email address to contact us. Check our website for regular updates on rallies in your city.
Labels: Canadian politics, Common Cause, G20 demonstrations, Ontario, police brutality., political prisoners, protests, Quebec
Monday, June 28, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS TORONTO:
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO POLICE:
The incredibly ill conceived meeting of the G20 in downtown Toronto is over, but the aftermath remains. The final number of arrests totalled over 900. This puts this event in a category of its own. During the implementation of the War Measures Act in October 1970 only 497 people were detained. It seems that Steven Harper has got just what he wanted, political cover to justify his blowing a billion dollars on his come-as-you-aren't party. The final total may reach well beyond 900 if the police follow the same path that they have done to now.
The same path...note a couple of salient facts. One is that few (perhaps none) of the rioters were arrested during the actual riots. In actual fact many have accused the police of inactivity during the actual episodes of vandalism. The second is that almost all of those arrested were picked up while either peacefully protesting or when not protesting at all ie at residences. Many ordinary citizens, including several journalists and lawyers, were scooped up for the "crime" of just being in the proximity of police officers pumped up on adrenalin. The police also made what is probably a grievous error of not just arresting but also beating a reporter for the British newspaper The Guardian. No doubt there'll be a lot to be said about this "little" mistake in days to come. In one of the more ironic moments during the events the police arrested and imprisoned two photographers from the right wing National Post newspaper. The NP story on them confirmed everything that political arrestees had claimed about conditions in the holding facility.
In the end it may be possible that there will not be a single conviction for any act of violence given that the police were quite reluctant to make arrests when the events were happening. many commentators have found the whole way in which the police responded to be suspicious ,especially given the way that police cars were seemingly abandoned to provide photo-op targets for the Black Bloc. As can be seen below this suspicion is hardly confined to conspiracy theorists as the Canadian Civil Liberties Association mentions this disparity in their press release. (see below).
Whatever the minutiae of whether violence was indeed deliberately allowed to occur unchecked there can be little doubt that the general tone of the police tactics was set by their political masters. By this I don't mean micromanaging each raid or whether violence was to be allowed (or even encouraged) and for how long. It was that the decision to make a massive show of force and concentrate the majority of force on the general protest movement was very much a political decision. Depending upon the ever dependable Black Bloc to give the properly photogenic incidents the government can come out claiming that, "see, this is why we needed a billion dollars worth of security".
Will it work, or will the overkill of force blow up in the government's face ? It's hard to say. The summit began with over two thirds of Canadians of the opinion that holding the summit was not worth the cost. As the focus of news gradually shifts from images of perhaps 100 clowns at most breaking windows and spray painting walls things may fall into a bit better perspective with story after story about ordinary people caught up in what is the largest mass arrest in Canadian history. Also, in the end any damage caused by the Black Bloc's little spree pales into insignificance compared to the damage that the government's decision has done to Toronto and to the general Canadian taxpayer.
Let's begin with the response of Amnesty International who while deploring the actions of the Black Bloc look at the larger picture of the overwhelming police presence. My greatest quibble with what follows is that any such inquiry should extend far beyond the police and into the way that the decisions about the general methods of security were made politically.
TRTRTRTRTRTRTR
Toronto and the G8/G20:
Peaceful protest suffers amidst heavy security measures and acts of vandalism
As the Annual General Meeting of Amnesty International Canada (English branch) concluded today in Toronto, Amnesty International members from across the country expressed their very deep concern that important rights associated with peaceful protest have suffered considerably in the city over the weekend.
In connection with the G20 leaders summit, the heavy police and security presence that has permeated the city for several days, as well as acts of vandalism and other violence by numbers of individuals, have contributed to an atmosphere of apprehension and fearfulness that has led many individuals to refrain from or limit their involvement in peaceful demonstrations and other activities.
At a time when the public should be encouraged to actively engage in debate and discussion about pressing global issues, the security measures that were put in place in Toronto in the lead up to the G20 Summit held in the city instead narrowed the space for civic expression and cast a chill over citizen participation in public discourse. Many thousands of individuals did take part in public events such as the “People First” demonstration during the afternoon of June 26, but felt apprehensive while doing so. Many others did not take part out of a sense of unease and fearfulness.
