Cops blend in with G20 protesters
TORONTO - Dozens of Toronto cops on horses, bicycles and buses, wearing uniform and in plainclothes, were on hand as protesters against the upcoming G20 Summit vowed to take back the city on Tuesday.
Demonstrators from a number of Toronto-area groups claim they're being harassed by police as the June 26 and 27 meeting approaches.
Officers from a range of units stood just outside the Metro Convention Centre, where the meeting will take place, as group members outlined their plans Tuesday morning.
Just steps away, crews continued their round-the-clock work on a 10-foot security fence that will ring the centre.
"This is Toronto and not Tiananmen Square," community worker Greg Thomas told the crowd. "We are asking if body bags are in that billion dollar security package."
Activist Sabrina Gopaul said she was intimidated by the large police presence.
"Even with so many police here, I still don't feel safe," Gopaul said.
Kevin Tilley, of the Movement Defence Committee, said 28 G20 protest organizers have been questioned by police about their activities.
Insp. Howie Page estimated there were about 40 officers at the press conference.
"We are here to protect the public and the protesters," Page said. "We didn't know just what to expect."
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/06/08/14307656.html
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The G8/G20 meetings took place in Ontario from June 25-27, 2010. Toronto-based organizations of women, people of colour, indigenous peoples, the poor, the working class, queer and trans people and disabled people organized a peoples convergence with 40,000 people taking to the streets, standing up for justice in collaboration and solidarity!
Activists, community members, inspired and outraged individuals came together as a movement to demand justice for people and the planet. Over a week of mobilizations, events, workshops and direct actions took place in the face of state and police repression, violence and infringements on rights and freedoms.
We must continue to mobilize and build greater solidarity among our communities- an important part of this is supporting all those arrested during the G20 summit, including our allies still in detention, and those released on bail.