G8/20 Summit in Toronto, Canada

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by ClockWorkAngel

I have a huge urge to buy a durian and throw it at some of the protesters, but that would be a waste of a durian. Watching on the local news, it seems like there's been arrests made, but generally the police won't be bothering peaceful assembly, I know some of my friends who went down town to just take photos; up close too!

But I agree, there's alot of people hiding inside the crowds of peaceful protesters just to start up shit. They don't realize that the only thing that they're destroying is their message.

they are anarchist, they don't care.

[Lio]

Originally Posted by Vexx

I can't think of a more ineffective and annoying way to affect policy in this particular instance --- sometimes protesting IS the thing to do, but this just pisses most people off at the wrong target (the protestors).

I have deep issues with the forces underlying G8/G20 but they won't get fixed by these clowns who mostly just ruin life for the wrong people.

Politics is all cheap entertainment anyways, just one big excuse for people to vent their frustrations, including the politicians themselves.

Better to forget about voting and actually do something productive, like... posting in this thread when I should be getting some reading done.

[0utf0xZer0]

Originally Posted by ClockWorkAngel

But I agree, there's alot of people hiding inside the crowds of peaceful protesters just to start up shit. They don't realize that the only thing that they're destroying is their message.

As a few others have stated, a large number of the rowdiest protestors are anarchists. They aren't so much trying to send a message as trying to embarrass the police.

(Unforunately, I can't help but think Canada is reaping what it sowed a bit here... I'm no expert on the subject, but I remember hearing APEC 1997 described as a major escalation point in terms of anti-globalization protests. And that one did definitely embarrass the RCMP, in large part due to poor planning.)

Originally Posted by Lio

Politics is all cheap entertainment anyways, just one big excuse for people to vent their frustrations, including the politicians themselves.

Better to forget about voting and actually do something productive, like... posting in this thread when I should be getting some reading done.

Eh, there occasionally are cases even in Canada where politics is not a game. Besides, I dislike Harper too much not to stop voting.

(Although it is pretty sad that I end up voting on the base of "who do I want to stop from getting in" more than "who do I want to get in" most of the time. Often the people I like have no chance.)

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by 0utf0xZer0

Eh, there occasionally are cases even in Canada where politics is not a game.

Are you thinking about us in Quebec ?
It's a sad thing than politic is taking so lightly, given than the ideology of the party/leader influence so much in some point the decision of a gouvernement...

[risingstar3110]

After watching that documentary movie about the Battle of Seattle (i knows it's not a battle, but that name sounds kinda cool so ^_^), i started to put less trust on the local media whenever it comes to protesting. Especially how they implied the protesters as ruthless mobs by concentrating more on the riots and the arrests instead of the message and the efforts.

Would love to see more views from all sides. For example, here is from the SBS news (which is sourced back to AAP):

Originally Posted by SBS

Hundreds arrested in G20 protests

Nearly 600 people were arrested in violent weekend protests against a G20 summit as Canadian police used tear gas and rubber bullets to break up the mobs.

Sporadic clashes between pockets of protesters and riot police flared throughout the day with 224 people detained on Sunday alone.

The violence flared near a security barrier erected around the conference centre where leaders of the world's top economies were gathering, and left storefronts and windows smashed and several police cars burnt out.

During a raid at the University of Toronto campus, police rounded up 70 people believed not to be students. Officers recovered "street-style weaponry" such as bricks at the scene.

"It's not the kind of stuff you'd need for a shopping weekend in Toronto," quipped an officer.

Police also moved on a seemingly peaceful sit-in outside a film studio turned into a makeshift detention centre to arrest a "known anarchist" hiding in the group, according to the Integrated Security Unit.

At daybreak, Canada's largest city was on tenterhooks.

Police in riot gear kept vigil at intersections, while city crews swept up broken glass and wiped graffiti off buildings and streetcars.

Residents were back walking their dogs, joggers trotted through parks, but most downtown shops and restaurants remained closed.

"Slowly the city is returning to a level of normalcy," said Sergeant Tim Burrows, spokesman for the Integrated Security Unit responsible for securing the meeting of the world's 20 leading economies.

Overnight, the subway was shut down, and area hotels and hospitals were locked down as police clashed with militants.

