The reports from Sunday indicate that after doing nowhere near enough to deal with political thugs and their enablers on Saturday, the police are now acting with too much violence and towards innocent people. Frankly I don’t care at all if a few middle-class morons dressed in black who want to smash things and people get hit over the head by a cop or two. But it’s essential that peaceful protestors, passers-by and journalists are not treated like this.
From what I’m hearing from friends on the scene – read the great Steve Paikin about this – the police have gone into panic mode. There are thousands of them there and they have enough time and resources to do this job properly. But these are the same cops who obsess about small issues, arrest storekeepers protecting their own property, try to arrest soccer fans who are loud rather than violent and generally haven’t grown with the city and changed accordingly.
This is bad. Very bad. Chief Bill Blair is a good man but has failed miserably and should resign. Worse is Mayor David Miller, who seems when he’s interviewed to be more angry with questions than riots. He’s going anyway. Spare me the nonsense that the police have an impossible job – the cops in Kingston, Jamaica have it hard or inner-Manchester or Brixton, London. Not Toronto and Barrie!
By the way, watching my son play soccer today at Downsview I saw eight military helicopters land. Eight! I covered the last Lebanon War and never saw more than three at any one time. Overkill, overpaid, over the top, overblown, over.
I’m loathe to call for a public enquiry but when the dust has settled the Police response had better be examined, reports are surfacing that the bulk of arrests have been bystanders, window dressing in order to appear “effective”.
8 helicopters? And I thought that we didn’t have military helicopters in Canada which is why our troops are being slaughtered in Afghanistan because they have to use the roads and are being blown up by IEDs.
So, clearly, it is more important to shuffle the G20 leaders and their entourage in comfort rather than not putting our troops at risk in Afghanistan! …disgusting!!!
I thought some of these reports were the usual result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but as they continue there seems to be a pattern; police didn’t meet the real test, so they take it out on the harmless. The anarchists can declare victory tonight and the police are just left with an angry, empty feeling.
“…I saw eight military helicopters land.”
They’ve been bloody available all week. Too bad they didn’t use them yesterday to coordinate a stop to the trashing on Yonge St. What freakin’ good are they now that all the anarchists are pooped and being arrested in their tired stupor and grogginess?
So now that all the Police are distracted, what great crime of the century is being planned by the criminal masterminds who have just been waiting for such an opportunity? Oh, forgot. Their secret tunnels to the vaults caved in after the earthquake. Great planning that.
And congrats on your son’s soccer achievements and the resultant recognition. I wish him all the success. I know you’re dripping with pride and you should you lucky braggart!
Andre,
Get a clue.
The CH-146 Griffons and the CH-47 Chinooks we operate in Afghanistan are a completely different Op, and the G8/20 support hasn’t touched any resources affecting Op Athena.
Linking the G8/20 to Islamists killing NATO troops in Afghanistan is ridiculous. Next you’ll be saying the fake lake built for the event causes water rationing for our troops.
Here’s Paikin’s story:
“Steve Paikin, a prominent Toronto journalist said that he was escorted away by two police officers who saw his government-issued summit media credentials. He was advised that if he stayed he would be arrested.
As he was being taken away, Mr. Paikin said he saw another journalist, Jesse Rosenfeld, a contributor to the Guardian website, showing his identification to two police officers. At that point, according to Mr. Paikin, each of them took one of Mr. Rosenfeld’s arm as a third police officer, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, punched the reporter in the stomach. After Mr. Rosenfeld fell to the ground, the third officer jabbed an elbow into his back. Mr. Paikin said.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/world/americas/28security.html?src=mv
Here’s his tweets from last night:
http://www.straight.com/article-331223/vancouver/steve-paikins-tweets-offer-eyewitness-account-toronto-police-brutality-g20-summit
Shades of the gun registry, harrass the law abiding and ignore the real criminals.
I guess it’s easier and safer that way.
When has irrelevance and mediocraty constituted greatness?.Steve Paikin’s posting on the the ‘protests’ shows he drank the same cool-aid as the rest of the Toronto media swine.The only people in Canada that have a substantial reason to protest are servicemen in uniform.Police,soldiers etc…
Police officers do a thousand things right, but the one thing they get wrong causes their expertise and necessity into question.Continuously stuck between a ridculous, politically correct media and a whining ungrateful public any action taken will never be considered a measured response.
The only solution to this societal disconnect with authorities is mandatory federal and military service.It will create a new appreciation for civil rights and rule of law,whilst giving our country the armed might for military conquest and expansion into Latin America for the purpose of sexy parties.It will be called sexy living space.
If you were in downtown Toronto during either summit, you either were up to no good, or you should have known better. Heavy handed police? Not by a long shot. Doesn’t anyone remember October 1970? That was heavy handed law enforcement, and totally warranted, as were the police actions.
You want to protest, police your own groups and turn in the violent agitators BEFORE you get on the streets.
