This is not directly about G20, but rather the about the violence and riots that follows in it's path. I'm not sure if anybody else has been following the clips by various news stations throughout the world, but it appears that our 1 billion security budget was not in vain (I am still P O'd about that though!) as protesters in the streets are getting increasingly violent (YouTube - G20 Protests Heat Up: Video of police car fire in Toronto) up until the point where it seems not like protests but a civil war in the city, let me just say that Toronto is not the place to be. Warning: Swearing in some of the videos, all within the context however. YouTube - G20 Toronto- Police surround and attack small group of protesters at Queen and Spadina http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaYbq484abs&feature=related YouTube - G20 Toronto Black Block get green light to rampage? YouTube - Police open fire on peaceful protesters at G20 (Note the angry screeching of "Peaceful Protest" YouTube - G20 Peaceful Protest - BEHIND POLICE LINES - Queen and Spadina - June 27, 2010 - Obliviated I really do have mixed feelings about this, on the one hand, I believe in the idea of mobs of people as a hive mind and all it takes is one instigator to bring about a human's natural lust for blood. But on the other, are they really protesting anymore, or just rioting? One thing can be said for sure, all order and respect have been lost from the once great city of Toronto. My fellow Canadians, what a sad time in our history.
Anarchists operating under the guise of protestor?..we've had it here, and a certain breed of human being wants/does enjoy this form of violence.. pics of your chaos.. CTV.ca | News Photo Gallery - 100 Photos: G20 Chaos in Toronto
A cornerstone of our Western Democracy is the right to gather and express dissenting opinions with that of our government or any other government, but what is happening at these various international meetings is not the expression of their rights. They are not peaceful protestors whose violence was incited by the actions of police as they tend to claim as within them are those who premeditated the violence. One does not start seven police cars on fire with a Moloktov Cocktail by accident! The protesters can voice their concerns on issues not addressed to their satisfaction, but the protests shouldn't reach the point that it cost $1 billion for security etc so that these very important international meetings cease to happen. They do have a purpose and without the G20 the voices of emerging nations would be unheard. IMHO
Well said Michelle, I have no respect for people who act in this fashion. Not these "demonstators", nor sports fans who become violent in reaction to a poor call, their team winning, their team loosing, their team not playing. It is simply pointless violence for its own sake.
The trouble is that some cretins will always find an excuse for this behaviour. It was the same a few years back at Gleneagles; a mob of these idiots wrecked our village and also a local business park. They were even filmed by tv crews doing it!
I dont know who pisses me off more, the protesters or the Police, because regardless of the brutality that has taken place from some incidents that Police are still under orders; meanwhile, the demonstrators are insulting them by juxtaposing the anthem at them as if the Police themselves weren't Canadian. YouTube - Toronto G20 - riot police attacking people singing O'Canada. Queen and Spadina (From a roof) YouTube - Peaceful G20 protest at Queen & Spadina
These (G) meetings are all hot air, why these people bother rioting is a waste of time. They just use these (G) meetings as an excuse for a rumble in the jungle while the rest of us pick up the police bill.
The police aren't the instigators here, and not in other situations like this that will be known to be heavily covered by unsympathetic media looking for a scoop and microscopically scrutinized by all. Remove the police from the equation and you will have death, destruction, anarchy and terror in biblical proportions.