Tear gas was used against a black-clad crowd of demonstrators that refused to disperse following a warning after they pelted many officers with bottles and stones, the police chief said.

Manhole covers were also welded shut for fear protesters were hiding in sewers. Police arrested four men after they popped out from one manhole behind police lines.

But Toronto police used Twitter to deny rumours that rioters had breached the security barrier erected around the conference centre where G20 leaders were gathering.

"We have never seen this level of wanton criminality on our streets," Toronto police chief Bill Blair told reporters, after four police cars were set on fire and windows in the financial district were smashed.

Some 30,000 people, according to rally organisers, marched against the G20 summit on Saturday demonstrating in favour of social causes, in what was a largely peaceful rally until violence erupted on its fringes.

The main body of the march was a well-marshalled event, led by older activists and organised labour, but splinter groups of young hardliners scuffled with riot officers and set patrol cars ablaze.

The violence "was shocking to every citizen," Blair said, warning of more arrests to come of people already "known to police".

Government spokesman Dimitri Soudas said: "Free speech is the principle of our democracy."

But he denounced what he described as "a bunch of thugs that pretend to have a difference of opinion with policies and instead choose violence to express those so-called differences".

"People do disagree on issues. Leaders that meet all the time don't necessarily see eye-to-eye but you don't see people burning up police cars and breaking windows," he said.

David Martin, Greenpeace's climate change campaign coordinator, said the group behind the violence has "no base and no credibility".

"Yet this very small group of irresponsible people... has taken media attention away from the coverage of essential issues, like climate change, foreign aid... maternal health and so on," he said.

"I am not a pacifist. I am for civil disobedience, but not for this kind of crazy violence.

"The Black Bloc people say they want social change, but in fact they have an adrenaline addiction to violence," he said.

"They live for these international events but tomorrow they'll disappear and leave us to do the hard work, which they've now made harder for us."

Canada spent more than $US1 billion ($A1.15 billion) to secure this week's back-to-back G8 and G20 summits in the Toronto area, hoping to avoid the serious street battles that marred recent gatherings of these global forums.

Thousands of police reinforcements backed by riot officers on horseback and spotter helicopters were drafted into the city centre, much of which was sealed off behind concrete and steel barriers.

[Mystique]

600 peeps?
And here I thought that Canadians were friendly, calm people...

[sergho]

Originally Posted by Mystique

600 peeps?
And here I thought that Canadians were friendly, calm people...

They're trapped inside their houses most of the year.

This is obviously a bad case of cabin fever.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

After watching that documentary movie about the Battle of Seattle (i knows it's not a battle, but that name sounds kinda cool so ^_^), i started to put less trust on the local media whenever it comes to protesting. Especially how they implied the protesters as ruthless mobs by concentrating more on the riots and the arrests instead of the message and the efforts.

Would love to see more views from all sides. For example, here is from the SBS news (which is sourced back to AAP):

As far as I perceive, if the mobs burn RCMP cars, it would be time to pressure the police to use OF launchers and water cannons. The mob has already spun out of control at that time.

On the market side....

Equities and dollar up as G20 has little impact

My opinion? It won't last past this week. There always has to be a bunch of short-sellers who are waiting to shore up their profits everytime the stock market goes up, and certainly much more in uncertain economic times like this.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by Mystique

600 peeps?
And here I thought that Canadians were friendly, calm people...

Thoses ''600 peeps'' might not be all canadian you know...

[qwertyuiopz]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

[Lio]

Originally Posted by 0utf0xZer0

Besides, I dislike Harper too much not to stop voting.

(Although it is pretty sad that I end up voting on the base of "who do I want to stop from getting in" more than "who do I want to get in" most of the time. Often the people I like have no chance.)

That's more reason to stop.

[ClockWorkAngel]

Originally Posted by qwertyuiopz

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

My god, that must have gotten annoying incredibly quickly

[sergho]

Originally Posted by ClockWorkAngel

My god, that must have gotten annoying incredibly quickly

Originally Posted by qwertyuiopz

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Most guys go to demonstrations to impress girls.

It's a good way to hook up.

Did you see how he looked back at the girls after taunting the cops?

'hey baby' *wink*

God missed an opportunity for some divine justice.

[Yu Ominae]

Ah frick, that was funny!