2010 G-20 Toronto summit protests
Encyclopedia
The 2010 G-20 Toronto summit protests began one week ahead of the summit of the leaders of the G-20 on June 26 and 27
in Toronto
. Protests included demonstrations, rallies, marches, as well as a destructive riot that broke out on June 26 which caused vandalism
to several businesses in Downtown Toronto
. A reported 1118 people were arrested in relation to the protests, the largest mass arrest
in Canadian history.
branch in Ottawa
was firebombed
just before dawn on May 18, 2010. The attackers posted video on YouTube
showing a large fireball igniting inside the bank. The video then listed the manifesto
of a previously unknown group calling itself the FFFC. The message stated that the attack against the bank was because of the growing suffering of Vancouver's poor in the shadow of RBC's major sponsorship of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Paralympics
in Vancouver
and Whistler, British Columbia
and claimed these events were held "on stolen indigenous
land." In addition to social issues and aboriginal
land claims, the video claimed the actions were sparked by environmental and deforestation
related concerns surrounding the Alberta tar sands
projects in "Kanada's" prairies, in which the video claims RBC is substantially involved and which G8/G20 decisions furthered. The attackers also stated their intention to be present during the G8
and G20
summits the following month.
The projected recurrence of such acts of violence and the escalating rhetoric
of anti-summit protest plans caused the G8/G20 Integrated Security Unit
(ISU) to increase its security measures. The attacks were quickly and widely criticized by the media, politicians, and other protest groups. Three suspects were arrested on June 19, 2010; with one, Roger Clement, being convicted in December 2010 while charges against the other two were stayed for lack of evidence. Clement, a 58-year-old retired federal government employee, formerly working for the Canadian International Development Agency, eventually receiving a 3½ year prison sentence, that included 6−months for vandalism of another RBC branch in February 2010. While initial estimates of the damage, immediately following the attack, pegged the price-tag at around $300,000 and expected the bank to be closed for several weeks, at the time of Clement's trial, reports stated that the branch was closed for months with total costs of $1,600,000.
s in Downtown Toronto. Two individuals were arrested in London, Ontario
after attaching posters to public property encouraging disruption of the G-20 summit and canvassing protests.
Key groups which organized early in opposition to the summit included Canadian Labour Congress
, Council of Canadians, Greenpeace
, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
, Ontario Federation of Labour
, Oxfam
and the Toronto Community Mobilization Network.
by Oxfam Canada
, urging Canada to end fossil fuel
subsidization and take action on world poverty
. The rally also spoofed the summit's high security cost.
An anti-poverty protest occurred on June 21, causing traffic congestion. About 100 protesters marched from Allan Gardens
on Sherbourne Street and continued on Yonge Street
, Dundas Street, and Isabella Street. Police officers on bicycles and military helicopters patrolled the protest; one arrest was made. A few protesters also attempted to occupy an Esso
gas station
, claiming corporations like Esso "have caused irreparable damage all over the world." Other protester concerns were the Arab–Israeli conflict
, capitalism
, and the G8
and G-20 summits. The protest was led by a Guelph
-based group called Sense of Security, an anti-poverty group that was also supported by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
.
The following day, about 200 people from Toronto's gay community
marched through downtown attempting to raise awareness on homosexual rights. Protesters chanted, "We're queer, we're fabulous, we're against the G-20." The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
(CBC) labelled the protests as "peaceful" overall.
The first sizable G-20 protest, of about 1000 people, took place on June 24 with First Nations
groups and supporters from across Canada demanding respect for treaty rights
from the government. Demonstrations moved from Queen's Park to the Toronto Eaton Centre
along University Avenue
and Queen Street West
. Concerns of protesters were Canada's failure to sign the United Nations
' Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
and the fact that no aboriginal chiefs were invited to the summits.
Also on June 24, activist Jaggi Singh
, spokesperson for the group No One Is Illegal, suggested in a news conference that some protesters intended to attempt to breach the security fence in the coming days.
A larger protest was scheduled for June 25 in Toronto, the day the 36th G8 summit
began in Huntsville, Ontario
. Protesters attempted to enter the security zone, but were later forced to return by police officers. By evening, protesters set up a tent city at Allan Gardens and stayed overnight to resume protests the following day, the opening of the G-20 summit.
in Huntsville, Ontario
wrapped up, a large group comprising as many as 10,000 people protested downtown during the afternoon of June 26. At the protest, Jeff Atkinson, spokesperson for the Canadian Labour Congress
, said, "We don't want G20 countries to cut stimulus spending until jobs recover." Greenpeace International director Kumi Naidoo
reasoned that "if G-20 governments could spend billions of dollars to rescue banks in trouble, why not find money to help unemployed workers for the environment and for social causes." Sid Ryan of the Ontario Federation of Labour
said in a speech, "It wasn't the workers of the world that caused the financial crisis. We don't want to see a transfer of wealth from the public sector to the private sector."
According to eyewitness accounts, about 200 marchers broke away from the protest route on Queen Street and headed south on Bay Street towards the convention centre, through Financial District
. The media would describe the break-off as led by the black bloc
, with demonstrators covering their bodies and faces in black clothes. Individuals using the same black bloc tactics have been suspected of being responsible for confrontations in other international summit protests. Protesters dispersed to damage buildings and vehicles. The intent as interpreted by some media was to distract police forces from the security zone so that other protesters could break in, but police maintained their blockades, protecting the fence. Vandals smashed the windows of various office buildings and stores along Yonge Street
, Queen Street West
and College Street
using hammers, flag poles, umbrellas, chunks of pavement and mailboxes. Conflicts also erupted between purported anarchists and journalists who were recording property destruction. After a few hours, many black bloc demonstrators changed into civilian clothes and dissolved into the larger crowd as security forces began to increase in presence. Police later maintained that some protest organizers were complicit in providing cover for the vandals.
