Thursday, July 22, 2010

Finally

Every time I think the G20 police abuse issue is dying away, it springs to life again.
There are a number of investigations going on into various aspects of the G20 protests, but no one was tasked with looking at police behaviour -- until now.:
The “systemic issues” under investigation [by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director] include allegations of unlawful searches, unlawful arrests, improper detention and issues related to the Eastern Avenue film studio used as a detention centre during the G20 weekend.
And the Toronto Community Mobilization Network is doing its own People's Investigation too -- great idea!
A commenter on a news story has raised an issue I noticed as well -- that the usual media phrasing which describes the G20 protests as "clashes between protesters and police" is wrong. It implies that the protesters were fighting against the police.
But they weren't.
First the police where nowhere to be seen when the Black Bloc was breaking windows and setting fire to police cars:


Then the police were clubbing and arresting peaceful protesters in what were supposed to be safe protest zones:








And more here.

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