Open Letter to Mayor David Miller:

Dear Mayor David Miller,

After you were first elected, when Yael’s younger son would go out at night, of course Yael was worried. He would say, ‘Don’t worry, David Miller is our mayor.” You obviously instilled a certain confidence he felt would be reflected in the general populace and in the police. Your statements yesterday in support of the police actions in this city during this past G20 weekend were a betrayal of our youth and citizens of Toronto and of the values we have worked for in this city.

We are professors and filmmakers. We were on the streets with our video cameras. We were there for all of Saturday and Sunday, day and night, recording testimony, and offering assistance to detainees released into the rain.

On Saturday we were on Queen West when about 50 black bloc protesters began their rampage. Like most of Toronto, we assumed they'd be swiftly apprehended by the thousands of well-armed riot police in the surrounding streets. Instead, imagine our surprise when we learned that they'd continued unchallenged for over an hour, reaching Yonge St. Utterly incompetent? Or purposely allowing this spree of vandalism, to give the cameras something to distract from the billion-dollar price tag?

On Saturday night we were outside the detention centre witnessing the peaceful solidarity 'dance' when the riot police closed in on detainee supporters on all four sides. We were completely trapped -- we were given three warnings to leave -- but of course, it was impossible to leave. The only reason the police deigned to speak with us was our age, double that of the majority of peaceful protesters. They finally agreed to let us leave peacefully -- and we were close to the last to leave, ensuring that everyone got out safely. Imagine our horror when we later learned that a block later, a squad swooped in and arrested the final group leaving the area. We'd all been lied to -- promised safe passage, and then the most vulnerable were picked off when their guard was down.

On Sunday night, detainees were released with no shoes into the rain, without money, cameras or cell phones (all of which had been confiscated or 'lost'). Of the four dozen detainees we spoke to in the rain, the stories were remarkably similar. Held for over 24 hours, handcuffed for much of that time, a dixie cup of water possibly every 6 hours, a cheese sandwich, cold and crowded in cells with an open porta-potty and no privacy. Many had been trying to get AWAY from the police and the protests, and were picked up anyway. Some of those released had broken bones, gashes requiring stitches, severe cuts and bruises. Some reported police clamped on their necks as they asked “whose streets?”.

Your statements were ignorant of these young citizens’ experience of indiscriminate sweeps, severe police brutality of innocents and bystanders, dehumanizing tactics and most of all abuse of power. Your statements ignored the fact that Toronto had been turned into a police state with indiscriminate powers and that police abused these powers. It was very easy to observe, while on the street the choreography that allowed and permitted a small group of vandals to do their damage and it was most easy to observe police orchestration, leaving specific vehicles (not used anywhere else) in specific locations. As well witness testimony of being picked up in such far flung locations as Dufferin Grove, Bloor Street, or out of sleeping bags on a gym floor at the University of Toronto attest to the targeting of youth without cause.

More than anything we are angered, disappointed and saddened to see the trauma inflicted on our young people.  Your support of illegal police tactics and your statement yesterday that “violent people are hiding among innocent people” holds the kind of logic that leads to suspension of citizen and civilian rights. In other countries such a rationale has escalated violence and led to gross violations of international laws. 

We challenge you to speak with and listen to the young people who were abused by the police, to hear their experiences, and to submit a formal apology.  Otherwise, your leadership as mayor will truly and sadly have come to an end prematurely.

Sincerely,

b.h. Yael

Professor, Integrated Media, Ontario College of Art & Design

John Greyson

Associate Professor, Film, York University