Ombudsman charges G20 secret law was ‘illegal’

The Premier of Ontario has just admitted having failed on the secret law enacted during G20. So who committed more crimes during the G20? The citizens of Toronto? The Black Block? Or the Police? Every one of those detainings all over the city, in which police demanded identification of  people were illegal. All the self justification. All the justifying. Every defense of police action. 'Twas all bullshit. The people of Toronto were subjected to a police state during G20. And our elected officials, the media, and the police, all thought it was just hunky dory. Peacenik wants to see a public inquiry. Peacenik wants to see charges laid against offending police. Peacenik wants to see compensation paid to those who were mistreated. Peacenik wants to see some justice. Don't you?

Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin releases his special G20 report into the province's so-called "fence law" at Queen's Park, Dec. 7, 2010.

Robert Benzie and Rob Ferguson

It was “illegal” and “likely unconstitutional” for Premier Dalton McGuinty’s government to pass a secret regulation that police used to detain people near Toronto’s G20 summit of world leaders last summer, says Ombudsman Andre Marin.

In a scorching 125-page report entitled Caught in the Act, Marin said the measure “should never have been enacted” and “was almost certainly beyond the authority of the government to enact.”

“Responsible protesters and civil rights groups who took the trouble to educate themselves about their rights had no way of knowing they were walking into a trap – they were literally caught in the Act; the Public Works Protection Act and its pernicious regulatory offspring,” he told reporters.

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G20 editorial: Brutal spectacle failed a city and its people

punditman says...

For Harper and Canadian government officials, it was a foregone conclusion that bringing the G20 to Toronto would mean confrontation and mayhem. It has happened at every such gathering for the last dozen years. It is bad for tourism, for the local economy, etc.  But the creation of a crisis in order to come up with the solution is an old political trick.

The predictable property damage that occurred in Toronto over the weekend by a small minority is now being used as proof that this billion-dollar-plus debacle was worth it. Meanwhile, the law and order types then applaud the government for something that never should have happened in the city in the first place. And due to the violence, all the issues that should be discussed are conveniently overshadowed.

By John Cruickshank

The G20 security strategy has been spectacularly successful at cocooning the world’s leading politicians and staggeringly ineffective at protecting the property and peace of mind of Torontonians. And the one, inevitably, led to the other.

By bringing in thousands of heavily armed strangers and throwing up barricades everywhere to regular traffic, frightening off good and decent citizens, Canadian authorities created a ghost town in the heart of our city.

Perfect for the political leaders. Protesters were kept blocks away from where the deliberations were going on. 

And most protesters conducted themselves faultlessly as the global good and great met behind rings of gulag-like fencing and battalions of police beating Plexiglas shields with batons in a primitive show of might.

It was, however, less than perfect for the city, its businesses and its inhabitants. The only force that can prevent vandalism and mayhem in a city is the presence of its population. Surely that was the lesson every urban planner learned from looking south to the hollowed-out urban war zones of the United States in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

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Guelph-based protesters plan to tear down G20 fence

By Thana Dharmarajah

GUELPH — Members of a Guelph-based anti-poverty group intend to bring down a section of the four-kilometre G20 security fence that encompasses an area of Toronto’s downtown where world leaders will meet June 26-27.

“People have to make sacrifices,” said Julian Ichim, one of the organizers of Sense of Security, adding that the fence is a symbol of militarization. “. . . We have to get ready to be beaten, brutalized . . . whatever else they will do to us.”

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Peacenik wonders if Julian will even get in sight of the fence.

UPDATE: According to information in the Guelph Mercury, Julian never got to tear down the fence. His mother says he was arrested. Peacenik

Police Get New Powers for G20

New regulations give police right to search anyone near security fence Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/06/25/g20-new-powers.html#ixzz0rrtJwa

TORONTO - Police forces in charge of security for the G20 in Toronto have been granted special powers for the duration of the summit.

'Don't touch that fence!' The new legislation allows police to search anyone within five metres of the G20 security fence in downtown Toronto (Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press)

The new powers took effect Monday and apply only along the border of the G20 security fence that encircles a portion of the downtown core. This so-called red zone includes the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, where delegates will meet.

The new powers are designed specifically for the G20, CBC's Colin Butler reported Friday.

Ontario's cabinet quietly passed the new rules on June 2 without legislature debate.

