UPDATE: Time has published “10 Scenes from the Battlefield,” a collection of fairly arresting images from the G-20 protests.
The G-20 Summit was underway this weekend and so were the arrests. More than 600 people were arrested, and the small northwest Toronto courthouse that was processing them was overwhelmed.
On Saturday, two National Post photographers were arrested while covering protests surrounding the summit. Brett Gundlock and Colin O’Connor were charged with obstructing a peace officer and unlawful assembly, held for 24 hours, and have since been released. They describe their crappy conditions in jail here (though, truth be told, it seems standard as jail goes).
While there were reports of violent and destructive rioters, many people reported being picked up for arbitrary or nonexistent offenses. Even two members of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, a group that was monitoring civil right abuses at the protests, were arrested. As the National Post reported, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association weren’t pleased with how events unfolded:
“It would appear that the presumption of innocence has been suspended during the G20,” the group said, complaining of a “serious violation of basic rights of hundreds of people.”
The above video, the aptly named “The Battle of Toronto,” was shot by YouTube user yfcandme, who says he was attacked by protestors while filming. Looking at the police presence it’s hard to believe it’s for an economic meeting and not World War III.
Article from National Post
boywithgrenade.org 