The first property reportedly damaged was a Nike
clothes store. Toronto Police Headquarters was also damaged. Media vehicles of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
and CTV Television Network
were damaged and four Toronto Police Service
cruisers were smashed and set ablaze in various locations. American corporations, such as Starbucks
, appeared to be the targets of vandalism. Other targets were Foot Locker
, Sears Canada
, McDonald's Canada
, Tim Hortons
, Urban Outfitters
, Pizza Pizza
, Subway
, Swiss Chalet
, and the Zanzibar Tavern, a local strip club whose owner had invited leaders to try G-strings instead of the G-20 summit. An American Apparel
store was damaged; the mannequin
s on display were taken out and used to further damage nearby stores. Branches of Scotiabank
, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
(CIBC), and the Toronto-Dominion Bank
(TD) were also damaged. Toronto Police Headquarters, Toronto Eaton Centre
, Sheraton Centre
, Delta Chelsea
and some buildings in Yonge-Dundas Square were put in lockdown
mode, and three people were confirmed by the Toronto EMS
to be injured during the protests. Hospitals along University Avenue
, which includes Mount Sinai, Toronto General
, Princess Margaret
, and the Hospital for Sick Children
, were put into lockdown
mode by police. Toronto Transit Commission
(TTC) bus and streetcar routes were halted in Downtown, as well as subway service between Bloor-Yonge
and St. George
stations. GO Transit
was requested by the ISU to reroute trains away from Union Station
, and used Danforth and Exhibition stations as the termini for westbound and eastbound trains respectively, but free shuttle bus service was made available to passengers from those stations. The TTC also provided free shuttle bus services. The escalating violence caused Dutch violinist André Rieu
to cancel his concert at the Air Canada Centre
at the last minute.
Sound cannons were not used during the weekend, but tear gas was used for the first time in the history of Toronto
, being deployed in a few locations by muzzle blasts. Rubber bullet
s and pepper spray
were also used against many protesters. At the end of the day, Toronto Police Service chief Bill Blair
announced that 130 people had been arrested. Several media personnel, including a Canadian reporter for The Guardian
, a CTV producer, and two photographers for the National Post
, were also arrested.
Condemnations of the violence were made by Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty
and Toronto Mayor David Miller
. In a press conference, Miller said, "All Torontonians should be outraged. They’re criminals who came to Toronto deliberately to break the law. They are not welcome in this city." Referring to damage caused by black bloc protesters downtown, he claimed that calling the attackers protesters was "not fair to the people who came to [legally] protest," and that they were in fact "criminals." In a statement, Dimitri Soudas
, spokesperson for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, proclaimed, "Free speech is a principle of our democracy, but the thugs that prompted violence earlier today represent in no way, shape or form the Canadian way of life."
temporary holding centre during the previous day's protests; police initially gave numbers ranging from 32 to 130. While those with minor charges or dropped charges were released, those with serious charges were set to appear in a courthouse located on Finch Avenue
and Weston Road
in North York
.
After closed services throughout the night, the following morning saw the resumption of regular TTC and GO Transit services, while G-20 leaders began formal discussions at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre
. Lockdowns at University Avenue
hospitals and the Toronto Eaton Centre
were also lifted. Additional officers from the Ontario Provincial Police
were deployed, doubling the total number of officers to 20,000.
Four arrests were made during the twilight of June 27 after two security guards witnessed men emerging from a manhole
on Queen Street West
. The manholes were later welded shut.
About 100 additional arrests were made during a morning raid by Toronto Police Service
at the University of Toronto
. Those arrested were said to be in possession of black clothing and "weapons of opportunity" such as bricks and sharpened stakes.
During the mid-morning, protesters marched from Jimmie Simpson Park on Queen Street East to the front of the Eastern Avenue temporary detention centre, where a "jail solidarity
" bike rally and sit-in consisting of about 150 people occurred during the afternoon, with demonstrators urging the release of those arrested the previous day. Following several arrests during the rally, protesters began a sit-in interrupted by small muzzles of pepper spray and rubber bullets fired by police. At least 224 arrests occurred by evening.
Another large group assembled at the intersection of Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue
, presumably to conduct a protest, but were immediately surrounded
by heavily armed police forces. Numerous bystander
s and media personnel were also in the crowd. Several arrests were made, including several members of the media and another CTV cameraman who was briefly held and then released; police later claimed that they had found weapons at the scene, and that they suspected the presence of more black bloc
protesters within the crowd. The blockade caused traffic diversions and the stoppage of streetcar service along Spadina Avenue. After several hours of detainment in record-breaking heavy rain, police released the remainder of the crowd during the night.
and Queen's Park to protest the treatment of arrested individuals at the Eastern Avenue
holding centre and demanded the release of individuals still being detained, although police had earlier released several arrested on minor charges. Large numbers of Toronto Police Service officers continued to patrol the demonstrations. On June 29, a group of gay activists gathered outside a community centre where Toronto Police Service chief Bill Blair
was scheduled to speak to demand his resignation for the treatment of women and homophobia within the detention centre.
A group of lawyers requested court injunctions against the Toronto Police Service
from using newly purchased Long Range Acoustic Device
s (LRAD), also known as sound cannons, during protests. Sound cannons have been used in previous summit protests and have the ability to produce sound at ear-piercing volumes, potentially causing hearing impairment
. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice
later ruled that officers can use sound cannons, with a few restrictions.
The Toronto Star
reported that the Executive Council of Ontario
had implemented a regulation under the provincial Public Works Protection Act on June 2 granting the ISU sweeping powers of arrest within a specific boundary during the summit; the rule was said to designate the security fence as a public works
and, as such, allow any police officer or guard to arrest any individual failing or refusing to provide identification within five metres of the security zone. The regulation was requested by Toronto Police Service
chief Bill Blair
and debate in the legislature was not required. Orders in Council such as this one are announced in the Ontario Gazette, but the next issue of that publication was to be published after the order expired on June 28, a week after the summit ended. The new law came to light after a York University
graduate student, who claimed to have been simply "exploring" the security zone but who did not provide identification when confronted by police, was arrested on June 24 under the regulation. He later vowed to file a lawsuit against the law once the summit ended. The Cabinet
later confirmed that the new laws were not "special powers" and that those who were believed to have been arrested under the Public Works and Protection Act were in fact arrested under the Criminal Code of Canada
. The police chief later admitted that, despite media coverage, no such five-metre rule ever existed in the law.
s not taking part in protests condemned the treatment they received from police at the Eastern Avenue
holding centre. According to testimonials given to the Toronto Star and La Presse by a few arrestees, including university students, journalists, street medic
s, teachers, tourists, photographers, and a former mayoral candidate, "[individual] rights were violated" and "police brutality [was present]." The detention centre was described as "cold" with "barely any food or water" and "no place in the cages to even sit," and "tantamount to torture." Other allegations included harassment, lack of medical care, verbal abuse, and strip searches of females by male officers. At one point, a plainclothes officer reportedly told a detainee that the federal government
had declared martial law
. Blair defended the conditions in the temporary detention centre, citing the fact that every room in the centre was under video surveillance
, and that to the best of the officers' abilities, occupants were read their rights. However, a Toronto Star commentator editorialized that "some of the elements of classic authoritarian detention were there, albeit in embryonic forms."
