Are the Toronto police seriously displaying the fake weapons of a Ren Faire participant as proof of the G20 protester's intentions?
Despite the guy having absolutely no connection to the protesters, and using deliberately blunted weapons?
This isn't even evil. It's just pathetic.
Showing posts with label G20. Show all posts
Showing posts with label G20. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Why Are the Toronto Police Assaulting Journalists?
From the Twitter of Steve Paikin
So why the hell did the police come within a hairsbreadth of beating the holy hell out of him? And verifiably assault a journalist from the Guardian? Yes, there was violence against property earlier today. Compared to what could have happened, it was almost orderly. But as I said, police overreaction WILL CAUSE ESCALATION.
Up until now, they hadn't. Even the tear gas incident was relatively minor compared to what COULD have happened. They were showing restraint. And now this.
I'm not looking forward to tomorrow.
i was "escorted" away by police so couldn't see how many arrested, but it must have been dozens.Steve Paikin is one of the best-known, most respected journalists in Canada. He moderated their last federal leadership election debate. He has no axe to grind, no ideological agenda; and he is exactly the wrong person to piss off.
half a minute ago via web
literally more than 100 officers with guns pointing at the crowd. rubber bullets and smoke bombs ready to be fired. rubber bullets fired
1 minute ago via web
so the police just started arresting people. i stress, this was a peaceful, middle class, diverse crowd. no anarchists
3 minutes ago via web
police on one side screamed at the crowd to leave one way. then police on the other side said leave the other way. there was no way out.
4 minutes ago via web
the demonstration on the esplanade was peaceful. it was like an old sit in. no one was aggressive. and yet riot squad officers moved in.
5 minutes ago via web
i can appreciate that the police were on edge today, after seeing four or five of their cruisers burned. but why such overreaction tonight?
6 minutes ago via web
the officer who escorted me away from the demo said, "yeah, that shouldn't have happened." he is correct. there was no cause for it.
7 minutes ago via web
no cameras recorded the assault. and it was an assault.
7 minutes ago via web
a third punched him in the stomach. totally unnecessary. the man collapsed. then the third officer drove his elbow into the man's back.
8 minutes ago via web
the journalist identified himself as working for "the guardian." he talked too much and pissed the police off. two officers held him....
8 minutes ago via web
they repeated they would arrest me if i didn't leave. as i was escorted away from the demonstration, i saw two officers hold a journalist.
9 minutes ago via web
i saw police brutality tonight. it was unnecessary. they asked me to leave the site or they would arrest me. i told them i was dong my job.
10 minutes ago via web
have left the demonstration on the esplanade. have got to a computer. here come a lot of tweets about what i saw.
11 minutes ago via web
i. gone police escor me away
about 1 hour ago via mobile web
weapons are rubber bulles
about 1 hour ago via mobile web
mny arress now. inexplicable ppl say "we wan o go home cops overwhelming crowd
about 1 hour ago via mobile web
So why the hell did the police come within a hairsbreadth of beating the holy hell out of him? And verifiably assault a journalist from the Guardian? Yes, there was violence against property earlier today. Compared to what could have happened, it was almost orderly. But as I said, police overreaction WILL CAUSE ESCALATION.
Up until now, they hadn't. Even the tear gas incident was relatively minor compared to what COULD have happened. They were showing restraint. And now this.
I'm not looking forward to tomorrow.
Welp, They're Rolling Out the Tear Gas
Reading the G20 coverage. Looks like the black bloc is up to their usual thing, smashing windows in Toronto. Looks like the traditional response is about to kick in, too, as the police start firing off the tear gas.
Expect escalation. Twitterers appear to be saying that the black bloc are only about 100 out of the thousands of protesters. But once the relatively peaceful majority starts smelling the tear gas, at least some will decide to join the black-clad anarchists in the violence. This is almost certainly only going to get worse, though Toronto's poor weather this weekend may help diminish things.
What I'm really concerned about is what happens tonight. There is supposed to be some kind of "all night unpermitted dance party". It's not supposed to be a protest, and certainly not a violent protest. But if the police try to clear these guys off the streets, it could get even uglier than what the world is seeing right now.
Expect escalation. Twitterers appear to be saying that the black bloc are only about 100 out of the thousands of protesters. But once the relatively peaceful majority starts smelling the tear gas, at least some will decide to join the black-clad anarchists in the violence. This is almost certainly only going to get worse, though Toronto's poor weather this weekend may help diminish things.
What I'm really concerned about is what happens tonight. There is supposed to be some kind of "all night unpermitted dance party". It's not supposed to be a protest, and certainly not a violent protest. But if the police try to clear these guys off the streets, it could get even uglier than what the world is seeing right now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)