G-20 Summit in Toronto

[Marko]

This group of protesters have exposed themselves as nothing but trouble makers. They were not in any way provoked by police to burn cars, smash windows or loot. They've basically given police a clear mandate to you use force *in response* to their violence and have no chance to point the finger at anyone else. I know there's probably a few hundred thousand dollars in damage, but it might have been necessary to make clear to everyone what they're dealing with and that whatever response is taken is more than justified.

They also may have been accumulating video evidence in order to be able to make arrests with charges that actually stickl, rather than simply round people up just to release them without charge.

I only hope there is some measure of compensation made available to local business who suffered damage.

 

[Coltaine79]

I wish that some lunatic who lives in one of the condos along Yonge St would start shooting those punks from their balcony!

not a good idea since there lots of innocent bystanders in the area (keep in mind lots of people thought the big protest would be right at the fence and was not expecting them to come up Yonge Street and smash up the rest of the downtown core instead - as a result, lots of shoppers at Eaton Centre etc.)

 

[marathe]

human feces has been thrown into the store fronts. Where is the sound cannons trucks?

Who's dropping trou on yonge and has the focus to produce feces? Or did they bring it with them? So many unanswered questions.

I heard that Zanzibar got destroyed. Thems some ballsy protesters: strip club bouncers are a mean bunch.

 

[TOfan696]

Almost every store from Yonge and College to Yonge and Dundas was destroyed, its so sad looking at College Parking all smashed up!

 

[jn_12]

I should remind people that "protesters" is a pretty broad and general term. There's a relatively small proportion of protesters who are causing these problems, as is usually the case. So make sure you're not lumping all protesters under the same depiction.

What's interesting is that down on the waterfront, which might be the closest you can get to the security perimeter, the westin and the CNE, there's no one down here protesting. there's families walking around on Queens Quay and you wouldn't have a clue that anything is going on if not for the buzzing of the helicopters overhead. No police presence down here either.

 

[AKS]

ahh...there's no police around the perimeter? :O You're kidding right? They have heard of attack tatics. "Raise the flag on the east and attack from the west"?

From the photo posted earlier, HMV and Bell seems prepared.

 

[marathe]

ahh...there's no police around the perimeter? :O You're kidding right? They have heard of attack tatics. "Raise the flag on the east and attack from the west"?

From the photo posted earlier, HMV and Bell seems prepared.

Thats fantastic that they put posters up on the plywood. Someone working there's a genius.

 

[Marko]

I should remind people that "protesters" is a pretty broad and general term.

I did say "this group of protesters" and did consider using a word other than protester, but didn't feel like getting a reprimand from the mods for using profanity.

I really hope they get their asses kicked and that a whole barrages of arrests are made with charges that actually - the kind that make it really hard for them to cross borders.

 

[Coltaine79]

anarchists, not protesters

 

[MisterF]

Maybe the point of the rioters is to distract from what the world leaders are actually talking about. By smashing windows and burning police cars, the violence gets associated with the G20 while the issues get ignored. And public opinion turns against the politicians. They're anarchists after all, and they want to undermine authority in any way they can. It works...how many people in the general public actually have a clue what the leaders are trying to accomplish?

Where are those talking about excessive police presence now? Where are the ones who would dare claim that riot police would only incite the protesters. These pricks would damage anything they saw and we wanted a smaller police presence?

This is an absolute joke. I'll repeat what I said earlier, if you want your voice heard do it peacefully this bs only makes you look immature and silly.

The pricks destroying businesses downtown have nothing to do with peaceful protesters in Montebello who the police were trying to incite. Stop trying to link the two.

 

[jn_12]

I did say "this group of protesters" and did consider using a word other than protester, but didn't feel like getting a reprimand from the mods for using profanity.

I really hope they get their asses kicked and that a whole barrages of arrests are made with charges that actually - the kind that make it really hard for them to cross borders.

ya I know. I just want to make sure that people don't start lumping everyone together.

I don't even think Anarchists is the right term... I'd say Miller was right calling them Criminals.

 

[PinkLucy]

Maybe the point of the rioters is to distract from what the world leaders are actually talking about. By smashing windows and burning police cars, the violence gets associated with the G20 while the issues get ignored. And public opinion turns against the politicians. They're anarchists after all, and they want to undermine authority in any way they can. It works...how many people in the general public actually have a clue what the leaders are trying to accomplish?

The protestors are NOT making my opinion turn against the politicians. If they were protesting something specific, I might listen, but instead they're just smashing and destroying so my opiinion turns against the protestors, not against the summit or those involved. But hey, that's just me, being logical and directing my anger and disgust at those causing the problem.

 

[Marko]

Yeah, Miller has the right idea - calling them Anarchists gives them far too much credit. They're little more than vandals and intellectually inept agitators, no different from soccer hooligans. The G20 (or soccer match) are just an excuse to gather in numbers and cause trouble.

and MisterF - talking about them being incited by police doesn't have to be referring to Quebec. It's been a common refrain from protesters of all stripes that they were peaceful and only reached the point of violence or damage because the police instigated it. That batons and pepper spray got them frothing at the mouth and caused a mob mentality to make them do things they wouldn't otherwise have done. Everyone knows it's bullshit, since you don't show up in balaclavas and ski masks carrying fireworks and chunks of concrete to a peaceful protest.

 

[TOareaFan]

ya I know. I just want to make sure that people don't start lumping everyone together.

I don't even think Anarchists is the right term... I'd say Miller was right calling them Criminals.

I know what you are saying but if you are a small businessman or innocent bystander who was just affected by these people, it lends you very little comfort to know that they are just a small group hiding within a larger protest.

Legitimate protest groups, worldwide, need to find a way for their protests to stop becoming a hide-in-plain-sight cover for extremists or we all risk losing that most basic of right....freedom of speech and assembly.

 

[Bayer]

The politicians know that there will be a lot more people being upset by violent demonstrations than by the $1.2 billion being spent on security, or by the draconian regulation enacted by McGuinty compelling anyone to show ID to the police just for being 15 feet away from their barriers.

How many years of efforts would it take to pry $1.2 billion from the government for constructive purposes - affordable housing, for instance? But for this summit, no problem. A few broken windows are nothing next to this obscenity.