You Should Have Stayed at Home
Encyclopedia
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
.
This documentary depicts several issues regarding the police response to the protest and treatment of the protesters, focusing notably on:
Showcasing videos from several of the protesters and bystanders, along with interviews of some of the demonstrators and Police Chief Bill Blair, this documentary makes a good case against the unwarranted police brutality during the G20 summit. The documentary raises questions about the place civil protest, which in the past has led to racial and sexual equality amongst others, now holds in our society; the pressure to abandon such endeavors and that, overall, demonstrators "should stay at home". Thankfully, with the proliferation of personal video cameras, from minicams to cell phones, there is a good video record showing the actual circumstances of the police response to the protests. Though there is no doubt that there was indeed rioting going on Saturday June 26, which was to be expected as in the margin of any otherwise peaceful protest during such events, the brutality of the police response in Toronto is indicative of a would-be police state practicing and testing the boundaries of increased repression under the justification of a few rioters, who on occasion have proved to be, as in past demonstrations, covert members of law enforcement known as Agent Provocateur
.
This documentary also makes the case that, eight months after the events, the various investigations into the reported complaints of police brutality are still ongoing, despite the readily available video evidence. Police Chief Blair attempts throughout this interview to reinforce the impression that all the facts are not in and it is, despite all the videographic evidence, too early to judge on these events, but that if wrongdoing was indeed the case on the part of the police, then it will be duly prosecuted. It raises the issue that, as much as the rioters were masked, the police committing these brutal acts are in most cases unrecognizable, as they wear helmets, are all identically dressed and wear no badges or any identification marks or codes of any kind; Though this level of anonymity is to be expected from lawbreaking rioters, on the part of the police force it is in fact a blank check for some officers to exercise excessive brutality without any chances of reprimand.
2010 G-20 Toronto summit protests
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...
produced by the CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
's investigative journalism show The Fifth Estate
The 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...
.
This documentary depicts several issues regarding the police response to the protest and treatment of the protesters, focusing notably on:
- The brutal Queens Park dispersion: As a result of rioting taking place several blocks away on Saturday, the Police forces violently dispersed all the peaceful protesters amassed in Queens park, which was the rally point for protested groups during the Summit.
- The Novotel arrests: Peaceful protesters were cornered by police on the Evening of Saturday June 26, and summarily arrested even though videos show there was no evidence of wrongdoing.
- The University of TorontoUniversity of TorontoThe 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...
raid: Several students who bussed to Toronto from QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and who were staying in a Gymnasium of the University of Toronto were arrested in the early hours of Sunday June 27 by a full tactical police squad. The police, relying on prior investigative information, believed that some of these students were responsible of some of the rioting the previous day, or would cause rioting in the day to come. All the students present were arrested and brought to the temporary detention center, but all were released as the raid proved illegal, having been conducted without a proper warrant. - Conditions in the temporary detention center: A temporary detention center was set up in Toronto's East End, where the 1100 or so protesters who were arrested were brought and detained. The conditions of this detention center were draconian and even a police officer is alleged to have compared it to Auschwitz. Protesters complained of overcrowding, lack of access to water and food, lack of heating, lack of medical attention and degrading conditions. All protesters were submitted to strip searches.
- Police brutality at the police "Kettle" at Queen and Spadina: Home videos show the tactics used by police to box-in, brutalize and arrest peaceful protesters.
- Police Brutality outside the detention center: All through Sunday June 27, protesters gathered outside the temporary detention center to peacefully protest the arbitrary arrests of the previous day. They were eventually brutally dispersed by the police, using tear gas and rubber bullets.
Showcasing videos from several of the protesters and bystanders, along with interviews of some of the demonstrators and Police Chief Bill Blair, this documentary makes a good case against the unwarranted police brutality during the G20 summit. The documentary raises questions about the place civil protest, which in the past has led to racial and sexual equality amongst others, now holds in our society; the pressure to abandon such endeavors and that, overall, demonstrators "should stay at home". Thankfully, with the proliferation of personal video cameras, from minicams to cell phones, there is a good video record showing the actual circumstances of the police response to the protests. Though there is no doubt that there was indeed rioting going on Saturday June 26, which was to be expected as in the margin of any otherwise peaceful protest during such events, the brutality of the police response in Toronto is indicative of a would-be police state practicing and testing the boundaries of increased repression under the justification of a few rioters, who on occasion have proved to be, as in past demonstrations, covert members of law enforcement known as Agent Provocateur
Agent Provocateur
Agent Provocateur is the fifth studio album by American/British rock band Foreigner, released in 1984. A concept album, the songs tell the story of a spy who sees life through both the inside and the outside. The album was the band's first and only number one album in the UK, and it reached the top...
.
This documentary also makes the case that, eight months after the events, the various investigations into the reported complaints of police brutality are still ongoing, despite the readily available video evidence. Police Chief Blair attempts throughout this interview to reinforce the impression that all the facts are not in and it is, despite all the videographic evidence, too early to judge on these events, but that if wrongdoing was indeed the case on the part of the police, then it will be duly prosecuted. It raises the issue that, as much as the rioters were masked, the police committing these brutal acts are in most cases unrecognizable, as they wear helmets, are all identically dressed and wear no badges or any identification marks or codes of any kind; Though this level of anonymity is to be expected from lawbreaking rioters, on the part of the police force it is in fact a blank check for some officers to exercise excessive brutality without any chances of reprimand.
External links
- You Should Have Stayed at Home Official CBC page
- Credits From the CBC Website