RESIST STATE REPRESSION!
During the G20 Summit in Toronto this weekend, 40,000 people reclaimed the
streets and shutdown the city. Over 900 were brutally arrested and
detained, most without criminal charges.
Arrestees reportedly have been denied access to lawyers, telephones, food
and water (for upwards of 35 hours), and held in deplorable conditions in
makeshift steel cages. Many have been beaten in the streets and in their
homes; shot at with rubber bullets and tear gas; some have been sent to
hospital with severe injuries. Many of the released are willing to testify
to either experiencing or witnessing the sexual harassment of women and
Queer people, youth as young as 15 in adult cells, threats of
assault/harassment, no access to medication or medical treatment, police
intimidation of released detainees among their extensive list of
complaints.
The summit was part of the largest and most expensive security operation
in Canadian history. This show of extreme repression has broken the record
for the largest mass arrest in Canadian history. Naturally, the 5 previous
record holding events also came out of resistance to social and
environmental injustice:
* 2010 Toronto G20: Roughly *900*
* 1993 Clayoquot Sound logging blockades: *856*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clayoquot_Sound
* 1970 October Crisis: *465* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Crisis
* 2001 Quebec City Summit of the Americas: *463*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Summit_of_the_Americas#Protests
* 1981 Toronto bathhouse raids: *286*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Soap
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Comments
As an attendee, I urge people
As an attendee, I urge people to not get into a black bloc for this. I respect those who choose to do this usually. But I think this is a critical moment for turning people's hearts away from the back-lash against teh movement and to expose the cruelty of the police state...
Or, *everyone* should mask up
Or, *everyone* should mask up to demonstrate collective strength, defiance, and solidarity.
No mask for me!
I think wearing masks can only help legitimize the 1,2 billon spent on security.
As for me I just want to show solidarity with some of my friends who were peacefully protesting in Toronto and got arrested and detained for 2-3 days in horribly humiliating conditions!! SHAME ON TORONTO POLICE!!! YOUR ORWELLIAN WAYS DISGUST ME!!!
no mask!! that is the dumbest
no mask!! that is the dumbest idea ever!!!! show your faces. i will not support this if people come with black masks.
black bloc is a tactic not
black bloc is a tactic not an ends in itself, as it is increasingly being used as. i don't think that tactic will do any good in this situation. we need strategy, and using this demo as another chance to show off our black does no good in the larger strategy, if we all agree that the larger strategy is empowering/organizing directly impacted communities to take control of the systems governing them.
you think that those who face daily police repression without donning black will "join" "the movement" or show their solidarity by doing this? if our only militancy is being appropriated by a mere tactic, how are we going to actually win anything, let alone the solidarity of those whose interests we say we represent?
Solidarity is the important
Solidarity is the important message, in my opinion. Not clothing, not tactics.
Having said that, does anyone know what to expect for police presence? Is there a march planned? I'm having trouble finding details for this demonstration.
Solidarity is the important
Solidarity is the important message, in my opinion. Not clothing, not tactics.
Having said that, does anyone know what to expect for police presence? Is there a march planned? I'm having trouble finding details for this demonstration.
Well, I came, and left. This
Well, I came, and left. This looked about 99% black bloc. And those in masks would not talk to me when I asked if they were going to remain peaceful. You're not helping anything with black bloc tactics, folks. You're just going to add SUPPORT to the actions of the TTS, not support in demand for a public inquiry.
There has to be a better way
I was briefly at this protest and left soon after seeing the masks and the support of the black bloc.
I believe that the police involved in the brutality against protestors during the G20 should pay for their crimes. Whether we like it or not, protestors of the black bloc variety are doing more damage than good. No one can hear you speaking when you cover you mouth in black. This is a reality. If people are serious about creating something better (and the only way to do so is with a mass movement) then they must give up the ethos of violence. Show your faces; be proud of what you believe and speak it calmly and clearly. Practice non-violence. And surely don't support violence or those that perpetrate it. The last I heard there were 200 people at this march of solidarity. How many turned away when they saw the black masks? how many never showed up?
There were camera's there. I watched, as the only thing they focused on were the masked possie. If this protest does make it the mainstream media (which seems doubtful) what do you think they will talk about? Will they mention the valid arguments against the ridiculous 1 billion security budget for the G20? or will they show the men and women dressed in black? apparently in support of violent action. It doesn't matter whether you are or you are not for violent action, this is the image you are presenting. And no matter whether we like it or not, the media is built on images and sound bites. I would no more march in support of the black bloc than I would in the support of the blue bloc (as so many have cleverly called the police).
While there is significant evidence that there were agent provacatuers in the black bloc groups during the G20, there were others who gleefully smashed bank windows and shops. Do you think the owners of those banks care? There is insurance for that. You do nothing for the cause of Anarchy. You harm it. I truly believe that Anarchy, or Direct Democracy as I prefer to call it, is a better way. We do not need to smash windows, we need dialogue, and critical mass. Any sympathy for your arguments is immediately lost after the first brick is thrown.
At this protest I became angry, in fact yelled at the first female speaker to take off her mask. For this I am sorry. I let my anger get the better of me. But i feel so much frustration that something I truly believe in is being usurped by a violent few, dressed in black.
If Direct Democracy is ever to be taken seriously we need a new image, new symbols, and a new way of speaking.
...
A-freaking-men Sista, a-freakin'-men,
You said it. You completely just said absolutely everything that needed to be said in order to account for and remedy the circumstances within which we find ourselves. Thank you so much for that. If you want to plan something legitimate with me, find me on youtube or something and make some kaaaaawn-takt.
- ntsergas