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Peacenik thinks this is wrong. No public debate. Is this how fragile our civil liberties are?

When it comes to summit security, police answer to no one

Peacenik just finished photographing the riot police presence in Queen's Park. Two buses full. Plus assorted mini-vans full. Peacenik may also have seen a couple of "undercover" bicyclists. They were dressed in normal clothes and riding regular bikes but emerged from a crowd of officers. Then there was an earthquake registering 5.5 5.1 5.0.

Peacenik's building shuddered. Peacenik was rattled and confirmed the reality of the earthquake with these same riot police. So they performed a public service act while waiting for protesters to come along (none have so far).

Peacenik's place of employment is closing for the duration of G20. Peacenik will monitor events from a remote, secure, location. Peacenik wishes everyone all the best for the weekend.

Update: Peacenik just checked and the riot police have left Queens Park for now. Peacenik guesses they got bored.

With neither legislation nor precedent to limit their powers, the rights of Canadians come off second best

Adam Radwanski

It's known as the “red zone.” But given the extent to which police are being left to their own devices in locking down a large swath of Toronto for the G20, the “grey zone” might be more apt.

The federal government did police and local residents few favours by sticking the summit smack in the middle of downtown. That it’s in an area more difficult to secure than other available locations, such as the city’s Exhibition grounds, forced more heavy-handed enforcement than should have been necessary.

But it doesn’t help that, as officers are expected to balance security with civil liberties, there’s neither legislation nor clear legal precedent specifying what they can and can’t do. From the handling of protesters to the requirement of identification to enter public spaces and private homes, it’s left to their discretion.

Since each summit is different, there’s no choice but to be somewhat ad hoc in handling them. But civil liberties experts argue that it didn’t need to be quite this ad hoc.

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G20 protesters try to take over downtown property

Group occupies Esso gas station for 10 minutes

The group Sense of Sensibilty marches down Sherbourne St. on June 21, 2010, in protest of the G20.

DAVID COOPER/TORONTO STAR

Jayme Poisson

They were the first out of the gate, the first to occupy an Esso, and the first to disperse. Welcome to protesting G20-style.

About 100 protesters briefly occupied an Esso gas station and convenience store at Dundas and Church Sts. Monday afternoon in the first major protest of the G20 summit.

Some came with bandanas covering their faces. Others carried signs that read “Fake lake or human rights.” Most had a legal aid phone number scribbled across their forearms in case of arrest.

The main organizers, members of a Guelph-based anti-poverty group called Sense of Security, had vowed to “take a piece of property” in Toronto’s downtown core in an attempt to bring attention to lack of housing for the poor.

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Traffic into Toronto via the 427 and Gardiner has been extremely light on Monday and Tuesday. Guess everyone except these fine folks from Guelph are staying away. Police presence in the security zone is extremely heavy. But North of King St. everything is "normal". BTW, Queen's Park, the official protest site for G20 shows very little activity at this point. Peacenik

Water cannon added to G20 security arsenal

A demonstrator lies on the ground after being hit by a police water cannon during an anti-government rally in Valparaiso, Chile, May 21 2010. Ivan Alvarado/Reuters

Toronto — The Canadian Press

Police have added a water cannon to their arsenal as they step up security ahead of this week's G20 summit in Toronto.

Provincial police Const. Michelle Murphy of the Integrated Security Unit says the water projection system will be used to control large crowds if there are riots.

Activists have promised to be out in force to protest the two-day summit of world leaders that starts Friday.

Const. Murphy says the security plan is moving ahead as planned and officers are being put in place.

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G20 traffic fence can be closed at ‘a moment’s notice,’ police say

Jill Mahoney

Construction of the traffic fence in downtown Toronto is finished, allowing officers to close the area to motorists at “a moment’s notice” if there is a security risk, police say.

Workers finished assembling the outer barrier surrounding the G20 summit zone on Monday morning.

“The fence is at a stage where … if we have any reason to believe there’s a security risk and we need to secure and close down that area completely, we have the ability to do that now,” said Constable Wendy Drummond, a spokeswoman for the Integrated Security Unit that is handling G20 security.

Const. Drummond said an emergency closure could happen on “a moment’s notice”. Fencing for the traffic diversion zone extends from Spadina Avenue in the west to Yonge Street in the east, and from King Street West south to Lake Shore Boulevard.

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