Groups protesting against the G20/G8 summit were met with harsh repercussions for their actions from the Ontario police last week, and many civil rights groups are now questioning the methods of the enforcers. Legislation was changed and suspended, and hundreds of people were declared threats to security, simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The area around the summit was changed to public works – meaning it’s legal to arrest if the person doesn’t produce ID – for the duration of the meeting. But the act was passed quietly, without legislature debate, and did not become especially publicised until the first arrest was made. The number of those detained has now surpassed 900, making it the largest mass arrest in Canadian history…

Stories emerging from the protests have exploded onto the web, including those of the 500-strong group boxed in by masked officers at the intersection of Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue. Few were actually found to be breaching the peace and several were later recognised as innocent bystanders, waiting for buses and walking dogs. Violent protests have gained much greater interest from the mainstream media, but it’s important to remember that these actions could easily be equalled, and in many ways surpassed, by the civil liberty infringements that came up to meet them.

"500-strong group boxed in by masked officers... Few were actually found to be breaching the peace and several were later recognised as innocent bystanders, waiting for buses and walking dogs."

For much of the public these scenes are an unwelcome surprise – shifting from a television screen to the view from a window. It’s clear that wherever in the world you are, protesting en masse is not a simple business. The situation was reminiscent of other significant G20 protests in Pittsburgh and London, where largely peaceful protests were met with violence. For each of these demonstrations the locations were different, but the motivation was the same. The summits are intended to provide solutions to their planet’s most pressing problems; economic instability, ecological catastrophe, and growing social problems around the globe. However, as the 21st Century wears on, many feel that these meetings are doing little for the people that they represent.

The message of determination on the Toronto Community Mobilization website is clear: “Let us creatively build the world we wish to live in.” It echoes the call from organizations worldwide to actively and positively take part in shaping an increasingly unstable future. But it appears that the ideals are still far from the reality, and the road to them is obviously not going to be a smooth one.

Words: Onjuli Datta
 

Photo: Flickr user nouspique

For more information, please visit www.torontog20summit.com.