Thousands protest summit in Canada; vandals smash windows, torch police cars

[Bob Hubbard]

TORONTO (AP) — Black-clad demonstrators broke off from a crowd of peaceful protesters at the World Summit, torching police cruisers and smashing windows with baseball bats and hammers.
Police with shields and clubs earlier pushed back another small group of demonstrators who tried to head south toward the security fence surrounding the perimeter of the Group of Twenty global economic summit site. Some demonstrators hurled bottles at police.
"This isn't our Toronto and my response is anger," Toronto Mayor David Miller told CP24 television. "Every Torontonian should be outraged by this."

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/06/26/police-say-protests-canadian-summits-tamer-previous-summits/


No word yet on if the local Star Fleet clubs are sending "Away Teams" to assist.

 

[CanuckMA]

We have representatives of every police force in the country lending a hand. This is a dark time for my city.

 

[Ken Morgan]

We have representatives of every police force in the country lending a hand. This is a dark time for my city.

??
In that there are too many police officers or that a small group of professional “protesters” were intent on causing violence?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I saw a report there were almost 20,000 additional cops in Toronto, and that the area around the summit had been turned into a fortress. Been seeing alot of unhappy commentary about it.

 

[Big Don]

Ah, those peace loving leftists...

 

[CanuckMA]

??
In that there are too many police officers or that a small group of professional “protesters” were intent on causing violence?

Too many professional protesters bent on causing violence. The cops have shown incredible restraint.

 

[JDenver]

The police setup a large barricade around the summit. Then they say that you can't stand near the barricade, so there's an invisible barricade around the barricade. There are now dozens of stories of cops collaring people for little to no reason, entering their homes with no cause, destroying cameras and cell phones, using tear gas and plastic bullets while insisting that they are not ----

I'm not shocked by any of this.

 

[Archangel M]

Plastic bullets???? Something specially designed for the event?

 

[CanuckMA]

Plastic bullets???? Something specially designed for the event?

No, just your standard crowd control rubber bullets.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

The police setup a large barricade around the summit. Then they say that you can't stand near the barricade, so there's an invisible barricade around the barricade. There are now dozens of stories of cops collaring people for little to no reason, entering their homes with no cause, destroying cameras and cell phones, using tear gas and plastic bullets while insisting that they are not ----

I'm not shocked by any of this.

Same things happened in Seattle and Pittsburgh.

 

[CoryKS]

Well, I think it's disgraceful how these jack-booted thugs are trampling over the citizens' right to peacefully smash windows and set cars on fire.

 

[JDenver]

Well, I think it's disgraceful how these jack-booted thugs are trampling over the citizens' right to peacefully smash windows and set cars on fire.

The husband and wife sitting in their house when police enter without a warrant, search it, destroy their cell phones, and threaten to throw them in jail, are not 'jack booted thugs'. The 21 year old actress I know in Toronto who peacefully marches against G20 policies, and who the police have threatened with imprisonment for simply being there, is not a 'jack booted thug'.

Let's not paint all protestors as thugs and all riot police as heroes.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I think Cory was being sarcastic JD. Then again, I had to explain to 1 person that my suggestion that the local Trek clubs pop in and help was also sarcasm. lol.

 

[Makalakumu]

I've been at protests and have seen these guys show up. These are professional provocateurs who are looking to incite violence. These groups show up at peaceful protests and wreck them.

 

[SensibleManiac]

Despite the violence which is a bad thing, how many people realize how bad an idea it is to have these pointless, (costing 1 point something billion) G20 summits?

I think the whole thing is a bad idea, not to mention how many people can't work because the are is closed off.

It's actually very sad, a completely worthless meeting that costs so much money and that closes down the city and gives a venue for mindless idiots to riot.

Yup, sounds like a bad idea to me.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Despite the violence which is a bad thing, how many people realize how bad an idea it is to have these pointless, (costing 1 point something billion) G20 summits?

I think the whole thing is a bad idea, not to mention how many people can't work because the are is closed off.

It's actually very sad, a completely worthless meeting that costs so much money and that closes down the city and gives a venue for mindless idiots to riot.

Yup, sounds like a bad idea to me.

It’s a bad idea for them to hold this thing in the middle of our biggest city, within our countries largest business district. Yes.

It’s a bad idea for leaders of the world to sit down together at one table and attempt to discuss mutually beneficial solutions to the world’s problems? No.

 

[Deaf Smith]

The police setup a large barricade around the summit. Then they say that you can't stand near the barricade, so there's an invisible barricade around the barricade. There are now dozens of stories of cops collaring people for little to no reason, entering their homes with no cause, destroying cameras and cell phones, using tear gas and plastic bullets while insisting that they are not ----

I'm not shocked by any of this.

I can understand crowd control, barricades to. Even rubber bullets for bottle throwing crowds can be justified. But breaking into homes? Destroying cameras and cell phones... sounds like Maryland!

That police will try to stop any recording of what really goes on is what is so bad. They are trying to make sure history only records their side. So to all people here, make sure your cameras are small and easy to hide because Big Brother hates them.

Big Brother fears the light.

Deaf

 

[SensibleManiac]

It’s a bad idea for leaders of the world to sit down together at one table and attempt to discuss mutually beneficial solutions to the world’s problems? No.

The problem is that nothing gets done and it costs over a BILLION dollars.

Sounds like a big waste of time and money to me.

I read a very interesting article on the development of the G20 summit, how it grew from something smaller and beneficial to something huge and completely useless.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Guy stops a looter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CKkLYYczdM&feature=popular'

 

[Makalakumu]

Guy stops a looter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CKkLYYczdM&feature=popular%27

That's what I like to see, individuals who have the balls to stand up and say no to things that are wrong. Autocrats hate this because it means that the sheep will now stand up to them.