g20/8

[Comrade Marcel]

Anyone coming to Toronto?

[FinnMacCool]

I want to. I'm from New York though so I'll have to find a way to get there and a place to stay. But if I can solve these issues, I'll definitely make my way over there.

[leftace53]

I will most likely be wandering downtown on the 25th, so yes.

[FinnMacCool]

BTW I was thinking of going with some kind of organization. Does anyone know of any leftist groups from NY that are planning a trip down there?

[Eastside Revolt]

See ya there!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ninV5yx7FW4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ninV5yx7FW4)

[FriendlyLocalViking]

The Viking will be making an appearance there!

[Comrade Marcel]

I want to. I'm from New York though so I'll have to find a way to get there and a place to stay. But if I can solve these issues, I'll definitely make my way over there.

They will be providing billeting, I know that for sure.

[The ORLY Factor]

I want to go, but I'm only 17. According to the law, I'm not allowed to leave the country without written consent and I need an adult accompanying me. The first part is easy, but the second part is a little more difficult. I'll be in Detroit for the US Social Forum prior to the G8/G20. Would anybody over 18 be willing to take on another passenger, or does anyone know where I could find someone who would?

Sorry for hijacking your thread, by the way.

[Eastside Revolt]

Toronto: Fire Works For Prisons Demonstration during G20


When: Sunday, June 27 2010 at 5pm
Where: Bruce Mackey Park (Dundas and Wardell) in Toronto’s east end
What: A Demonstration Against Prison. Anarchists are organizing this as a part of the larger mobilization in opposition to the G20 meetings.
Prison is everywhere; it is nothing more than a reflection of the society in which we live. It is a daily threat and reality that has permeated every facet of society. With the deepening of surveillance, the integration of police forces, the increased use of private security, the existence of courts, repression and isolation, the walls of prison are already built around us. If we don’t accept this miserable life offered to us, they’ll always have room for us in their overcrowded cells.
In the streets, prisons, psychiatric institutions, detention centres, there are those who do not come to peace with their exploitation. We desire to stand with comrades and accomplices who refuse to accept this reality, who refuse to be defeated by the System, who taste freedom in the ashes of prisons. We want to shed our fear and together confront the prison apparatus. We want to expand our solidarity in struggle against prison. We want people to join us and directly confront the systems of social control. We want to be everything prison isn’t: uncontrollable, joyful, creative…
We are encouraging people to come organized with intention, to make this project their own. Bring what you want to the demo: plans, noisemakers, banners, chants, and above all your passion for freedom. Confrontation is welcome.
Keep the date marked off, we’ll see you in the streets!
About the anti-G20 convergence: http://g20.torontomobilize.org (http://g20.torontomobilize.org/)


http://fireworksforprisons.wordpress.com/

[Ele'ill]

I will be following the g20 events closely. I couldn't make it out to Toronto. Unless someone knows of a Portland, OR car pool leaving soon.

[tbasherizer]

I can't go, but I wish all comrades taking part in the demonstrations (officially sanctioned or otherwise) good luck and safety! The police force looks especially formidable, so make sure you're all read and geared up for the worst!

[Ele'ill]

http://2010.mediacoop.ca/

[Foldered]

There's some very interesting things going on right now.

[The Intransigent Faction]

There's some very interesting things going on right now.

Indeed there is/was. Three (I think it was three?) police cars set on fire, some windows smashed...parents have CBC News on and have been ranting to me all day about the eeevil Anarchists.

[leftace53]

Indeed there is/was. Three (I think it was three?) police cars set on fire, some windows smashed...parents have CBC News on and have been ranting to me all day about the eeevil Anarchists.

I know what you mean. :rolleyes:

My facebook is full of people saying things like "didn't know Toronto could be this crazy" or "the police are defending the city, the protesters need to be stopped" etc....

I haven't been down there yet, is it simply property damage these people are complaining about?

[jake williams]

I know what you mean. :rolleyes:

My facebook is full of people saying things like "didn't know Toronto could be this crazy" or "the police are defending the city, the protesters need to be stopped" etc....

I haven't been down there yet, is it simply property damage these people are complaining about?
From what I've heard there've been virtually no violent confrontations on the part of protesters. There was some property destruction, and a lot of very heavy handed attacks against the (semi-?)official "peaceful" zone by police, but no attacks on police I've heard of.

[LebenIstKrieg]

"Kill all riot police"
:ninja: :star: :ninja:

[Foldered]

From what I've heard there've been virtually no violent confrontations on the part of protesters. There was some property destruction, and a lot of very heavy handed attacks against the (semi-?)official "peaceful" zone by police, but no attacks on police I've heard of.
Yeah, some people broke some windows at Starbucks and McDonalds and a police car was lit on fire. From what I could tell it was a small group of people, anarchists I'll call them. They did a bunch of damage all dressed in black and then changed into street clothes- classic move, and it would have been better had they not had a camera guy following them for 3/4 of it.

