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Guardian Journalist Beaten by Toronto Police at G20 Summit.
Jack Megaw, Photographer, Assistant
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Paul Hayes, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Littleton | NH | USA | Posted: 9:59 PM on 06.27.10 |
->> This is wrong, no doubt. But what were the circumstances? In my opinion, being arrested while covering the G20 is bad, but policing the G20 in the midst of rioting anarchists is even worse.
Were these clear cut cases of police brutality & unfair treatment of the press? Or were the cops wading into the middle of a throbbing, lawless group of protesters? |
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Philip Johnson, Photographer
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 5:19 AM on 06.28.10 |
->> Why would anyone organizing a G20 summit put it in the middle of a major city? You KNOW that there's going to be demos and riots and burning cars so why not have at some swank resort in the Canadian Rockies? Or use an island rsort with controlled access? The video of the assembled leaders will look the same since they never leave the conference...
The Canadian government has spent a reported $1 Billion on summit security and if I were Canadian I'd very tres P.O.'d at the waste of money. |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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| | | Posted: 8:22 AM on 06.28.10 |
->> From the AP story in the Yahoo Link - "police Sunday said they had never before used tear gas until Saturday's clashes with anti-Globalization activists"
Back in April 2001 I covered the Summit Of The Americas up in Quebec City and the cops fired a non-stop barrage of tear gas. Maybe down in Toronto they hadn't used tear gas, but up in Quebec City the RCMP had no problem letting tear gas fly every few seconds. |
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Chuck Liddy, Photographer
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Durham | NC | USA | Posted: 9:49 AM on 06.28.10 |
| ->> After looking through a bunch of websites I have to agree with Jim. Why in the world do they hold these things in major cities AND announce the site so far in advance these "anarchists" have time to plan out the entire week. I use the term "anarchists" loosely since for the most part I think they're just a bunch of spoiled kids with too much time on their hands who enjoy wreaking havoc then cry about getting tear gassed, tazered or hit with riot baton. I'm still confused why anyone would be shocked that the police are using force as these folks throw bricks and bottles, are causing massive property damage and setting police cars on fire. I'm no proponent of hard handed tactics by the cops but these fools are rioting for the sake of rioting..... |
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Phillip MacCallum, Photographer
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Ottawa (Carleton Pla | ON | Canada | Posted: 9:52 AM on 06.28.10 |
->> It was reported that the G20 and G8 countries had decided to focus on not wasting public money in order to continue the recovery process from the world recession. Clearly Stephen Harper didn't get the message. $1 billions spent on a large fence, a fake lake and a fake persona... And now, with such outright lies as having not previously used tear gas on Anti-globilization activists, the over the top security measures that have been used are sure to produce a variety of lawsuits costing us Canadian tax payers a heap more money.
Thanks for nothing Mr. Harper. This fiasco has done nothing to improve your image with Canadians nor the World Leaders.
Hell, even the British Prime Minister and the Germany Chancellor ducked out early from the G20 to catch a World Cup Soccer Match. Now that's respect. |
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Paul Hayes, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Littleton | NH | USA | Posted: 12:49 PM on 06.28.10 |
->> Is this really a surprise? Rioters + Riot Police = Chaos. In the wake of that chaos, there will be innocent people with legitimate axes to grind (working press and bystanders alike). I think we almost have to expect this sort of thing, right?
One thing I'd really, really like to know for future reference, in the event I'm ever caught up in one of these sh*t shows, is how did the arrested journalists mentioned above conduct themselves? Does anyone know?
Was it a case where they were swept up in the crowd? Were they fleeing from/running towards the police presence? Did they attempt to calmly explain themselves of did they read the police the riot act? Could they have done anything differently and still done their job and gotten the access they wanted/were entitled to? Were they wearing anything (credentials/clothing) identifying them as members of the working press? And how many press photogs *weren't* arrested?
I find these situations fascinating and would really love to know if there are any lessons to be learned here. |
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Matthew Ginn, Photographer
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 9:53 AM on 06.29.10 |
->> From the Globe & Mail:
Police chief offers no apologies for G20 tactics http://bit.ly/dfLVDt
“They [journalists] were asked to leave. They choose not to. They were told that the people in that area, if they remained, would be detained ... to prevent a breach of the peace.” --Toronto police chief Bill Blair
Thoughts? |
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Matthew Cavanah, Photographer
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Columbia | MO | US | Posted: 12:26 PM on 06.29.10 |
->> As someone fresh out of college and about as green as you can get when it comes to this type of coverage, is there any kind of set protocol for how to act? Laws to know to help keep you out of trouble? Obviously it's a riot, so I know 'protocols' and 'laws' don't really factor into a sheer chaos, but I'm just curious to hear what people who have been in this situation have to say about making it out without getting arrested...or you know...alive.