Amnesty International
called for an official investigation into the police tactics used during the protests. The organization alleged that police violated civil liberties and used police brutality
. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association
decried the arrests and alleged that they occurred without "reasonable grounds to believe that everyone they detained had committed a crime."
Toronto Police Service held press conferences to speak out against inappropriate actions of protesters, including displaying items alleged to have been seized from protesters. However, when confronted, Chief Blair
admitted that some of the items were unrelated to the G-20 protests.
Police officers were also reported to attack detained journalists, while forcing other journalists to leave the scene of the protests.
showed at least a dozen officers surrounding and beating Nobody, who was not armed and did not appear to resist. He suffered a broken nose and cheekbone, and was charged with assaulting police. These charges were eventually dropped, and a Special Investigations Unit
investigation was opened into the incident. This investigation was closed without any charges laid, because the SIU was unable to identify the officers. They had covered their identification badges, police witnesses all claimed to be unable to identify them, and the arresting officer had written an invalid ID number on Nobody's arrest record.
Police chief Bill Blair insisted that a "forensic examination" had proven the video was "tampered with," removing proof that Nobody was an armed, violent criminal, but soon retracted this statement admitting he had no evidence to support it. Blair's claims led to increased attention to the case, new witnesses coming forward, and a second video corroborating the first. On 30 November the SIU re-opened its investigation, obtained the co-operation of a police officer who witnessed the incident, and laid charges against Const. Andalib-Goortani. The SIU has the names of other officers involved but has not yet laid charges against them.
Blair, PM Stephen Harper and the Toronto Police have been harshly criticized over the incident, with many commentators calling for Blair to resign.
aired a documentary entitled "You Should Have Stayed at Home
". In this documentary, using video footage from a variety of sources, and interviews with some of the protesters who were arrested, Gillian Findley confronts Police Chief Blair with several of the allegations of police brutality during the G20 summit.
2010 G-20 Toronto summit
The 2010 G-20 Toronto summit was the fourth meeting of the G-20 heads of government, in discussion of the global financial system and the world economy, which took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, during June 26–27, 2010...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Protests included demonstrations, rallies, marches, as well as a destructive riot that broke out on June 26 which caused vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
to several businesses in Downtown Toronto
Downtown Toronto
Downtown Toronto is the central business district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately bounded by Bloor Street to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don River to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west...
. A reported 1118 people were arrested in relation to the protests, the largest mass arrest
Mass arrest
A mass arrest occurs when the police apprehend large numbers of suspects at once. This sometimes occurs at illegal protests. Some mass arrests are also used in an effort combat gang activity. This is sometimes controversial, and lawsuits sometimes result...
in Canadian history.
Ottawa firebombing
A Royal Bank of CanadaRoyal Bank of Canada
The Royal Bank of Canada or RBC Financial Group is the largest financial institution in Canada, as measured by deposits, revenues, and market capitalization. The bank serves seventeen million clients and has 80,100 employees worldwide. The company corporate headquarters are located in Toronto,...
branch in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
was firebombed
Firebombing
Firebombing is a bombing technique designed to damage a target, generally an urban area, through the use of fire, caused by incendiary devices, rather than from the blast effect of large bombs....
just before dawn on May 18, 2010. The attackers posted video on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
showing a large fireball igniting inside the bank. The video then listed the manifesto
Manifesto
A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related.-Etymology:...
of a previously unknown group calling itself the FFFC. The message stated that the attack against the bank was because of the growing suffering of Vancouver's poor in the shadow of RBC's major sponsorship of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Paralympics
2010 Winter Paralympics
The 2010 Winter Paralympics, officially the X Paralympic Winter Games, or the 10th Winter Paralympics, were held in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, Canada from March 12 to 21, 2010. The Opening Ceremony took place in BC Place Stadium in Vancouver and the Closing Ceremony in Whistler...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
and claimed these events were held "on stolen indigenous
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
land." In addition to social issues and aboriginal
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
land claims, the video claimed the actions were sparked by environmental and deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
related concerns surrounding the Alberta tar sands
Athabasca Oil Sands
The Athabasca oil sands are large deposits of bitumen, or extremely heavy crude oil, located in northeastern Alberta, Canada - roughly centred on the boomtown of Fort McMurray...
projects in "Kanada's" prairies, in which the video claims RBC is substantially involved and which G8/G20 decisions furthered. The attackers also stated their intention to be present during the G8
36th G8 summit
The 36th G8 summit was held in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada, from June 25 to June 26, 2010. In this year's meeting, the G8 leaders agreed in reaffirming the group's essential and continuing role in international affairs...
and G20
2010 G-20 Toronto summit
The 2010 G-20 Toronto summit was the fourth meeting of the G-20 heads of government, in discussion of the global financial system and the world economy, which took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, during June 26–27, 2010...
summits the following month.
The projected recurrence of such acts of violence and the escalating rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
of anti-summit protest plans caused the G8/G20 Integrated Security Unit
Integrated Security Unit
Integrated Security Unit is a joint-services infrastructure security unit created to secure major events in Canada. This administrative and operational entity was first created by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 2003....
(ISU) to increase its security measures. The attacks were quickly and widely criticized by the media, politicians, and other protest groups. Three suspects were arrested on June 19, 2010; with one, Roger Clement, being convicted in December 2010 while charges against the other two were stayed for lack of evidence. Clement, a 58-year-old retired federal government employee, formerly working for the Canadian International Development Agency, eventually receiving a 3½ year prison sentence, that included 6−months for vandalism of another RBC branch in February 2010. While initial estimates of the damage, immediately following the attack, pegged the price-tag at around $300,000 and expected the bank to be closed for several weeks, at the time of Clement's trial, reports stated that the branch was closed for months with total costs of $1,600,000.
Early opposition
An individual was arrested for vandalism on May 28, after being caught spray-painting anti–G-20 slogans on windows and automated teller machineAutomated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
s in Downtown Toronto. Two individuals were arrested in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
after attaching posters to public property encouraging disruption of the G-20 summit and canvassing protests.
Key groups which organized early in opposition to the summit included Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
, Council of Canadians, Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty is an anti-poverty group in Ontario, Canada, who promote the interests of the poor and homeless...
, Ontario Federation of Labour
Ontario Federation of Labour
The Ontario Federation of Labour is a prominent federation of labour unions in the Canadian province of Ontario. The original OFL was established by the Canadian Congress of Labour in 1944...
, Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
and the Toronto Community Mobilization Network.
Week prior to summit
A small rally was conducted on June 17 in the Financial DistrictFinancial District, Toronto
The Financial District is a business district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, within the downtown core. It was originally planned as New Town in 1796 as an extension of the Town of York . It is the main financial district in Toronto, and is the financial heart of Canada...
by Oxfam Canada
Oxfam Canada
Oxfam Canada, founded in 1963, is an international development agency based in Canada, and is a registered charity . It has offices throughout Canada and works with partner organizations in Africa, Asia and the Americas...
, urging Canada to end fossil fuel
Fossil fuel
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
subsidization and take action on world poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
. The rally also spoofed the summit's high security cost.
An anti-poverty protest occurred on June 21, causing traffic congestion. About 100 protesters marched from Allan Gardens
Allan Gardens
Allan Gardens is one of the oldest parks in Toronto, Canada. It has a conservatory , a playground and two fenced off-leash areas for dogs. It is operated by Toronto Parks who also run Centennial Park Conservatory...
on Sherbourne Street and continued on Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
, Dundas Street, and Isabella Street. Police officers on bicycles and military helicopters patrolled the protest; one arrest was made. A few protesters also attempted to occupy an Esso
Esso
Esso is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies. Pronounced , it is derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil, and as such became the focus of much litigation and regulatory restriction in the United States. In 1972, it was largely replaced in the U.S. by...
gas station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
, claiming corporations like Esso "have caused irreparable damage all over the world." Other protester concerns were the Arab–Israeli conflict
Arab–Israeli conflict
The Arab–Israeli conflict refers to political tensions and open hostilities between the Arab peoples and the Jewish community of the Middle East. The modern Arab-Israeli conflict began with the rise of Zionism and Arab Nationalism towards the end of the nineteenth century, and intensified with the...
, capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, and the G8
36th G8 summit
The 36th G8 summit was held in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada, from June 25 to June 26, 2010. In this year's meeting, the G8 leaders agreed in reaffirming the group's essential and continuing role in international affairs...
and G-20 summits. The protest was led by a Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
-based group called Sense of Security, an anti-poverty group that was also supported by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty is an anti-poverty group in Ontario, Canada, who promote the interests of the poor and homeless...
.
The following day, about 200 people from Toronto's gay community
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
marched through downtown attempting to raise awareness on homosexual rights. Protesters chanted, "We're queer, we're fabulous, we're against the G-20." The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
(CBC) labelled the protests as "peaceful" overall.
The first sizable G-20 protest, of about 1000 people, took place on June 24 with First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
groups and supporters from across Canada demanding respect for treaty rights
Treaty rights
Treaty rights are certain rights that were reserved by Indian tribes when they signed treaties with the United States government. By signing treaties, tribes traded vast amounts of their land and resources in exchange for reserved areas of land and things like protection , health care, education,...
from the government. Demonstrations moved from Queen's Park to the Toronto Eaton Centre
Toronto Eaton Centre
The Toronto Eaton Centre is a large shopping mall and office complex in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, named after the now-defunct Eaton's department store chain that once anchored it. In terms of the number of visitors, the shopping mall is Toronto's top tourist attraction, with around one...
along University Avenue
University Avenue (Toronto)
University Avenue is a major north-south road in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. At its north end, University Avenue is the site of the Ontario Legislative Building. The eight-lane wide street is the location for several hospitals, numerous office buildings, Osgoode Hall and the Four Seasons...
and Queen Street West
Queen Street West
Queen Street West describes both the western branch of Queen Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, and a series of neighbourhoods or commercial districts, situated west of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Queen Street begins in the west at the intersection of King Street, The...
. Concerns of protesters were Canada's failure to sign the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
' Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly during its 62nd session at UN Headquarters in New York City on 13 September 2007....
and the fact that no aboriginal chiefs were invited to the summits.
Also on June 24, activist Jaggi Singh
Jaggi Singh
Jaggi Singh is one of Canada's most high-profile anti-globalization and social justice activists. He is an anarchist. Singh lives in Montreal where he works with groups such as Solidarity Across Borders and the No One Is Illegal collective, among others. Singh graduated from St...
, spokesperson for the group No One Is Illegal, suggested in a news conference that some protesters intended to attempt to breach the security fence in the coming days.
A larger protest was scheduled for June 25 in Toronto, the day the 36th G8 summit
36th G8 summit
The 36th G8 summit was held in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada, from June 25 to June 26, 2010. In this year's meeting, the G8 leaders agreed in reaffirming the group's essential and continuing role in international affairs...
began in Huntsville, Ontario
Huntsville, Ontario
Huntsville is a town in the Muskoka Region of Ontario, Canada. It is located north of Toronto and south of North Bay....
. Protesters attempted to enter the security zone, but were later forced to return by police officers. By evening, protesters set up a tent city at Allan Gardens and stayed overnight to resume protests the following day, the opening of the G-20 summit.
June 26: Riots and vandalism
As the G-20 leaders arrived in Toronto after the 36th G8 summit36th G8 summit
The 36th G8 summit was held in Huntsville, Ontario, Canada, from June 25 to June 26, 2010. In this year's meeting, the G8 leaders agreed in reaffirming the group's essential and continuing role in international affairs...
in Huntsville, Ontario
Huntsville, Ontario
Huntsville is a town in the Muskoka Region of Ontario, Canada. It is located north of Toronto and south of North Bay....
wrapped up, a large group comprising as many as 10,000 people protested downtown during the afternoon of June 26. At the protest, Jeff Atkinson, spokesperson for the Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
, said, "We don't want G20 countries to cut stimulus spending until jobs recover." Greenpeace International director Kumi Naidoo
Kumi Naidoo
Kumi Naidoo, born 1965, is a South African human rights activist and the International Executive Director of international environmentalist group, Greenpeace. He is the first African to head the organisation....
reasoned that "if G-20 governments could spend billions of dollars to rescue banks in trouble, why not find money to help unemployed workers for the environment and for social causes." Sid Ryan of the Ontario Federation of Labour
Ontario Federation of Labour
The Ontario Federation of Labour is a prominent federation of labour unions in the Canadian province of Ontario. The original OFL was established by the Canadian Congress of Labour in 1944...
said in a speech, "It wasn't the workers of the world that caused the financial crisis. We don't want to see a transfer of wealth from the public sector to the private sector."