BTW Coren, why no comment section on your last 2 articles for the Sun?
Ooooo…Kaffir_Kanuck, I am so intimidated by your calling the Op by their real names and all…clearly that is what “getting a clue” means to you. I guess in your mind, that pretty much shuts down any right to even question the decisions made by our authorities.
Now, how about you get a clue? There is ample evidence that our troops in Afghanistan lack the helicopter capacity to transport troops and equipment in a relatively safe way, rather than by road where they have been decimated by IEDs. All I am saying is that if Canada HAS military helicopters, perhaps it would be best if they were deployed in a different “Op”, i.e. Afghanistan, so that we could save the lives of people who are truly putting their life on the line. Even if it is a different “Op”, even if it means retrofitting these with the necessary gear, armament and agressive/defensive systems, that is the right thing to do and the least we CAN do to support our troops who are in harms way.
All of this is really simple. If those protesting did so in a sane, mature manner and utilized actual effective methods (like, say, running for office and NOT vandalism), the chances that their POV would be given a spotlight would increase.
The truth is, (with all due respect to Sid Ryan) it is impossible to tell the difference between the ‘real’ protesters and those who habitually show up just to cause havoc.
Andre,
Let me break it down into simple terms even you can understand. Here’s a link that describes our resources at the Kandahar airfield:
http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/v2/page-eng.asp?id=23
Since we’ve deployed a Wing out of KAF, a two day round trip by a convoy with 30 to 60 troops just to escort 1 or 2 soldiers out of a forward operational base (FOB) so they can go on leave back home to visit their family, only takes one quick flight on a Griffon.
The presence our troops provide is part of the mission to visible to the locals. The patrols still need to happen, and some of those are in vehicles.
Also, Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) which operate with other NATO forces at various FOBs need equipment and vehicles that can’t all be air lifted in, even by the mighty Chinook.
As I will be one of those techs actually working on these choppers within a couple of weeks in KAF, I’m pretty sure I know what I’m talking about.
So don’t be afraid to do some research and talk to someone in the CF. In fact, if you’re so concerned, you can write to deployed Canadian troops here:
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Commun/message/index-eng.asp
Who knows, if one of them responds, maybe one of them will clue you in.
We are being advised by the ‘authorities’ that the spending on security was worth it, as it worked. If you mean that the over-fed, rich leaders weren’t bothered – then they are right. However, if we look at the results of the last few days we see a different story. All these police in their riot gear could not prevent the rampage that we saw leaving destruction in it’s wake. However, when it came to the unarmed and peaceful people, then the hammer came down. I am sure that a majority of Toronto police are hanging their heads in shame when they have to look people in the face. It’s not right and it’s not fair to them that their orders made them the ‘bad guy’. Our federal and provincial governments have a lot to answer for.
It seems FIFA just confirmed its status as a banana republic:
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/5335440/ce/us/fifa-censor-stadium-replays&cc=5901?ver=us
Maybe they’ll hire Bill Blair after his current gig ends (hopefully soon.)
I was at Queen and Spadina yesterday, and arrested after being surrounded from the North, South, East and West sides by rows of riot-squad police. I, like most of the people there at that time, was a bystander, observing the protest, taking in the sights. Once surrounded, the police would not let any of the few hundred people leave. It rained, we got soaked, and still we couldn’t leave. Finally, too wet and cold to want to wait it out, as people were being arrested one by one, I joined a line of others volunteering to be arrested. I was zip-tyed, searched, and charged with “breach of peace”. Waiting in line for a spot in one of the many wagons waiting, a cop said to me “bet you wish you didn’t come to protest today”, as if it were now illegal to protest — not that I was anyway.
Long story short, I saw and experienced a lot of things I didn’t think possible in Canada, and was eventually released at 23 division at Kipling and Finch by an officer who told me that “you have been arrested for breach of peace. Since you are no longer breaching the peace, you will be released unconditionally. Do you understand?”
Welcome to the New World and shades of things to come. In twenty years we will look back on these days of Freedom-lite and pine for them. The evolution of society continues. Not good.
@Chris- Since when did rioting become a spectator sport? You knew what happened the prior day, and came down to see the expected repeat, didn’t you?
So how are the police to differentiate between rubber neckers like yourself and the protestors? (illegally blocking a city street)
Continuing the sports analogy, the New York Yankees did not put the names of their players on their uniforms as a means to force spectators to buy programs. (origin of the saying “you can’t tell the players without a program.) Apart from the Black Bloc, there would have been no way to tell you apart from any protestor, you weren’t a paying spectator, you were part of the crowd, the mob, even if that was not your intent.
No sympathy for you or anyone else caught up Sunday.
@Al the fish — that’s right, I went downtown to spectate, which, by the way, is not illegal in Canada (and neither is protesting). And yet I was arrested, as were many others who had broken no law. The police not being able to differentiate the guilty from the innocent does not give them a green light to arrest all indiscriminately. Your inference that it does is terrifyingly un-Canadian, and certainly anti-freedom.
