Seriously, though, this is some impressive video. Quite brave, and very interesting to watch.

Whoever torched that cop car should be ashamed. All of that black smoke from the burning plastic and what-not… What good is that going to do? I can think of better things to ignite at times like this… If G20 were G420, we wouldn’t be having this problem.

Other than occasional acts by wayward officers, the manner in which the police behave can be said with reasonable certainty to directly equate to the government’s attitude toward the people and respect for their freedoms and their rights.

What a bunch of cocks. Paid or not they’re clearly a poor excuse for human beings. I know policemen that refuse to do work like this on the principal that they don’t agree with it (UK); I’m not sure if the Canadian police have the same freedom (which of course they should), if so then they’re even bigger dicks than I first thought.

http://lexgill.com/2010/06/28/urgent-conditions-at-629-eastern-ave-illegal-immoral-dangerous/

Amongst other things, “queer detainees reported to have been transferred to a Segregated Zone.”

My only beef with the coverage is that it is called an “attack” or similar. From that video and the overhead shot its clear that it isn’t much of an attack. I see a couple guys in the front of the protesters get pushed with riot shields but they don’t fall over. One cop falls down from shoving a someone. That is pretty much the extent of the “violence.” The police don’t even seem to have billy clubs out.

So what it looks like is peaceful protesters pushed back without any real violence and a new line established. They don’t arrest anyone. They don’t even chase the protesters very far (half a block? one block?).

Did the police just push the crowd back? Was anyone injured? Arrested? Despite the dramatic look of the thing it was pretty sedate as far as protests go.

Funny how little the structures of power change in comparison to the society around it.

Perhaps those black-shirted thugs would have been more comfortable hearing the crowd singing “Horst-Wessel-Lied?”

The police in almost all western countries are transforming themselves in something very much like Hitler’s brown-shirts, merely enforcer’s of the politicians’ goals than protectors of the citizenry.

NOTE: Go to the Torontoist site for more details, pix, and vids.

A couple years back I didn’t quite understand how anyone could put a “Vote from the rootops” bompersticker on their car.

Now I do.

I get the sense from the coverage official or otherwise that the majority of people involved in the atrocious events this weekend weren’t there for political demonstration (peaceful or otherwise). Try counting all of the cameras being used in this video. Seems like most people were there to get a good story.

Sadly the mainstream media practically ignored any political messages from the peaceful demonstrations. They were drowned out by the hooligans and animosity happening in conflicts like the one shown in the video. What was the point of being there on that day in direct opposition to the advice from security personel? Besides, as another commentor points out — I hardly see any signs of brutality or excessive violence being used.

What has anyone taken away from these demonstrations? The police forces are only going to be demonized by coverage claiming brutality and excessive force but lacking any evidence. Of course, if there were cases where the police acted inappropriately, I do hope that they are investigated and punishment appropriately applied.

The sad thing about this whole weekend has been the pointlessness of it all. I got an invitation to join a rally a week prior, but shook my head at it’s call to action: fight oppression! Take back the streets! From what? Who is oppressing me?

Clearly no one.

Nothing better then relaxing in a hotel while a city burns on the horizon.