In meeting in Toronto at the same time as G8 and G20 leaders have held their summits in Canada, Amnesty International members have sought to draw attention to important human rights issues that should be priority concerns for both bodies. We have highlighted that it is a particularly key juncture in the development of the G20 as an emerging body that will exert growing influence on world economic, political and social affairs. We have emphasized, therefore, that we look to them to take action to ensure that human rights are brought to the heart of the global effort to fight poverty, particularly through the millennium development goals. We look to them to ensure that respect for universal human rights will become the hallmark of their deliberations and decision making.
Yet at a time when human rights need so very much to come to the fore, we have instead witnessed and experienced a curtailment of civil liberties. On the streets, protesters were faced with high fences, new weaponry, massive surveillance, and the intimidating impact of the overwhelming police presence. Combined with uncertainty and worry about unclear powers of arrest, this created an atmosphere in which countless individuals felt unable or too fearful to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and assembly and participate in rallies and other events which would have offered them an opportunity to express their views on a range of important national and international issues.
We unequivocally condemn the acts of vandalism and violence that have been carried out by numbers of individuals, particularly during the evening of June 26. Such acts are criminal and undermine the safety of the many thousands of individuals involved in peaceful protest. We recognize that police have a responsibility to respond to such actions, to protect public safety, prevent damage to property, and ensure the safety of leaders and other officials attending the G20 Summit.
There are concerns, however, about possible police excesses, including reports of journalists being arrested or constrained in the course of covering confrontations between police and demonstrators. In one reported case, the journalist was apparently beaten in the course of being arrested. Nearly 500 people are reported to have been arrested, as of the morning of June 27th. Witnesses have reported that some of those arrested appear to have been engaging in peaceful protest. It has not been possible to get clear information about which tactics and weapons police have deployed in the course of securing specific areas and responding to incidents of both violence and legitimate protest. This lack of clear information has further fueled misunderstanding and fears about police actions as protests are expected to continue.
The amount of money, reported to be in excess of $1 billion, that has been spent on security measures in Toronto over the past several days has been unprecedented. Yet on one hand extensive acts of vandalism and other violence were carried out and on the other hand thousands of individuals felt nervous and uneasy about exercising their right to engage in peaceful protest.
This cannot become the hallmark of how the G20 conducts its business. Instead, we call on G20 leaders to ensure that future Summits are carried out in ways that maximize rather than restrict rights associated with peaceful protest, particularly freedom of expression and assembly.
Lessons must be learned from these events. We call on the Canadian government and the government of the province of Ontario to cooperate in launching an independent review of the security measures that were put in place for the G8 and G20 Summits. The review should include opportunities for public input and the results should be released to the public. Among other issues, the review should consider:
•The impact of security measures, including decisions about the location and venues for the two summits, on the protection of human rights, including the freedoms of expression and assembly.
• The ways in which police operations and the use of legal provisions such as the Public Works Protection Act have impacted the rights of the many thousands of people living, working and operating businesses within and near the G20 security zone.
For further information contact:
Elizabeth Berton-Hunter, Media Relations
berton-hunter@amnesty.ca
Cell phone: 416 904 7158
Toronto and the G8/G20:
Peaceful protest suffers amidst heavy security measures and acts of vandalism
As the Annual General Meeting of Amnesty International Canada (English branch) concluded today in Toronto, Amnesty International members from across the country expressed their very deep concern that important rights associated with peaceful protest have suffered considerably in the city over the weekend.
In connection with the G20 leaders summit, the heavy police and security presence that has permeated the city for several days, as well as acts of vandalism and other violence by numbers of individuals, have contributed to an atmosphere of apprehension and fearfulness that has led many individuals to refrain from or limit their involvement in peaceful demonstrations and other activities.