According to eyewitness accounts, about 200 marchers broke away from the protest route on Queen Street and headed south on Bay Street towards the convention centre, through Financial District
Financial District, Toronto
The Financial District is a business district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, within the downtown core. It was originally planned as New Town in 1796 as an extension of the Town of York . It is the main financial district in Toronto, and is the financial heart of Canada...
. The media would describe the break-off as led by the black bloc
Black bloc
A black bloc is a tactic for protests and marches, whereby individuals wear black clothing, scarves, ski masks, motorcycle helmets with padding, or other face-concealing items...
, with demonstrators covering their bodies and faces in black clothes. Individuals using the same black bloc tactics have been suspected of being responsible for confrontations in other international summit protests. Protesters dispersed to damage buildings and vehicles. The intent as interpreted by some media was to distract police forces from the security zone so that other protesters could break in, but police maintained their blockades, protecting the fence. Vandals smashed the windows of various office buildings and stores along Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
, Queen Street West
Queen Street West
Queen Street West describes both the western branch of Queen Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, and a series of neighbourhoods or commercial districts, situated west of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Queen Street begins in the west at the intersection of King Street, The...
and College Street
College Street (Toronto)
College Street is a principal arterial thoroughfare in downtown Toronto, connecting former streetcar suburbs in the west with the city centre. The street is home to an ethnically diverse population in the western residential reaches, and institutions like the Ontario Legislature and the University...
using hammers, flag poles, umbrellas, chunks of pavement and mailboxes. Conflicts also erupted between purported anarchists and journalists who were recording property destruction. After a few hours, many black bloc demonstrators changed into civilian clothes and dissolved into the larger crowd as security forces began to increase in presence. Police later maintained that some protest organizers were complicit in providing cover for the vandals.
The first property reportedly damaged was a Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
clothes store. Toronto Police Headquarters was also damaged. Media vehicles of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
and CTV Television Network
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
were damaged and four Toronto Police Service
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
cruisers were smashed and set ablaze in various locations. American corporations, such as Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
, appeared to be the targets of vandalism. Other targets were Foot Locker
Foot Locker
Foot Locker, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in approximately 20 countries worldwide. Formerly known as Venator Group, Inc., it is the successor corporation to the F.W. Woolworth Company , and many of...
, Sears Canada
Sears Canada
Sears Canada Inc. is a retailer, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, that operates in all provinces and territories across Canada with a network of 196 corporate stores, 195 dealer stores, 38 home improvement showrooms, 108 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and...
, McDonald's Canada
McDonald's Canada
McDonald's Restaurants of Canada, Ltd. is the Canadian branch of the popular fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's. One of Canada's largest fast-food restaurant chains, the franchise sells food items including hamburgers, chicken, french fries and soft drinks all across the country...
, Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons Inc. is a Canadian fast casual restaurant known for its coffee and doughnuts. It is also Canada's largest fast food service with over 3000 stores nationwide. It was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, by Canadian hockey player Tim Horton and Jim Charade, after an initial venture in...
, Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters, Inc. is a publicly traded American company that owns and operates five retail brands: Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain, and BHLDN....
, Pizza Pizza
Pizza Pizza
Pizza Pizza is a Canadian franchise of pizza restaurants mainly located in the province of Ontario. Other locations operate in Quebec, Nova Scotia, in western Canada , and in non-traditional locations such as university campuses and movie theatres throughout Canada...
, Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
, Swiss Chalet
Swiss Chalet
Swiss Chalet is a Canadian chain of casual dining restaurants founded in 1954 in Toronto. As of 2008, there are over 200 Swiss Chalet restaurants in Canada and the United States. Swiss Chalet is among the holdings of Cara Operations, which also owns the fast food chain Harvey's. Swiss Chalet and...
, and the Zanzibar Tavern, a local strip club whose owner had invited leaders to try G-strings instead of the G-20 summit. An American Apparel
American Apparel
American Apparel is a clothing manufacturer in the United States. It is a vertically integrated clothing manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer that also performs its own design, advertising, and marketing...
store was damaged; the mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
s on display were taken out and used to further damage nearby stores. Branches of Scotiabank
Scotiabank
The Bank of Nova Scotia , commonly known as Scotiabank , is the third largest bank in Canada by deposits and market capitalization. It serves some 18.6 million customers in more than 50 countries around the world and offers a broad range of products and services including personal, commercial,...
, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is one of Canada's chartered banks, fifth largest by deposits. The bank is headquartered at Commerce Court in Toronto, Ontario. CIBC's Institution Number is 010, and its SWIFT code is CIBCCATT....
(CIBC), and the Toronto-Dominion Bank
Toronto-Dominion Bank
The Toronto-Dominion Bank , is the second-largest bank in Canada by market capitalization and based on assets. It is also the sixth largest bank in North America. Commonly known as TD and operating as TD Bank Group, the bank was created in 1955 through the merger of the Bank of Toronto and the...
(TD) were also damaged. Toronto Police Headquarters, Toronto Eaton Centre
Toronto Eaton Centre
The Toronto Eaton Centre is a large shopping mall and office complex in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, named after the now-defunct Eaton's department store chain that once anchored it. In terms of the number of visitors, the shopping mall is Toronto's top tourist attraction, with around one...
, Sheraton Centre
Sheraton Centre (Toronto)
The Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel is the 33rd-tallest building in Toronto, and is the tallest all-hotel building in Toronto. When it opened in 1972 it was the second largest hotel in Toronto with 1,450 rooms, behind only the Royal York Hotel...
, Delta Chelsea
Delta Chelsea
The Delta Chelsea is the largest hotel in Canada, located in Toronto, Ontario. Located at 33 Gerrard Street West and part of the Delta Hotels chain, it offers 1,591 guest rooms and suites. Originally planned as a residential condominium building, the original single-tower structure was sold to...
and some buildings in Yonge-Dundas Square were put in lockdown
Lockdown
There are several definitions for the term lockdown, the most common of which pertains to a state of containment or a restriction of progression....
mode, and three people were confirmed by the Toronto EMS
Toronto EMS
Toronto Emergency Medical Services is the statutory Emergency medical services provider for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The service is operated directly as a branch of the municipal government as an independent, third-service option provider, which means that the service is funded by...
to be injured during the protests. Hospitals along University Avenue
University Avenue (Toronto)
University Avenue is a major north-south road in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. At its north end, University Avenue is the site of the Ontario Legislative Building. The eight-lane wide street is the location for several hospitals, numerous office buildings, Osgoode Hall and the Four Seasons...
