It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.
You know, rather than 10,000 protestors a kilometer away, I’d like to see these sorts of summits make time to meet with a few representatives. Let the protestors select three or five (or whatever) people who can most articulately express their views, and put some time in the schedule for them to meet with the heads of state.
A few years ago, I took a tour of the Winter Palace of the Habsburgs in Vienna. Apparently, there was a time when any citizen of the empire could petition to meet the emperor, and there were certain days set aside for this. There was a certain amount of pagentry, but they really did have five or ten minutes to say whatever they wanted.
I’d like to see some world leader institute something like that. They spend plenty of time already talking to each other.
:rolleyes:
And while I’m at it, fuck those punks. and they don’t need Guantanamo, they need a special new kind of prison: a hybrid Super-Max prison and McDonald’s Training Center. Teach these douchebags how to be useful. And if they fuck up an order or mopping duty in the slightest, taze the fuck out of them. Or just throw them in a cell with a gallery chamber above it where the people who were the victims of their vandalism can piss on them.
I’m watching the news coverage on TV as I type this. Lots of police standing around, and plenty of protestors marching. Both groups seem to be well-behaved. However, it appears that some protestors came prepared for mayhem. From Marcus Gee’s column in today’s Globe and Mail:
Currently on the TV:
The news announcer just mentioned that a group of anarchists have declared that they intend to challenge the security forces. I don’t think we’re looking at that on TV right now, but there seems to be some sort of confrontation–the marchers have reached a police line, and a few objects have been thrown. Some scuffles between police and protestors have occurred. Interestingly, this is happening just outside the TV news studio (Queen and John streets), and we’re seeing from the rooftop down into the street. The police are carefully pushing the crowd back. A reporter on a cellphone in the crowd is saying that the protestors have thrown paint at the police, and are shouting “Police go home.” Things now seem to be calm, but police reinforcements are on their way.
Update to the above: Apparently, three protestors were injured in the scuffle; paramedics are either on the scene or on their way.
We’re hearing about a group of anarchists known as the Black Bloc, who apparently are in the crowd (not hard to spot, they’re dressed totally in black, including face masks). A security expert is explaining their usual tactics–it seems they dress normally and join in peaceful protests, then they change into their all-black gear in the crowd. When there are enough, they start doing their thing, including throwing Molotov cocktails, and rushing police. The expert is explaining how the police will extract the Black Bloc people from the crowd if it becomes apparent that the Bloc has decided to escalate things.
Things seem calm right now, but are a little tense.
Thanks for the updates Spoons. I’m at work presently.
Update: The reporter in the crowd is reporting hundreds of Black Bloc protestors have materialized, and seem to be figuring out what to do.
She’s reporting a Molotov cocktail has been thrown. We can see the smoke. No, it’s a flare, she says. Lots of smoke. More peaceful protestors are retreating. Smoke is dissapating.
The reporter is saying that the Black Bloc have tried to spray the TV camera with something, so their identities won’t be revealed. Police are putting on gas masks.
Mounted police are moving in. Hazmat crews are standing by. I’ll post this now, but will continue watching.
OK the crowd is running back to the TV station. Things are being thrown. Police are in the middle; their batons are out. They’re trying to push the crowd back. The leader of the protestors is calling on the crowd to start throwing things. Police car windows are being smashed. Police have not yet fought back, but are holding their line.
More car windows being smashed. A police car has been swarmed (nobody in it). The crowd is moving. It’s retreating a bit, reversing course.
They’re starting a bonfire. There are a few houses in the neighbourhood; the reporter is saying the crowd has taken rocks from the gardens, and garbage cans (and the trash), and bottles from recycling bins, and throwing things. More smashing of cars.
Seems like if you’re going to build a wall, you’re better off to just sit over the wall and shoot people from there rather than have a line of officers out front of the wall holding people back.
Hundreds of black-clad protestors walking eastbound along Queen Street. Some businesses and stores being attacked. TV is showing protestors trying to break the windows of a bank. Unsuccessful–shatter-resistant glass.
