I was on Queen Street outside Steve's Music where two cop cars were abandoned. I was with a camera, documenting the events of the day, as usual. I intentionally kept my camera off the cars when they were ultimately targeted for vandalism, appreciating full-well that any captured footage might end up in the wrong hands and be used against those perpetrators. In some ways now I regret not having kept the tape rolling. Here's what I experienced:

A lot of shit had been going down on that street, between stand-offs with the kevlar kop-outs, lots of kettling, crowd control, push-backs, etc. When I first came across those cars--after police had finally withdrew from formation blocking the street--they were eerily abandoned and, despite the general mayhem lingering about, they were relatively unscathed. I seem to remember some graffitti sprayed on one, but they were otherwise not smashed, doors were unopened, they were not burned.

Some unusual features did immediately capture my attention: The digital computer panels normally installed between the driver and front passenger seats were nowhere to be found. There was evidence to suggest that maybe the lid of the gas tank of one car (the one I noticed anyway) was removed or opened. And anyone would have to wonder why they were left there in the first place, given that the police clearly controlled the road just moments before.

I then witnessed the actual vandalism that ensued. Some very unlikely candidates were the perpetrators. One worked very casually to lift a metal gas lid from its seal in the road. It was about 8" in diameter, set in the asphalt of the road directly beside one of the cars. This fellow was not dressed in any way to suggest that he was engaged in the rallies or protests as an activist or otherwise. (By this I mean that he was not your typical "anarchist protester" AS PROFILED BY COPS: eg. bandana, black bag, 18-25 yrs., etc. but rather he was very "straight" looking-- button-down short-sleeved shirt, clean crisp jeans with a belt...not chanting slogans or anti-capitalist rhetoric...)

Cops at this time were not in outright lined formations but they were still milling about within range. People milling about at this time were mostly by-standers left over from the previous stand-off. Non-protester dude eventually lifted the metal cap out of the ground and then smashed the side window of the car. Others began to stomp on the cars thereafter, some went inside and operated the horns and bleeping sirens. One "deranged" character led much of the show, and he was the one who ultimately set fire to one of the cars, presumably while attempting to light himself on fire, some time later. His story has been covered by mainstream media outlets, including his arrest. I did not witness the lighting of the car but only the shenanigans leading up to it. Hard to guess his role in all of this, but suffice to say he was not participating as a dedicated activist or protester.

Again, cops were milling about, not far from where this all was taking place. About ten minutes prior they had disengaged from formation where they were holding the street just twenty metres away from this very location. Further, there was an obvious, plainclothed undercover standing all the while stationed outside of the H&M(?) nearby. I will post a photo of this fellow in a story soon on this site. I have no doubt about his role as an undercover.

So what to make of all this? Clearly suspicious at best. If there is one thing those kops are good at it's how to take and hold space. Military manoueveurs. They apply formations, utilize intersections. They know better than to drive vehicles forward into the middle of a block with no clear space for retreat. When they do move in vehicles they make sure to have a clear way out. If their way is blocked then they clear it, by force if necessary.

Sure they can screw up, get caught off guard, etc. I've seen that happen on other occassions, in other actions. But in those circumstances there is prevailing chaos and disorder. Whereas these police actions suggested formal, militarized rule and order. While they clearly haven't a clue as to who we are, as protesters and activists, they do know how to follow orders and control space. I doubt very much that they gave up those cars unintentionally. If even out of dumb-ass kop pride they would have gladly gone back to beat up on some heads rather than let their cars burn. Unless they had other plans for them.