Activists protest G20 security in Toronto

Protestors allege they are being targeted for questioning or sometimes detained by police for helping to organize G8 and G20 demonstrations.

Some protestors even claimed the immigration status of some members, or their families, are being threatened by police if they take part in demonstrations.

Officers in uniform and plainclothes lined up outside the Metro Convention Centre, where the June 26 and 27 Summit is taking place, as about two dozen protestors from a coalition of groups vowed to reclaim their city, which they said is being turned into an armed camp.

Not far away, crews are working 24-hours to erect a three-metre high, 3.3 km long fence that will ring the convention centre. Those who work or live inside the security zone will have to enter through police checkpoints.

“This is Toronto and not Tiananmen Square,” community activist Greg Thomas told a cheering crowd. “We are asking if body bags are included in that billion-dollar security package.”

Kevin Tilley, of Movement Defence Committee, said organizers are being targeted for questioning by CSIS, the RCMP and Toronto Police, who all deny they’re targeting civilians.

Tilley said 28 organizers have been questioned or detained by police since February.

“We have documented all the cases,” Tilley said on Tuesday. “We have tracked 28 incidents where people were tracked and interviewed by police.”

He said in some cases police e-mailed questions to the organizers, wanted to have coffee with them or showed up at their door requesting a meeting.

“Police are accusing people of being non-Canadians and are questioning their immigration status,” Tilley alleged. “This trend is disturbing and peoples’ rights are being stepped on.”

He said group supporters in Montreal were also questioned by security agents.

Tilley said protestors are concerned police may slip informants into the coalition to act as agent provocateurs.

He said eight protestors have so far been questioned by CSIS, six by the RCMP and others by Toronto Police.

Alex Hindert, 33, of Kingston, said CSIS agents were at his door last month wanting to question him about his role in organizing a Peoples’ Summit. He refused to speak with them.

“Within 24 hours, all the people of colour in the group were questioned by police,” Hindert alleged on Tuesday. “One member had his family members threatened about their immigration status by police.”

Jane-Finch community activist Sabrina Gopaul said she was intimidated by the large police presence outside the centre.

“Even with so many police here, I still don’t feel safe,” Gopaul said. “I am from the Jane-Finch community and we are used to the police.”

RCMP and Toronto Police, members of an Integrated Security Unit which is in charge of Summit Security, denied they were targeting organizers or immigrants.

Insp. Howie Page, of 52 Division, said there were about 40 officers at the press conference.

“We are here to protect the public and the protestors,” Page said on Tuesday. “We didn’t know just what to expect.”

He said there were earlier reports some protestors had tried to storm the convention centre.
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