At a time when the public should be encouraged to actively engage in debate and discussion about pressing global issues, the security measures that were put in place in Toronto in the lead up to the G20 Summit held in the city instead narrowed the space for civic expression and cast a chill over citizen participation in public discourse. Many thousands of individuals did take part in public events such as the “People First” demonstration during the afternoon of June 26, but felt apprehensive while doing so. Many others did not take part out of a sense of unease and fearfulness.
In meeting in Toronto at the same time as G8 and G20 leaders have held their summits in Canada, Amnesty International members have sought to draw attention to important human rights issues that should be priority concerns for both bodies. We have highlighted that it is a particularly key juncture in the development of the G20 as an emerging body that will exert growing influence on world economic, political and social affairs. We have emphasized, therefore, that we look to them to take action to ensure that human rights are brought to the heart of the global effort to fight poverty, particularly through the millennium development goals. We look to them to ensure that respect for universal human rights will become the hallmark of their deliberations and decision making.
Yet at a time when human rights need so very much to come to the fore, we have instead witnessed and experienced a curtailment of civil liberties. On the streets, protesters were faced with high fences, new weaponry, massive surveillance, and the intimidating impact of the overwhelming police presence. Combined with uncertainty and worry about unclear powers of arrest, this created an atmosphere in which countless individuals felt unable or too fearful to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and assembly and participate in rallies and other events which would have offered them an opportunity to express their views on a range of important national and international issues.
We unequivocally condemn the acts of vandalism and violence that have been carried out by numbers of individuals, particularly during the evening of June 26. Such acts are criminal and undermine the safety of the many thousands of individuals involved in peaceful protest. We recognize that police have a responsibility to respond to such actions, to protect public safety, prevent damage to property, and ensure the safety of leaders and other officials attending the G20 Summit.
There are concerns, however, about possible police excesses, including reports of journalists being arrested or constrained in the course of covering confrontations between police and demonstrators. In one reported case, the journalist was apparently beaten in the course of being arrested. Nearly 500 people are reported to have been arrested, as of the morning of June 27th. Witnesses have reported that some of those arrested appear to have been engaging in peaceful protest. It has not been possible to get clear information about which tactics and weapons police have deployed in the course of securing specific areas and responding to incidents of both violence and legitimate protest. This lack of clear information has further fueled misunderstanding and fears about police actions as protests are expected to continue.
The amount of money, reported to be in excess of $1 billion, that has been spent on security measures in Toronto over the past several days has been unprecedented. Yet on one hand extensive acts of vandalism and other violence were carried out and on the other hand thousands of individuals felt nervous and uneasy about exercising their right to engage in peaceful protest.
This cannot become the hallmark of how the G20 conducts its business. Instead, we call on G20 leaders to ensure that future Summits are carried out in ways that maximize rather than restrict rights associated with peaceful protest, particularly freedom of expression and assembly.
Lessons must be learned from these events. We call on the Canadian government and the government of the province of Ontario to cooperate in launching an independent review of the security measures that were put in place for the G8 and G20 Summits. The review should include opportunities for public input and the results should be released to the public. Among other issues, the review should consider:
•The impact of security measures, including decisions about the location and venues for the two summits, on the protection of human rights, including the freedoms of expression and assembly.
• The ways in which police operations and the use of legal provisions such as the Public Works Protection Act have impacted the rights of the many thousands of people living, working and operating businesses within and near the G20 security zone.
For further information contact:
Elizabeth Berton-Hunter, Media Relations
berton-hunter@amnesty.ca
Cell phone: 416 904 7158
TRTRTRTRTR
The statement from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association that follows below is a little more biting than Amnesty's and raises important points neglected by the Amnesty statement such as the minuscule size of the Black Bloc compared to the rest of the protests, the concentration of the police on peaceful protesters and their seeming neglect of the actual 'mini-riot', and also the somewhat "convenient" location (and possible abandonment) of the police cruisers that were burnt.