So long as no workers got hurt then I don't have an issue with the attacks. They have been severely restricting fundamental rights of protesters and this is what happens when rights are restricted. They have, like, designated protest zones or something, which defeats the purpose of free speech and the right to peaceful protest.

I absolutely hate how people, especially in North America, automatically think protesting and protesters are the scum of the earth when in reality, it's the opposite; they're the only ones who care enough to get off their asses.

[The Intransigent Faction]

Yeah, some people broke some windows at Starbucks and McDonalds and a police car was lit on fire. From what I could tell it was a small group of people, anarchists I'll call them. They did a bunch of damage all dressed in black and then changed into street clothes- classic move, and it would have been better had they not had a camera guy following them for 3/4 of it.

So long as no workers got hurt then I don't have an issue with the attacks. They have been severely restricting fundamental rights of protesters and this is what happens when rights are restricted. They have, like, designated protest zones or something, which defeats the purpose of free speech and the right to peaceful protest.

I absolutely hate how people, especially in North America, automatically think protesting and protesters are the scum of the earth when in reality, it's the opposite; they're the only ones who care enough to get off their asses.

No kidding. I'm starting to see why some people suggest avoiding political debates with family.

All I hear is along the lines of "The police aren't abusing their power" and a rather contradictory "I'm against violence/vandalism" regarding protesters, repeated ad nauseam, of course while in complete denial of capitalism's inherently violent nature. Because we all know peaceful protesting tends to be more effective at overthrowing a system. :rolleyes: anyway sorry, I just needed to vent.

It says a lot when they invoke a "Public Works Protection Act" from 1939 in order to radically expand police powers for the sake of intimidation and suppression of protesters in 2010 (which apparently allows warrantless search and arrest if you even dare stand still near the fence).

Edit: According to CBC, about 600 arrests so far.

[IslamicMarxist]

We must cause chaos for the capitalists of the west, of the east, of the middle east, and all corners of the world.

[Foldered]

The police are not handling the situation properly. At this point they have barracaded hundreds of protesters and are making arrests (hundreds) after searching bags and finding stuff like black clothing. They even arrested this particular journalist's camera guy. She's currently stuck in the barracade.

[Salyut]

CBC wasn't able to figure out until yesterday that the black bloc wasn't a super secret anarchist terror organization. :laugh:

[jake williams]

CBC wasn't able to figure out until yesterday that the black bloc wasn't a super secret anarchist terror organization. :laugh:
It's sort of a culture shock to hear non-radicals aware of the phrase "black bloc", but they still don't know what the fuck it is.

[Foldered]

CBC wasn't able to figure out until yesterday that the black bloc wasn't a super secret anarchist terror organization. :laugh:
Yeah, I lol'd.

[Red Saxon]

Summit organizers have been so concerned about security that they have spent around $1 billion and brought in thousands of police from across Canada to strengthen the city and provincial police forces here. There wouldn't be a security concern if you just let people openly protest.

[Foldered]

There wouldn't be a security concern if you just let people openly protest.
Which would be actually following the law.

[Ele'ill]

For those that are there or know of people that are there would you/they say it's more successful than Pittsburgh?

[Ele'ill]

BTW, I am beyond curious to see what the legal landslide against the Toronto police force will be. Toronto officers, get ready for the unemployment line.

To those I've talked to about this and say 'probably nothing will happen' my response is an unhesitating- 'You're not trying hard enough to make it happen'.



I so fucking hope that the legal teams continue to be all over this- I can't go on 2010mediacoop.ca without becoming furious and closing the browser window.

[jake williams]

For those that are there or know of people that are there would you/they say it's more successful than Pittsburgh?
Clearly in terms of actually affecting the summit content they were utterly irrelevant, but no one expected that.

In terms of local effects: individuals and movements have been pretty bloodied and roughed up, but there are some exciting things that happened. The main demonstration Saturday was the largest demonstration, as far as I know, that Toronto has seen in many, many years. It's by far the largest demonstration I've ever been to in Toronto. There's some shit I'm not used to seeing or feeling in Toronto that was there this weekend, some of which is really ugly but some of which is really amazing.

The jail solidarity/anti-police brutality demo I went to today was great for a lot of reasons. I was expecting the demo site to be quiet and full of cops, with the couple hundred people there expecting to be gassed and/or arrested. It turned out to be more than a thousand people, very few of whom I recognized, it seemed like it was actually a lot of ordinary Toronto peeps who were pissed off about police brutality. That said a lot of familiar faces are still in jail.

There's a fight on, between, on one hand, a really heavy right wing pseudo-popular reaction against protests and protesters in general, fomented by the government and the media; and on the other, a genuine popular contempt, but which is backed up even by some pretty right-wing sectors of the media, against a $1 billion police budget, the most arrests at any event in Canadian history, practically systematic sexual assaults by police, the first use of tear gas in Toronto history, etc. Organizers in Toronto, in Ontario and elsewhere have their work cut out for them in terms of which of these reactions come out on top.