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Law Enforcement - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.....

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Paul

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Here you go folks. With the rising amount of posts about law enforcement and riders opinions of them....we've decided to help keep GTAM clean and organized and all bashing will be moved to this post.

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Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

179 Million for a 2 day event. Wow. You know there's something wrong when you have a small army following around these global government assemblies. I hope I don't have to work that weekend, it's going to be a friggin' zoo, or a war zone.


Monday, April 26, 2010

Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit


By Dana Gabriel
The G20 summit will be held on June 26-27 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre preceded by the G8 summit which will take place in Huntsville, Ontario. The secretive meetings will be attended by world leaders, finance ministers, central bank governors, along with thousands of other delegates. It will be the largest security event in Canadian history exceeding the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Downtown Toronto will be turned into a security fortress with fences, barricades, checkpoints and street closures thus greatly affecting local residents. While the G8/G20 summits will attract their share of peaceful protesters, other more radical and fringe elements may try to capitalize on the event. Agent provocateurs might also be used whose actions could then justify a police crackdown and as a means to demonize all demonstrators. The G20 summit will deepen police state measures, as well as further integrate local, provincial, federal law enforcement agencies and the military.

Security for the upcoming G20 summit will be the responsibility of the Integrated Security Unit, “comprised of the RCMP, the OPP (in the G8 context), the Canadian Forces, Toronto Police Service, Peel Regional Police and other law enforcement and security experts who will work collaboratively.” Ed Boltuc, a member of the G20 planning team for the Toronto Police Service stated, “The Olympics that you saw recently in Vancouver was actually the largest security event ever to take place here in Canada. The G20/G8 surpasses that completely.” He went on to say, “There’s going to be a massive — absolutely massive — presence of police and security on the ground like you’ve never seen before.” The Globe and Mail reported that as many as 10,000 uniformed officers, along with a 1,000 private security guards will be deployed together with an unspecified number of Canadian soldiers. Foreign dignitaries attending the meetings will also have their own security detail. The federal government security costs are expected to top $179 million.

As part of the operation, a two fenced security perimeter will encircle the Metro Convention Centre and nearby hotels where delegates will be staying. The RCMP are entrusted with protecting the inner security zone which will be controlled by a 3-metre-high unscalable fence, as well as five levels of security screening. Toronto police will be in charge of the outer zone and will deal with any protests beyond the perimeter. Canadian Forces responsibilities involve, “large-scale operational planning, land and air surveillance, underwater safety and security for the venues and some logistic and ceremonial functions. Support also includes drawing on the CF’s ongoing partnership in the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD).” Heightened security will begin two weeks before the summit. In order to gain access to the outer security zone, residents and workers will need to be registered or accredited. Designated free speech zones will also be put in place for demonstrators. Toronto Police have announced that they will be using an old movie studio as a temporary jail to house unruly protesters during the event.

The G8/G20 summits have become a platform for protests on issues such as social justice, anti-globalization and the environment. A government website section entitled Information for Demonstrators points out that freedoms of opinion, expression and peaceful assembly guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are not limitless. The Criminal Code of Canada contains provisions that limit certain activities including blocking or obstructing a highway, causing a disturbance, mischief, riots, unlawful assembly, breach of the peace and others. Some of these laws could be subjectively enforced and just as government grants you rights, they can just as easily take them away. Most protesters will probably remain peaceful, but some groups and individuals might have different ideas. In the past, police have been caught using provocateurs at rallies and activists need to be mindful of those who may attempt to infiltrate their ranks and engage in unlawful behaviour. Council of Canadians spokesman Dylan Penner wants the government to promise it will not use agents provocateurs like it did at North American Leaders Summit in Montebello, Quebec, back in 2007. In advance of G20 summit, some Toronto activists have been subjected to harassment and intimidation by police. Similar tactics were also employed in Vancouver before the Olympics.