I've only had one run in with riot police, but it was a fairly peaceful demonstration. The National Socialist Party *cough* NAZIS *cough cough* came to town and the local police somewhat over deployed. There were a few arrests, all civilians who were counter-protesting. I believe the only photog that got any kind of excessive grief was Nick King, then working for the Columbia Daily Tribune, and he got caught up in some pepper spray, which I imagine at a full scale riot is pretty hard to avoid. |
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Edward Kay, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Campbellville | ON | Canada | Posted: 12:40 PM on 06.29.10 |
->> If you knew the city of Toronto, lived there and seen how it's governed by Mayor Miller, none of this would come as any surprise as far as the city making no apologizes to anyone.
Factor into it Dalton McGuinty and well, it's no wonder Toronto was turned into a 'Police Control Zone' giving Police special arrest powers as he did with no regard for people living in the core area was just asking for this mess.
From what I've been told by someone who was there, the Police detained some people they're gonna wish they hadn't. Professional people who were simple out cycling or walking. People were arrested far outside the operating area of the barricades from what I've been told by someone. In some instances the Police 'went looking' for suspicious people and grabbed whoever they wanted.
I'm not a big fan of TO, I lived there for 10 years, but this was a total farce. Having the G20 in the Core was the dumbest idea I've seen in a long long time. |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Sean Burges, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Ottawa | ON | Canada | Posted: 9:28 AM on 06.30.10 |
| ->> From what I've heard from a cop in Canada, the problem with all the complaints procedures is that the Police really don't care. They'll just cut a cheque and be done with it. There don't seem to be any real consequences or accountability for those in command or those making the decisions that direct the police. The interesting avenue of pursuit would be the idea of personal liability and criminal liability for those topping the chain of command and creating the situation that leads to mass breeches of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. None of this is likely, particularly during a time when a supposedly accountability-driven federal government frequently seems to be a doing a good job of dodging accountability. |
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Edward Kay, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Campbellville | ON | Canada | Posted: 8:24 PM on 06.30.10 |
->> Of course those of us in Canada familiar with our political scene know who's head should really be on the chopping block for this fiasco. Problem is there really isn't any good alternative for the most part, and the little b#$@rd knows it. ;
It will be interesting to monitor the fall-out from this over the next few months. Keep an eye on how certain people conduct themselves, I'm sure someone who had little to do with the G20 will get served up as a sacrifice no doubt. |
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Rick Hiebert, Photographer
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Morden | Manitoba | Canada | Posted: 11:14 AM on 07.01.10 |
->> 1 Billion on security. 100's of innocent victims (business owners). Tons of controversy regarding control over rioters. So much media attention given to negative special interest groups.
Why not host these summits on an aircraft carrier way out at sea? They're out on the seas most of the time anyway. Patrol it with subs, aircraft, and battleships that are out most any given time anyway...no real additional expense. Issue a no fly/boat zone.
Then talk business. |
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Chris Large, Photographer
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Okotoks | AB | Canada | Posted: 11:00 PM on 07.01.10 |
->> The most secure area in the world is on any one of the US aircraft carriers. You don't need fences, police, undercover agents. An aircraft carrier is patrolled by warships, subs, aircraft and on and on. Leaders could fly in, do the standard media grip and grins, then accomplish nothing...without the costs, the protests, the burning and looting......
or is that just too easy of an explanation.....
things that make you go hhhhhmmmmm |
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Steve Russell, Photographer
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Toronto | ON | Canada | Posted: 12:58 AM on 07.02.10 |
->> “This was not a site where somebody casually walked up to catch a bus,” Chief Blair said of the demonstration at Queen Street West and Spadina in an interview with the Globe and Mail.
No, but this poor guy was walking to his job, collecting bus fares, when he was walking to work, http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontog20summit/article/830858--ttc-worker...
A lot of journalists got roped into the the arrests.
Although I was not at Spadina and Queen that night, I was at a few other places where "demonstrators" were kettled in and all detained. At none of them did I ever hear an order to disperse.
The police made a big production of eight sound cannons that they would use for public address but never used them once.
We have a few photo blogs from the weekend,
http://bit.ly/G20-saturday
http://bit.ly/G20-sunday
And a look into the detention centre
http://bit.ly/stalag-G20 |
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