More than 600 people were detained throughout the city of Toronto during the G8/20 summits this past weekend. The harassment and persecution of the repressive apparatus was made apparent after Saturday’s protest on June 26th, where “Black Block” protesters left at least three police cars in flames, broke through chain stores, destroying two TV channel vehicles, banks and other things throughout the centre of the financial district - in this way taunting and discarding $1.3 billion dollars required for the “security” of the summit.
However the police apparatus continued its persecution throughout Saturday night, where brutal arrests and raids were carried out in the various demonstrations and in the homes of activist organizers resulting in more than 200 people detained, which were then transferred to the G20 detention centre; made exclusively for those protesting the summit. On Sunday, June 27th – the last day of the summit – the Integrated Security Unit tried to shut down ALL protests that were being carried out in the downtown core (“peaceful” or not), and continued to round-up people en mass, as well as “people of interest.” 70 people were arrested in a brutal raid at the University, centre which was shut down during the week of mobilization, and were taken to the detention in police buses.
The police intimidated and interrupted protesters that were congregating in solidarity with those who had detained at the G20 detention centre in the east end of the city, where activists were selected and brutalized by special police forces that surrounded the crowd and then were taken away into detention. Rubber bullets and controlled tar gas were shot, as the police enforced the tactics of intimidation to the crowd throughout the entire day. The conditions at the east end detention centre are deplorable, which used to be the old Toronto film studios, where people were locked away in “large cold cages like animals” with only a single doorless portable bathroom in each. It has been known that people are negated water, food or the possibility of communicating with legal defence for long periods of time; one case states having been without food or medication for 19 hours.
Alternative media such as the TCMN communications network that groups various community organizations against the G8/20, were interrupted and intercepted by repressive forces while informing of the situation happening on the ground. Many of its members were detained and taken to the detention centre.
In the downtown core, the police sought that black clothing would sufficient evidence to be considered suspicious, and subsequently searched and detained. Special force police units spread throughout the core, searching and detaining people with “suspicious substances,” or those who fit the profile of the Black Bloc. During the early evening hours, a small improved “peaceful” demonstration was completely encircled by riot police special force units in the area where protests had been held the day before. More than 200 people were encircled, the majority of which were regular people who were waiting for the streetcar. The repressive forces surrounded and cornered the group of people after having detained a few protesters, and maintained the crowd for over four hours under torrential rain and thunderstorms. Hours later, a portion of the people were let go and the rest were transferred to the detention centre after the summit had ended.
It should be noted that this version of events carried out by the repressive forces does not include all the harassment and persecution to activists and organizations during the course of time organizing against the G8/20, which hit its peak at the start of the week of mobilization. Beginning on June 21st, police brutality was seen in the arrest of at least two activists for being part of an “ongoing investigation” in an anti-poverty march. On Thursday, June 24th the Mapuche and Indigenous solidarity event “Confront the Invasion: Down with the G8/20” was nearly shut down by the influence of police in civilian clothing and by the co-opted unionists of the venue that had been rented. On Friday, June 25th, a massive community rally was brutally detained by special police forces, and prohibited the entry of the rally further south into the core, as well as a few police raids on the houses of organizers during the early mourning hours.
At this time, hundreds of people are waiting on bail court hearings to formalize the charges in relation to the June 26th and 27th protests. Special police riot forces are still now walking around the downtown core.
We need to keep up with any updates that may arise....
The Women’s Coordinating Committee Chile-Canada
Email: wccc_98@hotmail.com
