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xmpraedicta

G20 protests turn violent in Toronto

xmpraedicta
13 years ago

I can't believe what is happening to my home. Our poor city is being torn apart. 3 police cruisers set on fire and all the banks, retail stores and Starbucks buildings along Queen street have had their windows smashed in. Looting everywhere, hospitals, police stations and the Eaton Centre are locked down. All transit in the downtown core is suspended. There's spray paint everywhere with things like "F*** CORP GREED". Apparently the hoards of police have resorted to using tear gas, although those reports are not entirely confirmed.

Attempts at peaceful protest have been ruined by a bunch of f***ers who have decided to enjoy this opportunity to vandalize and cause damage in our city...as if a 1 billion dollar price tag was not enough. I hope these people get arrested, sent to jail, and made to perform extensive community service to pay back all the damage they have caused.

The stupidity of holding this conference here will hurt even more if the federal government doesn't agree to shoulder the price of the damage caused.

Comments (13)

  • highjack
    13 years ago

    They always turn violent - always.

    Brooke

  • stitzelweller
    13 years ago

    Calvin,

    Welcome to the real world. There is a small faction in every nation which will violently disrupt these legitimate political gatherings by the leaders of the major countries. Would you rather live in a police state where none of this is tolerated, at all??

    Be proud that Canada hosts this current meeting! Look at the other participating countries. Would you rather that Canada NOT be one of this group?

    Be thankful that your "hordes" of police are so well-trained that these disorders are minimal to your lifestyle.

    --Stitz--

  • xmpraedicta
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I have nothing against the protesters, and I am very grateful for the police. The dumb part was to hold the meeting right in the financial centre, when we have perfectly good venues a few miles outside of the city. We have an island with it's own airport that could have held the meeting comfortably - instead, they closed down one of the major highways for hours while the dignitaries were transported downtown.

    The most hostile protests yesterday clustered around groups of people trying to get into the security fence which protected the venue, which was in the heart of our downtown. This problem largely could have been avoided if the meeting was moved just 5 miles west to another convention centre which could be protected much easier, or as I said before, the island. We could have saved big time on security costs, as well as the damage.

    The balaclava wearing thugs who employed the black bloc tactic of just running around smashing things are not protesters - they are criminals, and should be punished with a public spanking! What they are doing is not practicing freedom of speech - they are just vandalizing. It is likely that they are not even from this city.

  • xmpraedicta
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I forgot to mention - curiously, while one of the police cars was being torched, there wasn't a single police officer in site. Lots of people are now declaring these anarchists to be government sponsored catalysts that are trying to delegitimize the peaceful protests. I wouldn't expect that from Canada, but who knows..

    Luckily our news stations have tried to distinguish between the protestors and these guys.

  • stitzelweller
    13 years ago

    "The balaclava wearing thugs who employed the black bloc tactic of just running around smashing things are not protesters - they are criminals, and should be punished with a public spanking! What they are doing is not practicing freedom of speech - they are just vandalizing. It is likely that they are not even from this city."

    You're probably correct that the bums are not from Toronto. Even with a balaclava, they might be easily recognized. I'll bet that the Vancouver riot police would recognize quite a few!

    Public spanking? How about PRISON ?

  • highjack
    13 years ago

    Calvin this is from the Yahoo news of the G20 -

    "Previous global summit protests have turned violent. In 1999, 50,000 protesters shut down

    World Trade Organization sessions in Seattle as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets. There were some 600 arrests and $3 million in property damage. One man died after clashes with police at a G-20 meeting held in London in April 2009.

    At the September G-20 summit in Pittsburgh, police fired canisters of pepper spray and smoke and rubber bullets at marchers."

    This happens at every G20 plus remember the protests at the global warming meeting in Denmark this past winter. They destroyed downtown Pittsburgh last year.

    Brooke

  • xmpraedicta
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Hi Brooke, thanks for the links. I realize that this is quite commonplace and in the global sense of things 'not a big deal,' but it is nonetheless startling to see it happening right here.

    The tedious part of this is that it could have been minimized with just a few better made decisions. Also, I wonder if any of those places spent 1 billion dollars

  • stitzelweller
    13 years ago

    France will host the next meeting of this group. Sarkozy promises to spend 1/10 of what Canada spent. The location? The French Riviera!


    --Stitz--

  • stitzelweller
    13 years ago

    Calvin,

    Is everyone out of jail now?

    --Stitz--

  • xmpraedicta
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Yep everyone was out by Monday - there are now facebook groups popping up all over the place requesting for a public inquiry into what happened, but I haven't really heard any development yet. I suspect things will blow over - besides, most people were too excited about the Queen visiting!

  • stitzelweller
    13 years ago

    AND, wouldn't ya know..... that ol' Stitz was in Ontario when the Queen visited ~ 1957?

    As I recall, QEII was enthralled with a visit to what was then a "modern", big-time grocery store! Yes, I have a foto around here, somewhere!

    --Stitz--

  • xmpraedicta
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I'm sure she must have enjoyed that trip much more...the poor dear had to endure a heat wave, AND a power outtage at the same time!

    By the way, did anyone feel the earthquake that happened shortly before the G20? It was pretty ominous in it's timing, eh!

  • stitzelweller
    13 years ago

    we just had one last week near DC. what's the timing here? :)
    eh?

    --Stitz--