, which includes Mount Sinai, Toronto General
Toronto General Hospital
The Toronto General Hospital , is a part of the University Health Network, and a major teaching hospital in downtown Toronto, Ontario. It is located in the Discovery District, directly north of the Hospital for Sick Children, across Gerrard Street West, and east of Princess Margaret Hospital and...
, Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret Hospital (Toronto)
Princess Margaret Hospital is located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada on University Avenue at College Street. It is part of the University Health Network...
, and the Hospital for Sick Children
Hospital for Sick Children
The Hospital for Sick Children – is a major paediatric centre for the Greater Toronto Area, serving patients up to age 18. Located on University Avenue in Downtown Toronto, SickKids is part of the city’s Discovery District, a critical mass of scientists and entrepreneurs who are focused on...
, were put into lockdown
Lockdown
There are several definitions for the term lockdown, the most common of which pertains to a state of containment or a restriction of progression....
mode by police. Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
(TTC) bus and streetcar routes were halted in Downtown, as well as subway service between Bloor-Yonge
Bloor-Yonge (TTC)
Bloor-Yonge is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina and the Bloor–Danforth subway lines operated by the Toronto Transit Commission in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at 733 Yonge Street at Bloor Street West/East...
and St. George
St. George (TTC)
St. George is a station on the Yonge-University-Spadina and Bloor-Danforth lines of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at 323 Bloor Street West at St. George Street. This is the second busiest station, after Bloor-Yonge Station, serving a combined total of approximately ...
stations. GO Transit
GO Transit
GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
was requested by the ISU to reroute trains away from Union Station
Union Station (Toronto)
Union Station is the major inter-city rail station and a major commuter rail hub in Toronto, located on Front Street West and occupying the south side of the block bounded by Bay Street and York Street in the central business district. The station building is owned by the City of Toronto, while the...
, and used Danforth and Exhibition stations as the termini for westbound and eastbound trains respectively, but free shuttle bus service was made available to passengers from those stations. The TTC also provided free shuttle bus services. The escalating violence caused Dutch violinist André Rieu
André Rieu
André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu is a Dutch violinist, conductor, and composer best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra.- Early life and studies :...
to cancel his concert at the Air Canada Centre
Air Canada Centre
The Air Canada Centre is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The arena is popularly known as the ACC or the Hangar ....
at the last minute.
Sound cannons were not used during the weekend, but tear gas was used for the first time in the history of Toronto
History of Toronto
The Toronto area was home to a number of First Nations groups who lived on the shore of Lake Ontario. At various times, the Neutral, Seneca, Mohawk and Cayuga nations were living in the vicinity of Toronto. The first permanent European presence was the French trading fort Fort Rouillé, which was...
, being deployed in a few locations by muzzle blasts. Rubber bullet
Rubber bullet
Rubber bullets are rubber or rubber-coated projectiles that can be fired from either standard firearms or dedicated riot guns. They are intended to be a non-lethal alternative to metal projectiles...
s and pepper spray
Pepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
were also used against many protesters. At the end of the day, Toronto Police Service chief Bill Blair
Bill Blair (police chief)
William Sterling "Bill" Blair, is the police chief of Toronto, Ontario. He was selected in a 4–2 vote of the Toronto Police Services Board in early April 2005, and formally appointed Chief of the Toronto Police Service on April 26, 2005. He succeeded Mike Boyd, who had served as interim chief...
announced that 130 people had been arrested. Several media personnel, including a Canadian reporter for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, a CTV producer, and two photographers for the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
, were also arrested.
Condemnations of the violence were made by Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
and Toronto Mayor David Miller
David Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
. In a press conference, Miller said, "All Torontonians should be outraged. They’re criminals who came to Toronto deliberately to break the law. They are not welcome in this city." Referring to damage caused by black bloc protesters downtown, he claimed that calling the attackers protesters was "not fair to the people who came to [legally] protest," and that they were in fact "criminals." In a statement, Dimitri Soudas
Dimitri Soudas
Dimitri Soudas is the outgoing director of communications in the Canadian Prime Minister's Office. In addition to his media responsibilities, Soudas is a key advisor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Quebec issues....
, spokesperson for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, proclaimed, "Free speech is a principle of our democracy, but the thugs that prompted violence earlier today represent in no way, shape or form the Canadian way of life."
June 27: Police brutality protests
Approximately 480 arrestees were taken to the Eastern AvenueEastern Avenue (Toronto)
Eastern Avenue is an east-west street in Toronto, Canada. It runs from just east of Parliament Street in the downtown to just west of Coxwell Avenue, near the Beaches neighbourhood. Originally Eastern crossed the Don River at the Old Eastern Avenue Bridge, but that bridge was disconnected in 1964...
temporary holding centre during the previous day's protests; police initially gave numbers ranging from 32 to 130. While those with minor charges or dropped charges were released, those with serious charges were set to appear in a courthouse located on Finch Avenue
Finch Avenue
Finch Avenue is an arterial thoroughfare and concession road which travels east–west through the city of Toronto. The road also has short extensions into Peel and Durham Regions as Peel Regional Road 2 and Durham Regional Road 37.-History:...
and Weston Road
Weston Road
Weston Road is a north-south street in west end Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The route is named for the former Village of Weston, which was located near Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue West....
in North York
North York, Ontario
North York is a dissolved municipality within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the central part of the northern section of Toronto. As of the 2006 Census, it has a population of 635,370. The official 2001 census count was 608,288...
.
After closed services throughout the night, the following morning saw the resumption of regular TTC and GO Transit services, while G-20 leaders began formal discussions at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Metro Toronto Convention Centre , located in Downtown Toronto, Ontario at 255 Front Street West, has of space. The convention centre was completed in October 1984 and is home to the 1330-seat John Bassett Theatre...
. Lockdowns at University Avenue
University Avenue (Toronto)
University Avenue is a major north-south road in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. At its north end, University Avenue is the site of the Ontario Legislative Building. The eight-lane wide street is the location for several hospitals, numerous office buildings, Osgoode Hall and the Four Seasons...
hospitals and the Toronto Eaton Centre
Toronto Eaton Centre
The Toronto Eaton Centre is a large shopping mall and office complex in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, named after the now-defunct Eaton's department store chain that once anchored it. In terms of the number of visitors, the shopping mall is Toronto's top tourist attraction, with around one...
were also lifted. Additional officers from the Ontario Provincial Police
Ontario Provincial Police
The Ontario Provincial Police is the Provincial Police service for the province of Ontario, Canada.-Overview:The OPP is the the largest deployed police force in Ontario, and the second largest in Canada. The service is responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas...
were deployed, doubling the total number of officers to 20,000.
