Monday, June 28, 2010 11:12 AM

What burning Police cars is not enough?

WTF

Monday, June 28, 2010 1:05 PM

O my God!!!! Luke warm water!!!!! Lights on 24 hours!!!!!! A sandwich a day!!!!! Who how terrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The police kept him segrageted because he wad gay... SO that he doesn't get beat up!!!!! Wow The police are so bad!!!!!! What Terrible ordeal he had to go through!!!!


But that's just the way it is with our self-entitled generation that thinks it's their right to resist the police and destroy public property. If this is the state of the gay community, I feel ashamed.

By the way this guy should grow some balls. "Luke warm water"?????? Really what a pussy...

??????

Monday, June 28, 2010 1:39 PM

Luke warm water, lights on 24 hours a day, 2 sandwiches a day, yep that's a terrible ordeal. Especially if you have been arrested without cause, as this young man was. He was released without charges. The Ontario government, through secret legislation, robbed this young man and hundreds of others of their basic civil rights. The right to protest peacefully is the hallmark of a democracy. I watched, in dismay, as the police allowed the wanton destruction of private property by small gangs of anarchists. The police were only interested in keeping the leaders safe, not the city and certainly not those of us who live here. This young man did not destroy anyone's property, he, like hundreds of others, were arrested so that the Harper government can justify the incredible cost of this summit. It makes me want to vomit.

Peter Bochove

Monday, June 28, 2010 2:35 PM

I have no idea why the cops weren't out in overwhelming force Saturday afternoon when they knew the Black Bloc were out and about too, why didn't they have squads of riot cops stationed in areas around the main protest since they knew a few trouble makers would be mixed in with them? if they were capable of responding with overwhelming force to peaceful protesters why couldn't they do the same with those vandalizing the city and threatening by-standers? I have a lot more questions about how the cops handled things this weekend, the treatment of so many who were arrested for no good reason is only one of the concerns I have about this whole ugly affair. I've heard from numerous people that no order to leave that area was ever given, I had also heard that it was an entirely peaceful affair too, at least at the Novotel Hotel protest, he mentions "Nortel riot" but I'm guessing he meant Novotel but that wasn't a riot just a large peaceful protest.

Rich

Monday, June 28, 2010 3:18 PM

The PMO's office was pretty clear. That's why it cost so much to secure this summit is their answer. That's why there was no effort made to stop this small group who did all this damage and it is also why peaceful protesters were attacked. Attacked, by the way, is the right word. I've been there, albeit thirty years ago. It is appalling to see just how quickly a city can be turned into a police state. Appalling.

Peter Bochove

Monday, June 28, 2010 3:49 PM

I really feel for this individual. He was one of many caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, we all have access to a television, a radio, the internet, and if your liviing downtown toronto (especially that weekend) word of mouth gives you the latest news. We as a city of Torontonians could have kept eachother safe, by telling our friends, family to try and stay away from the area as much as possible. I know, it's easier said than done - but we should protect eachother not with shouting or fighting but with care and compasion, for we are eachothers brothers and sisters. Also, I have to deffend the police at the same time. They are people just like you and I, but they have been trained to act in the call of duty. They are the ones protecting us year round, and we count on them. As much as there may be one bad apple in any bunch, my heart went out to the police who were probrbaly as scared to be right in the middle and the targets of such brutality. Let's help those as much as we can, no matter who they were - for we are all here for a civalized society. Thanks.

Derek

Monday, June 28, 2010 7:11 PM

Pride should be interesting. Will gays hold police to task or will they roll over and cheer? Given our state of assimilation, I suspect the latter.

RG

Monday, June 28, 2010 9:37 PM

Can anybody tell me the exact point of all the "protesting" on the weekend? I keep hearing all these accounts of unfair police brutality, but why again were so many young people gathering (illegally, without a permit) in front of riot police and shouting things at them? Some of us actually care about Toronto and don't understand why people couldn't just chill out during the G20 instead of doing their part to dismantle order, and behave the way many people feared others would. Most puzzling is why "protesters" chose to turn their back on the safety of others in the city by disrupting transit and forcing residents and workers to have to hide inside their homes and workplaces. Their passion may have got the best of them and they forgot that some people actually RELY on ORDER, and that a city cannot function by mob rule. Sure I'm angry about the hundreds of illegal arrests and the atmosphere of police everywhere, but I'm also angry about my city getting smashed up and then thousands of "peaceful protesters" conveniently denying any responsibility for the anarchist state the city fell under. As is providing a human shield for the Black Bloc wasn't enough. And yeah, blocking the streets to hold a sit-in and singing kumbayah, it was evident people weren't angry about the environment or any real issues - they just wanted to party! And all the people snapping pictures and videos and just hanging out with the crowd, no they shouldn't have been beaten, but then why did they put themselves in that position?? Why did protesters continue to go out Saturday night and Sunday night when they knew what had transpired the day before, as if they didn't know police were ready to move in? It was classic teasing the dog then crying when you get bit. I shouldn't say anymore, I may lose too many friends over this. This weekend, how we experienced it, will divide us for years to come. Let's hope the Pride parade doesn't turn into an extention of G20 madness. We have it so good here in Canada people don't even realize it. Canada is not a fascist state. We had a fascist weekend maybe, but it didn't have to become that.

Ryan

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 9:09 AM

Ryan:
We do not need a permit to walk down OUR streets in OUR city!

Mark

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 1:59 PM

FYI Toronto Police Board and Chief’s Pride Reception@ The 519 Church Street Community Centre 4:30 tuesday june 29

JM

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 2:48 PM

You're right, Canada isn't a fascist state, but this weekend we certainly got a taste of what one might be like.

"but then why did they put themselves in that position" it's the nature of protesting, it's called putting yourself on the line for what you stand for. If you can't understand that, then perhaps you are taking a lot of your rights and freedoms for granted?

Are you queer? If so, do you have no sense of queer history? Do you think queers automatically had the freedoms that we have now magically by being complacent straight acting yes men/women?

Blaming protesters for the Government's decision to hold a known questionable event in the direct downtown core, despite suggestions of exhibition place being a more suitable location is unfair. I had to go to work, my boyfriend had to go to work, and you know what, we got to work. It was annoying yes, "unsafe", yes, but at least we don't have to deal with this every day compared to other countries.

There were around 200 Black Bloc, yes they caused damage (and yet the 20,000+ police weren't able to stop them?) I do not support damage and destruction. Store windows can be replaced, being beaten, detained illegally, strip searched, queers being told to "straighten up" will take much longer to fix. It's disgusting and it's precisely what peaceful protestors were standing up for.

We put ourselves 'in that position' to stand up for and to protect the freedoms that we so lavishly enjoy, especially this upcoming weekend. We also marched in solidarity with groups representing queer rights, womyn's rights, maternal health including abortion, in countries that don't share the freedoms that we have here. Denouncing groups for participating in peaceful protest because you can't gleam a message that satisfies you is ignorant. There were plenty of messages out there, you just had to look a little further then what your TV was telling you.

JM

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 2:04 PM

sorry that was in relation to Ryan's comments

JM

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 8:49 AM

Why in the first place did they do that summit in DOWNTOWN Toronto??? Bunch of IDIOTS!!!! And they thought this was a good idea. why not do this fuckin summit in the north pole where no one would have gone up there to protest?

ben