Support Us
The G20 Legal Defence Fund Needs Your Help!
We need donations to support those arrested at the G20.You can support the detainees’ legal costs and help alleviate some of the other costs of navigating the court system, and help us keep organizing. We will be distributing the funds to those with the most need, prioritizing those still in custody on serious charges. Information below…
From June 25-27, elites from the world’s most powerful economies met in Huntsville and Torontoto draft policies to further exploit the environment and people, bolstering the systems that sustain colonialism, wars and displacement. Tens of thousands of people mobilized in a historic weeklong convergence in opposition to these policies. Daily demonstrations highlighted struggles for Indigenous sovereignty; environmental justice; migrant justice; an end to war and occupation; community control over resources; gender justice; and queer and disability rights.
Over $1.2 billion was spent on security, the most in G20 summit history, which paid for a dizzying array of weaponry and nearly 20,000 police—plus a security fence that turned Toronto into a fortress to host a select few and a police state to terrorize the rest of us.
Nearly 1,000 people, protesters and bystanders alike, were detained—the largest mass arrests in Canadian history. They were held for long periods in makeshift cages in deplorable conditions, most without timely access to legal counsel. Many had been simply caught up in massive police sweeps of public areas. Others were woken at gunpoint while sleeping. Others were picked up at their homes. Some of those arrested are still in custody. Fifteen face serious charges. Many of these are long-time community organizers.
We need to support all of those arrested during the G20 summit. We must continue to mobilize and build greater solidarity among our communities. An important part of this will be supporting our courageous allies still in detention and those released on bail.
We are requesting that people organize fundraisers, throw parties, art auctions and public events to raise money and to create awareness. If you would like a speaker at your event or have further questions, please email community.mobilize@resist.ca
Please contribute to the legal defence fund. Ways to donate:
1) Donate by PayPal
Make sure to put 'G20 legal defence' in the "Add special instructions for the Merchant" section. Donation link is in right hand column at the top, "Donate By PayPal."
2) Transfer funds to:
OPIRG York
transit number 00646
institution number 842
account number 3542240
Use your online bank account or contact your bank directly to transfer funds. Please put "G20 legal defence" in the memo.
3) Write a cheque
Cheques (payable to 'Toronto Community Mobilization Network' OR OPIRG York, with 'G20 legal defence' on the subject line) can be mailed to:
G20 Legal Defence Fund
c/o Paul Copeland
Copeland Duncan
31 Prince Arthur Avenue
Toronto, ON M5R 1B2
How are the funds being allocated?
We have established a legal defence fund that is independent, held in trust by a lawyer and overseen by seven highly respected trustees. All money raised at this time is being directed to this G20 Legal Defence Fund that will soon be accepting applications from anyone that requires money for defence. Money will be distributed based on ‘need’ and 'risk' as established by the G20 Legal Defence Fund’s trustees. At this time, we have only raised a fraction of funds required and encourage people facing charges to apply for Legal Aid and if possible to organize fundraisers and approach family members to donate to the fund. We ask the same for all allies as a tremendously large amount of money is presently required. However, the G20 Legal Defence Fund cannot promise that it will be able to cover everyone's full legal expenses.
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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.