Four arrests were made during the twilight of June 27 after two security guards witnessed men emerging from a manhole
Manhole
A manhole is an opening used to gain access to sewers or other underground structures, usually for maintenance.Manhole may also refer to:* Manhole , a metal band from Los Angeles* The Manhole, a computer game...
on Queen Street West
Queen Street West
Queen Street West describes both the western branch of Queen Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, and a series of neighbourhoods or commercial districts, situated west of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Queen Street begins in the west at the intersection of King Street, The...
. The manholes were later welded shut.
About 100 additional arrests were made during a morning raid by Toronto Police Service
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. Those arrested were said to be in possession of black clothing and "weapons of opportunity" such as bricks and sharpened stakes.
During the mid-morning, protesters marched from Jimmie Simpson Park on Queen Street East to the front of the Eastern Avenue temporary detention centre, where a "jail solidarity
Jail solidarity
Jail solidarity is unity of purpose of those incarcerated or imprisoned. In some mass arrest situations, the activists decide to use solidarity tactics to secure the same plea bargain for everyone...
" bike rally and sit-in consisting of about 150 people occurred during the afternoon, with demonstrators urging the release of those arrested the previous day. Following several arrests during the rally, protesters began a sit-in interrupted by small muzzles of pepper spray and rubber bullets fired by police. At least 224 arrests occurred by evening.
Another large group assembled at the intersection of Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue
Spadina Avenue
Spadina Avenue is one of the most prominent streets in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Running through the western section of downtown, the road has a very different character in different neighbourhoods....
, presumably to conduct a protest, but were immediately surrounded
Kettling
Kettling is a police tactic for controlling large crowds during demonstrations or protests. It involves the formation of large cordons of police officers who then move to contain a crowd within a limited area. Protesters are left only one choice of exit, determined by the police, or are completely...
by heavily armed police forces. Numerous bystander
Bystander
A bystander a person who, although present at some event, does not take part in it; an observer or spectator.*Bystander effect, a social psychological phenomenon wherein individuals do not offer help in an emergency situation when other people are present...
s and media personnel were also in the crowd. Several arrests were made, including several members of the media and another CTV cameraman who was briefly held and then released; police later claimed that they had found weapons at the scene, and that they suspected the presence of more black bloc
Black bloc
A black bloc is a tactic for protests and marches, whereby individuals wear black clothing, scarves, ski masks, motorcycle helmets with padding, or other face-concealing items...
protesters within the crowd. The blockade caused traffic diversions and the stoppage of streetcar service along Spadina Avenue. After several hours of detainment in record-breaking heavy rain, police released the remainder of the crowd during the night.
Post-summit protests
A total of 1118 people were arrested in relation to the G-20 summit protests, the largest mass arrests in Canadian history. Smaller-scale, non-violent protests took place the following day, June 28, during the afternoon and evening. Nearly 1000 protesters marched to Toronto City HallToronto City Hall
The City Hall of Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the home of the city's municipal government and one of its most distinctive landmarks. Designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell and landscape architect Richard Strong, and engineered by Hannskarl Bandel, the building opened in 1965...
and Queen's Park to protest the treatment of arrested individuals at the Eastern Avenue
Eastern Avenue (Toronto)
Eastern Avenue is an east-west street in Toronto, Canada. It runs from just east of Parliament Street in the downtown to just west of Coxwell Avenue, near the Beaches neighbourhood. Originally Eastern crossed the Don River at the Old Eastern Avenue Bridge, but that bridge was disconnected in 1964...
holding centre and demanded the release of individuals still being detained, although police had earlier released several arrested on minor charges. Large numbers of Toronto Police Service officers continued to patrol the demonstrations. On June 29, a group of gay activists gathered outside a community centre where Toronto Police Service chief Bill Blair
Bill Blair (police chief)
William Sterling "Bill" Blair, is the police chief of Toronto, Ontario. He was selected in a 4–2 vote of the Toronto Police Services Board in early April 2005, and formally appointed Chief of the Toronto Police Service on April 26, 2005. He succeeded Mike Boyd, who had served as interim chief...
was scheduled to speak to demand his resignation for the treatment of women and homophobia within the detention centre.
Criticism of policing
On December 7, 2010, Andre Martin, Ontario Ombudsman, issued a report called Caught in the Act, an investigation into the legality of the Ontario Public Works Protection Act, and, more specifically Regulation 233/10, in Martin's words, "...known as the secret security regulation, a little known and widely misunderstood legal measure that was supposed to help the police keep the peace, but in my view wound up contributing to massive violations of civil rights."A group of lawyers requested court injunctions against the Toronto Police Service
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
from using newly purchased Long Range Acoustic Device
Long range acoustic device
The Long Range Acoustic Device is a distance hailing device and non-lethal crowd control weapon developed by LRAD Corporation to send messages, warnings, and harmful, pain inducing tones over longer distances than normal loudspeakers....
s (LRAD), also known as sound cannons, during protests. Sound cannons have been used in previous summit protests and have the ability to produce sound at ear-piercing volumes, potentially causing hearing impairment
Hearing impairment
-Definition:Deafness is the inability for the ear to interpret certain or all frequencies of sound.-Environmental Situations:Deafness can be caused by environmental situations such as noise, trauma, or other ear defections...
. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Ontario Superior Court of Justice
The Superior Court of Justice is the superior court of general jurisdiction for the Province of Ontario, Canada. It is the successor to the former Ontario Court of Justice , and was created on April 19, 1999...
later ruled that officers can use sound cannons, with a few restrictions.
The Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
reported that the Executive Council of Ontario
Executive Council of Ontario
The Executive Council of Ontario plays an important role in theGovernment of Ontario, in accordance with the Westminster system....
had implemented a regulation under the provincial Public Works Protection Act on June 2 granting the ISU sweeping powers of arrest within a specific boundary during the summit; the rule was said to designate the security fence as a public works
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
and, as such, allow any police officer or guard to arrest any individual failing or refusing to provide identification within five metres of the security zone. The regulation was requested by Toronto Police Service
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
chief Bill Blair
Bill Blair (police chief)
William Sterling "Bill" Blair, is the police chief of Toronto, Ontario. He was selected in a 4–2 vote of the Toronto Police Services Board in early April 2005, and formally appointed Chief of the Toronto Police Service on April 26, 2005. He succeeded Mike Boyd, who had served as interim chief...
and debate in the legislature was not required. Orders in Council such as this one are announced in the Ontario Gazette, but the next issue of that publication was to be published after the order expired on June 28, a week after the summit ended. The new law came to light after a York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
graduate student, who claimed to have been simply "exploring" the security zone but who did not provide identification when confronted by police, was arrested on June 24 under the regulation. He later vowed to file a lawsuit against the law once the summit ended. The Cabinet
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
later confirmed that the new laws were not "special powers" and that those who were believed to have been arrested under the Public Works and Protection Act were in fact arrested under the Criminal Code of Canada
Criminal Code of Canada
The Criminal Code or Code criminel is a law that codifies most criminal offences and procedures in Canada. Its official long title is "An Act respecting the criminal law"...
