G20 Police circle protesters at Queen & Spadina (1)

Sunday, June 27, 2010
Peaceful protestors walking west on Queen Street were stopped at Spadina. Many had left (where? how? I don't know) by the time this video was taken. About halfway through this video, police tighten the circle on the remaining protesters.

Sorry about the shaky video quality, it was shot leaning out my window, with my iPhone, and my heart pounding.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• G20
• Toronto
• Queen
• Spadina
• Police
• protest
• protester
• peaceful
• sunday

[Shalliw]

The police make me sick. I am fully disgusted with their actions.

What did that police officer ask you? I didn't quite hear.

[TheeLifeQuixotic]

@Shalliw ... first he asked my neighbour (below me) "Get enough pictures yet?", Then he told us "I think you should go inside, for your safety." I took this to mean, "hey, we don't want you filming anything incriminating..."

I just asked him if there was going to be [tear] gas... he said maybe. My answer of "I'll take that under advisement" was meant to say thank you, I'll make up my own mind about when I go inside.

[BlahBlah5649]

@rebeccarokken LOL you shouldn't have been there anyway. What worthless unaffected cause were you supporting? Or were you just passing through?

[rebeccarokken]

@BlahBlah5649 You're aware that this took place on the sunday, not the saturday with the property damage?...while speaking to an officer, she told me that the kettling and arrests was a preventative action because of what had happened the day prior. OIPRD is convinced what took place was wrong, the ombudsman believes what took place was wrong after the OIPRD investigation and im one fo the 114 interviewed by OIPRD. Officers were not yelling at people to leave until after the kettling.

[BlahBlah5649]

@rebeccarokken Maybe the officers yelling at people to go away, the stopping of the marches in general, or the rubber bullets didn't drill the point into the crowd well enough. When the police step in and stop you, it means get the fuck out. Too many people (I'm not convicting you) stayed just because they thought they had the right to stay after the POLICE COORDINATED EVENT was cancelled by the fuzz.

[rebeccarokken]

@BlahBlah5649 ...and who told the group to disperse?, and how?, either it wasn't said loud enough or in an effective manner, or it didn't happen at all, beacuse if there had been a warning for us all to leave nearly everyone would have. No one wants to be arrested and detained, so if there was an audible warning, people would have left, i highly doubt those who were just passing through would have heard a warning to leave and stayed to get arrested while holding their children, bicycles or dogs.

[BlahBlah5649]

@rebeccarokken LOL except for the 20 minutes prior to the round-ups where all the police officers were telling people to disperse.

[rebeccarokken]

@BlahBlah5649 The police presence was initially there to guide the march, peacefully through the streets but the police abruptly blocked off the direction the group was walking and would not allow the group to continue, the media and other sources may claim that the group was told to leave or they would be arrested but that is untrue. We were told to leave after we were surrounded. The police blocked us off, woudln't tell us why, and told us to leave AFTER we were surrounded without a way out

[BlahBlah5649]

@rebeccarokken You were in this group? The police told them to leave before they were surrounded. I don't understand how they are surprised. They stood there, causing a large enough gathering to require police supervision, drawing valuable officers away from the main problem of the Bloc. Just by standing there with their cameras, these people were helping the Bloc. Were the pictures these dumb cattle took worth it?

[rebeccarokken]

Thanks for taping this! I was in that small peaceful group that was forced together while being told to "go home" or "leave" while we were being surrounded. Clearly the violent group must have posed a huge threat to the city of toronto with our bicycles, signs, chants and peace signs.

[NoahColeGreenRaven]

Holy moly, I was there earlier in the day when the police blocked off Spadina and formed a blockade on Queen Street, just after the police car's window had been smashed. This video is a very good example of the very crazy things that happened on the days of the G20. Thank you for filming, this also shows how the police's fear tactics deterred protestors and civilians from gathering. If the people are united, they will not be defeated.