Does it not concern you at all that the police, who are meant to uphold the law, broke the law in detaining lawful citizens? What are the consequences? Where is the accountability?
…
This situation, to me, speaks to the inadequacy of such ambiguous charges as “breach of peace” that leave too much room for discretion. Legality should be more black and white, rules-based.
Bravo Chris, well said. This is indeed frightening but in my mind, not surprising. We call ourselves a democracy but for me, that is only 1 day out of every 4 years. Our freedoms will continue to erode under the guise of public safety.
…”watching my son play soccer today at Downsview ..”
soccer is for girls , and guys who can`t skate.
@Chris
You were the moth attracted to the flame, if you got singed, boo hoo.
If you went to spectate, you are a dupe, it is the presence of people like you who allowed the scofflaws to blend in. The best thing you could have done, if you are a law abiding citizen, was stay away. As I’ve posted elsewhere, willing enter a potential sh*t storm, expect to get hit with some sh*t.
In the context of Sunday, photojournalists call going into a site of potential conflict “looking for bang-bang,” the unfortunate side affect is the photojournalist sometimes becomes a victim of the bang-bang. Were you looking for bang-bang? If so, you should have expected possible bad consequences.
Your presence there wasn’t needed, bottom line stay out of the line of fire, rioting is not a spectator sport.
Protesting is illegal when it blocks city streets, I believe you are confusing freedom of speech with valid protest.
The Canadaian thing to do, being as we are supposed to be a pragmatic and intelligent group of people, would have been to stay away. Your presence was un-Canadian, as you put yourself in harms way, and willingly made the job of law enforcement more difficult. As there was prior evidence of protests turning violent (from Saturday) they had probable cause to arrest protestors the following day. As you admit, police could not determine the “guilty from the innocent” and that by the way, that’s not the police’s job, the declaration of innocence or guilt is determined by the courts, when the police released you, they knew they did not have enough evidence to convict, so the system did work. You were released unharmed, in a relatively short time.
If you think your arrest was unlawful, file suit, I will bet you dollars to donuts that you’d get laughed out of court. While the police could not prove your intent to riot, neither can you prove your intent to be peaceful.
The world is not all black and white Chris, discretion is needed in grey cases. You speak of police accountability, you showed lack of accountability by putting yourself in potential harms way. Wanting things “black and white” is the desire for order, the protestors created chaos, disorder. You tell me how then were the police to restore order to your liking?
Hey Coren. I see there is no place for comments after your weekly pukes in the Saturday papers. Too many people pissing in your Corenflakes? Can’t take all the nasty criticisms? I guess you shouldn’t write stupid things. But then you wouldn’t be writing, would you?
Skippy,
Michael does come off with many outrageous, right-wing comments. I stopped reading the National Post becuase of the right-wing slant.
hugh jorgan says:
June 30, 2010 at 11:06 am
…”watching my son play soccer today at Downsview ..”
soccer is for girls , and guys who can`t skate.
Postings like this are for guys who are not tough enough to play soccer.
Michael Coren said:
“Frankly I don’t care at all if a few middle-class morons dressed in black who want to smash things and people get hit over the head by a cop or two.”
Ahh, the peace and love and non violence of the religious.
Paul,
Come on bro. Soccer players are wimpy, the fall and writh in pain at the slightest touch from an opponent. A soccer player wouldn’t last 5 minutes playing a hard-hitting hockey game. In Canada I classify soccer as a game foreigners try to force their children to play – it’s relatively inexpensive, no body contact, and the foreigners love it. Soccer isn’t now nor will it ever be a major league sport in Canada or the USA. That’s the way it is my friends.
Yukon says:
June 30, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Skippy,
Michael does come off with many outrageous, right-wing comments. I stopped reading the National Post becuase of the right-wing slant.
So when you going to stop checking out Coren’s Comments?
I just don’t get it. Simple mental construct – the policemen are probably people from Toronto. I expect they have lived here most of their lives. That said, once there is five thousand policemen in the streets, there must be five thousand fewer inhabitants in the city. The officers must know the city and the shop owners. Even if not, shop owners are basically the only ones left – and those should always be protected. Anyone throwing a brick is definitely an alien and, by the same token, no alien is going to protect a shop in the city.
With such simple reasoning, high school graduates could do the job and no police panic is justified. I should panic when my favourite shop is out of bounds, the Queen should panic when she gets free recyclable black plastic bags and my children should panic that the tax money for their school’s new tennis court went into doughnuts.
Chief Bill Blair is a good man but has failed miserably and should resign.
why , because YOU say so ?..for that matter then i think YOU should resign your television farce for having that publicity -addict anne coulter on.
I guess using Michael’s logic if a protestor dresses in black he is bad, dress in white and he is good?
Now that the cops have released the photos of the vandals I obviously owe some of you a big apology. You were right all along. Even I can recognize Blair and Harper in spite of those black masks.