TRTRTRTRTR
CCLA denounces the sweeping arrests at G20
June 27th, 2010
Reporters arrested, CCLA civil rights monitors arrested, over 500 people in detention, police unwilling to provide access to lawyers, cellphones seized, what is going on? Police will say that 4 to 7 police cars were set on fire and that there was much looting and spray painting, pop cans and rocks were thrown and more vandalism was planned at the fence or elsewhere. Is the policing proportionate to the threat?
Up until late Saturday afternoon, police actions had been restrained. Certainly, it had been disproportionate at times with hundreds of police officers surrounding 75 peaceful marchers, large groups of police officers circling one lone protester to search a back pack and umbrellas and water bottles being seized . We also witnessed people intercepted and detained, even charged for not identifying themselves. Friday’s marches were tense in a couple of places : police officers rammed their bicycles in protesters, verbal confrontations occurred but it ended peacefully. Saturday started out with the large People First march with a trajectory negotiated and approved by the police: down University, west on Queens, north on Spadina and back to Queen’s Park. The protest marshalls knew that there would be splinter groups wanting to reach the fence to spray it or put their banner up. Looters were also expected to take advantage of the situation.
And it happened: it is unclear why police cruisers would be in the vicinity of the protest. Throughout the week, police officers circulated in unmarked vans. While hundreds of riot police officers were blockading streets south of Queen, vandals got out and threw rocks along Queen and up Yonge (reports vary on the numbers, from 50 to 100). Confrontations occurred as well on King.
It is still unclear why the people gathered at Queen’s Park at 5 pm were suddenly charged by riot police. It appears that the small group of black clad vandals was still out to spray paint and throw rocks in windows. Certainly, however, not all those at Queen’s Park fell into this category. Since then, over 500 people have been arrested and none are being released. It would appear that the presumption of innocence and the protection against arbitrary arrest had been suspended during the G20.
CCLA is concerned about the conditions of detention: people were being denied access to lawyers, they were unable to contact their families and were not promptly released.
This post is also available in: French
CCLA denounces the sweeping arrests at G20
June 27th, 2010
Reporters arrested, CCLA civil rights monitors arrested, over 500 people in detention, police unwilling to provide access to lawyers, cellphones seized, what is going on? Police will say that 4 to 7 police cars were set on fire and that there was much looting and spray painting, pop cans and rocks were thrown and more vandalism was planned at the fence or elsewhere. Is the policing proportionate to the threat?
Up until late Saturday afternoon, police actions had been restrained. Certainly, it had been disproportionate at times with hundreds of police officers surrounding 75 peaceful marchers, large groups of police officers circling one lone protester to search a back pack and umbrellas and water bottles being seized . We also witnessed people intercepted and detained, even charged for not identifying themselves. Friday’s marches were tense in a couple of places : police officers rammed their bicycles in protesters, verbal confrontations occurred but it ended peacefully. Saturday started out with the large People First march with a trajectory negotiated and approved by the police: down University, west on Queens, north on Spadina and back to Queen’s Park. The protest marshalls knew that there would be splinter groups wanting to reach the fence to spray it or put their banner up. Looters were also expected to take advantage of the situation.
And it happened: it is unclear why police cruisers would be in the vicinity of the protest. Throughout the week, police officers circulated in unmarked vans. While hundreds of riot police officers were blockading streets south of Queen, vandals got out and threw rocks along Queen and up Yonge (reports vary on the numbers, from 50 to 100). Confrontations occurred as well on King.
It is still unclear why the people gathered at Queen’s Park at 5 pm were suddenly charged by riot police. It appears that the small group of black clad vandals was still out to spray paint and throw rocks in windows. Certainly, however, not all those at Queen’s Park fell into this category. Since then, over 500 people have been arrested and none are being released. It would appear that the presumption of innocence and the protection against arbitrary arrest had been suspended during the G20.
CCLA is concerned about the conditions of detention: people were being denied access to lawyers, they were unable to contact their families and were not promptly released.
This post is also available in: French
Labels: Amnesty International, arrests, Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Canadian politics, G20, G20 demonstrations, police brutality., Toronto