. The police chief later admitted that, despite media coverage, no such five-metre rule ever existed in the law.
Human rights investigations
Individuals arrested during the protests who claimed to be bystanderBystander
A bystander a person who, although present at some event, does not take part in it; an observer or spectator.*Bystander effect, a social psychological phenomenon wherein individuals do not offer help in an emergency situation when other people are present...
s not taking part in protests condemned the treatment they received from police at the Eastern Avenue
Eastern Avenue (Toronto)
Eastern Avenue is an east-west street in Toronto, Canada. It runs from just east of Parliament Street in the downtown to just west of Coxwell Avenue, near the Beaches neighbourhood. Originally Eastern crossed the Don River at the Old Eastern Avenue Bridge, but that bridge was disconnected in 1964...
holding centre. According to testimonials given to the Toronto Star and La Presse by a few arrestees, including university students, journalists, street medic
Street medic
Street medics, or action medics, are volunteers with varying degrees of medical training who attend protests and demonstrations to provide medical care such as first aid. Unlike regular emergency medical technicians, who serve with more established institutions, street medics usually operate in a...
s, teachers, tourists, photographers, and a former mayoral candidate, "[individual] rights were violated" and "police brutality [was present]." The detention centre was described as "cold" with "barely any food or water" and "no place in the cages to even sit," and "tantamount to torture." Other allegations included harassment, lack of medical care, verbal abuse, and strip searches of females by male officers. At one point, a plainclothes officer reportedly told a detainee that the federal government
Premiership of Stephen Harper
The premiership of Stephen Harper began on 6 February 2006 when Stephen Harper and his first cabinet were sworn in by Governor General Michaelle Jean...
had declared martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
. Blair defended the conditions in the temporary detention centre, citing the fact that every room in the centre was under video surveillance
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
, and that to the best of the officers' abilities, occupants were read their rights. However, a Toronto Star commentator editorialized that "some of the elements of classic authoritarian detention were there, albeit in embryonic forms."
Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
called for an official investigation into the police tactics used during the protests. The organization alleged that police violated civil liberties and used police brutality
Police brutality
Police brutality is the intentional use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially also in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation, by a police officer....
. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Canadian Civil Liberties Association
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association or CCLA, is Canada's leading national organization devoted to the defence of civil liberties and constitutional rights, both inside and outside the courts. The organization's work focuses on constitutional litigation, law reform, advocating on civil...
decried the arrests and alleged that they occurred without "reasonable grounds to believe that everyone they detained had committed a crime."
Toronto Police Service held press conferences to speak out against inappropriate actions of protesters, including displaying items alleged to have been seized from protesters. However, when confronted, Chief Blair
Bill Blair (police chief)
William Sterling "Bill" Blair, is the police chief of Toronto, Ontario. He was selected in a 4–2 vote of the Toronto Police Services Board in early April 2005, and formally appointed Chief of the Toronto Police Service on April 26, 2005. He succeeded Mike Boyd, who had served as interim chief...
admitted that some of the items were unrelated to the G-20 protests.
Police officers were also reported to attack detained journalists, while forcing other journalists to leave the scene of the protests.
Adam Nobody
Protestor Adam Nobody, 27, was arrested in Queen's Park on 26 June. Amateur video uploaded to YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
showed at least a dozen officers surrounding and beating Nobody, who was not armed and did not appear to resist. He suffered a broken nose and cheekbone, and was charged with assaulting police. These charges were eventually dropped, and a Special Investigations Unit
Special Investigations Unit
The Special Investigations Unit of Ontario, Canada, is a civilian agency responsible for investigating circumstances involving police and civilians that have resulted in a death, serious injury, or allegations of sexual assault. However all full-time SIU investigators are former law enforcement...
investigation was opened into the incident. This investigation was closed without any charges laid, because the SIU was unable to identify the officers. They had covered their identification badges, police witnesses all claimed to be unable to identify them, and the arresting officer had written an invalid ID number on Nobody's arrest record.
Police chief Bill Blair insisted that a "forensic examination" had proven the video was "tampered with," removing proof that Nobody was an armed, violent criminal, but soon retracted this statement admitting he had no evidence to support it. Blair's claims led to increased attention to the case, new witnesses coming forward, and a second video corroborating the first. On 30 November the SIU re-opened its investigation, obtained the co-operation of a police officer who witnessed the incident, and laid charges against Const. Andalib-Goortani. The SIU has the names of other officers involved but has not yet laid charges against them.
Blair, PM Stephen Harper and the Toronto Police have been harshly criticized over the incident, with many commentators calling for Blair to resign.
CBC documentary
In February 2011, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's investigative journalism show The Fifth EstateThe fifth estate
the fifth estate is a Canadian television newsmagazine, which airs on the English language CBC Television network. The name is a play on the fact that the media are sometimes referred to as the Fourth Estate, and was chosen to highlight the program's determination to go beyond everyday news into...
aired a documentary entitled "You Should Have Stayed at Home
You Should Have Stayed at Home
You Should Have Stayed at Home is a 2011 documentary about the police reaction to the Toronto G20 Protests produced by the CBC Television's investigative journalism show The Fifth Estate....
". In this documentary, using video footage from a variety of sources, and interviews with some of the protesters who were arrested, Gillian Findley confronts Police Chief Blair with several of the allegations of police brutality during the G20 summit.
See also
- 2010 G-20 Toronto summit preparations2010 G-20 Toronto summit preparations2010 G-20 Toronto summit preparations had already begun in advance of the announcement of the meeting venue. Preparations for the important topics to be discussed at the summit evolve in tandem with practical planning for the meeting as a venue and as an event....
- 2009 G-20 London summit protests2009 G-20 London summit protestsThe 2009 G-20 London summit protests occurred in the days around the G-20 summit on 2 April 2009, which was the focus of protests from a number of groups over various long-standing and topical issues...