G-8 and G-20 fallout continues
Posted Jun 30, 2010 03:35:52 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Here’s the latest regarding the ongoing story of the G-8 and G-20 Summits in Canada.
Anger over police tactics during the G-20 summit in Toronto has spilled over into gay pride week celebrations.
A group of people tried to stop police chief Bill Blair from attending a gay event last night at a community centre.
After Blair and his group managed to get in the group crowded inside as well and began chanting, “No justice, no peace, no homophobic police!”
Blair says he came to help the gay community enjoy their event.
A protest organizer claims police mistreated gays during the huge security crackdown during the weekend G-20 meeting.
City councillor Kyle Rae, who was attending the event, needed a police escort to exit the building as the crowd yelled “Shame!” and called him a sellout.
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A special court set up in Toronto to handle G-20-related arrests is slowly dealing with a huge caseload and is expected to continue hearing cases through the week.
One man arrested last week before the summits even started is due in court today.
Byron Sonne faces several charges related to G-20 security, including possession of explosives, weapons dangerous and mischief.
The computer security expert was arrested during a raid on his home last week.
More than 700 people were rounded up over the weekend and 900 were arrested since June 18th. Police chief Bill Blair is defending police tactics which critics say amounted to arbitrary searches and arrests.
Blair took aim at what he called “Monday morning quarterbacking” by pointing out that there were no further acts of violence after Saturday night’s rampage.
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The demands are growing for Ontario’s premier to appear and explain some of the government’s behaviour during the G-20 summit.
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association is demanding an apology from the McGuinty government for suggesting that a new law allowed police to arrest people who got too close to the G-20 security fence.
It turns out that the secret law which was used by police to demand identification or search suspects — never existed.
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair admitted yesterday the law didn’t exist and smiled when he explained they were “trying to keep the criminals out.”
The New Democrats say Premier Dalton McGuinty misled the people.
Conservative Leader Tim Hudak says the premier should have been “more honest” about the regulation change.
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A man from England faces a charge of impersonating an officer at the G-20 summit security fence in Toronto.
Police say a man filming the security fence area last Thursday was approached by a security officer and asked to provide identification.
Police say the man indicated he was not carrying I-D because he was an officer working undercover.
A warrant was issued and a 29-year-old man was arrested yesterday as he was about to board a plane at Toronto airport.
Charlie Veitch is due to appear in court today on the impersonation charge.