Police standing by; security expert is saying police are letting protestors vent, any police intervention would create a major problem. Expert says we’ll have to wait and see what will happen next, but likely that police will move in eventually.
Reports of protestors trying to rip up the cobblestones near Nathan Phillips Square.
Reports of tear gas preparation happening; some reports that it has been used, unable to confirm.
A Canada Post box has been deposited somehow in the middle of Queen Street.
Things seem calm for now; many people just wandering aimlessly.
Oh no! The protestors have deployed vuvuzuelas! 
(They really have.)
Seriously, confirmation of tear gas use. No TV pictures though. Police are holding their line. Fence begins at Wellington and Bay streets, reporter on cellphone on scene, police marching to try to clear Wellington and Bay intersection. Reports of police at King and Bay, reports of smoke nearby.
Crowd has set a police cruiser afire–that’s the smoke. Bay and Front streets, it looks like. TV pictures of it. Security expert predicts time for police to act; anarchists will keep “pushing the envelope” until somebody hurt.
Police trying to disperse crowd around burning cruiser. Fire crews unable to get near because of crowd. Police have situation under control, though assorted people running through area.
Unconfirmed report that fence has been breached; reporter on scene says unlikely. Protestors nearby, but no apparent breach.
Police very calm; holding their lines. Outside of clearing area around burning car, police have taken little action. Prepared for trouble though, riot gear and gas masks ready. Keeping people from going where they shouldn’t, leaving them alone in areas they can go. Security expert puzzled–seems he’s never seen police not respond/react in situations such as this.
Reports of “small pockets” of protestors who breached line and got to fence, but they were easily contained and arrested.
Reports of two more police cars on fire at Bay and King Streets. Fire crews responding.
Fire crew reached first burning car; firefighters dealing with blaze.
Reports that Black Bloc has gathered at Yonge and Dundas; Eaton Centre has been put on lockdown.
Concerns that Black Bloc problems on Yonge Street will compromise safety of innocent bystanders (tourists, shoppers, etc.) at Dundas and Yonge, and Queen and Yonge.
Reports of many smashed storefronts. This, plus the burned police cars, seems to be the only serious damage so far.
Not much happening right now. Sorry, Leaffan, I’ve got to go get a few things done today. Suggest you follow CTV online, which is the TV news I’ve been watching.
No sweat. Thanks Spoons.
So much for our polite Canadian thing - unless the ring leaders are from out of town.
Looking quite messy on the news.
Rent a big-assed luxury cruise ship and park it in the middle of the ocean. Get the countries who are going to the conference to provide naval ships to setup a blockade to stop any ships from getting close.
30-20 miles: warnings issued to unauthorized ships and boats.
20-10 miles: Unauthorized ships get boarded. Ships are automatically confiscated to help defer cruise ship costs.
10-0 miles: No warnings given: Unauthorized ships get automatically sunk in water previously chummed for sharks.
Get’s my vote.
Fuck that. They can meet at military bases and other, pre-secured areas. The only reason that these meetings are held in mountain resorts and the downtowns of major cities is to satisfy the rampant egos of our political elite.
I doubt whether it would have made a difference if they held it at CFB Trenton. The protesters would still be protesting in the nearest municipality, i.e Trenton. Besides, you’re going to ask world leaders to sleep on a cot in the barracks, or what?
Political elite? You mean the democratically-elected representatives of our countries (well, except for China.) Come on. These are the heads of governments meeting to resolve, or at least discuss, international issues. The protesters are a bunch of morons. Utter morons who think corporations are the root of all evil. How could anyone with a decent education think that looting and pillaging storefronts would in any way send a worthy message to anyone?
I think that by holding these conferences anywhere they please they are sending a message to the protesters. Riot all you want, we’re holding the conference in Toronto and we don’t care what you do. If you start holding these on cruise ships or military bases then the few hundred assholes have won. I don’t want the assholes to win.
Hint: They already have. We’ve spent a billion dollars on this dog and pony show to protect our representatives from a few loons.