Riot police, including mounted units, block University Avenue during the G20 Summit.
Ontario Ombudsman finds "massive violations of civil rights" by police during the G20 Summit which started with the Toronto Police request for the regulation in the Public Works Protection Act. The Ontario Government led by
Premior Dalton McGuinty acted upon their request. The potential for trouble was compounded by the
Ministry's decision not to publicize the regulation, the
Toronto Police miscommunication and misinterpretations of the regulation and the police forces'
apparent zeal to curb civil rights in Toronto to "keep the criminals out". The Ombudsman also found that the regulation was providing "war measures" in peacetime. I applaud Ontario's Ombudsman Andre Marin for his review and finding and am glad that we have in place such an office that is allowed to review and make public such a report.
Chief Bill Blair's handling of the Adam Nobody issue also seems to continue shocking misinformation that has come out of the police on many of the G20 Summit problems. These statements include allegations that
rubber bullets weren't used by police and that
seized weapons the police displayed were all from the G20 protesters.
The National Post had an article entitled Bill Blair's trouble with the truth.
I was also dismayed to find that a few police seemed to have removed their nametags and engaged in alleged
excessive force against two men. Nearly 100 police were found to have
removed their nametags and will be disciplined according to this article.
I wish the massive amounts of fully equipped riot police would have arrested the few people
damaging property during the protests. Heaven help us when they react this way for approximately 100 black bloc yahoos.