People in Toronto are already getting a taste of what to expect during the G20 summit. A recent training exercise simulated a hostage taking in the concourse level of Commerce Court, in the downtown core of the city. The operation was comprised of Toronto Police Emergency Task Force, along with private security personnel. The joint exercise was designed to train police and security guards on how to communicate through a shared radio system. During the G20 summit, private security will play an important role in crowd control and emergency response. This is part of the continued merging of the public and private security sectors. Another training exercise involved two military helicopters flying around the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and then landing in front of the CN Tower. This was to test the capability of the landing area and practice transporting delegates to the venues site. These various security drills are intended to check coordinated responses and ultimately to confirm readiness for the summit. They are also used to further acclimate increased police and military presence.

More than anything, it is protests and the threat of terrorism which are used to justify these huge security operations. The deployment of the military alongside police is increasing with their roles seemingly interchangeable. Police tactics and training have become more militarized. New weapons and technology first developed for the military are often being incorporated into police departments. At last year’s G20 summit in Pittsburgh, the LRAD which is capable of emitting painfully loud blasts of sound was turned against protesters. This illustrates a more aggressive approach in trying to control public dissent. Events such as the G20 have become a testing ground for new police state measures and a trial run for a military style occupation. In June, downtown Toronto will essentially be on lockdown with rights and liberties severely restricted.
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

Didn't read most of it but,

G8/G20 protesters = attention whores
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

My office is in the quarantine zone. The amount of planning that is going on for this in unbelievable, as we are a 24/7 operation, and for 3-4 days, we will not be able to get our regular employees or deliveries at that site.

That said, I have asked to work that weekend, just so I can watch the riot/protest festivities from my office window!
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

Ha, I can see the MTCC from my building...For those 2 days...we are being moved to the back up site to avoid all the hassle....Such a pain in the aes and a waste of $$$
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

why can't all the G8 countries buy an island somewhere to hold their meetings? They waste enuff money each year on these meetings...
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

why can't all the G8 countries buy an island somewhere to hold their meetings? They waste enuff money each year on these meetings...

pretty sweet idea just get the navy to patrol the waters...i mean 150 million x 8 countries could buy a sick slice of paradise.
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

why can't all the G8 countries buy an island somewhere to hold their meetings? They waste enuff money each year on these meetings...

+1. My building is right smack dab in the centre of this clusterf**k. Thank god I don't work weekends haha.

I wonder if there's going to be any spillover disruption on the friday, though.
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

I guess it would be too simple to have the G20 meeting somewhere other than downtown in the biggest busiest city in Canada.
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

I guess it would be too simple to have the G20 meeting somewhere other than downtown in the biggest busiest city in Canada.

No kidding. Isn't there some deserted mining town up north that they can all meet in?
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

Work right downtown too. My plan is to GTFO of town on Wednesday evening and work remotely for the rest of the week. I hate traffic and line ups. I suspect this is going to be a giant disaster for those having to get downtown leading up to and during the time of the summit.
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

I live right in the middle of it :( not looking forward to it at all.
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

No kidding. Isn't there some deserted mining town up north that they can all meet in?

Sure thing.

- Transporting thousands of delegates to the location?
- Housing them, where? In unused mine shafts, and the overflow in tents?
- Food and catering logistics?
- Telecommunications between delegates and their home nations?
- Access to computers?

And if it were logistically and practically possible, what would it cost?

There's something to be said for having the event where the necessary meeting, accommodation, and other logistics are all available within walking distance.

The security is a problem as far as daily life in the area is concerned, but it's for a very short time. It's also necessary with so many high ranking international leaders concentrated in one spot. One nutbar with free access could do a lot of damage otherwise.
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

Sure thing.

- Transporting thousands of delegates to the location?
- Housing them, where? In unused mine shafts, and the overflow in tents?
- Food and catering logistics?
- Telecommunications between delegates and their home nations?
- Access to computers?

And if it were logistically and practically possible, what would it cost?

There's something to be said for having the event where the necessary meeting, accommodation, and other logistics are all available within walking distance.

The security is a problem as far as daily life in the area is concerned, but it's for a very short time. It's also necessary with so many high ranking international leaders concentrated in one spot. One nutbar with free access could do a lot of damage otherwise.

Military base, it has all of that.
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

179 million...jesus christ
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

So....anybody else think that the DVP is gonna get shut down that weekend for "maintenance" again? :D
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

Sure thing.

- Transporting thousands of delegates to the location?
- Housing them, where? In unused mine shafts, and the overflow in tents?
- Food and catering logistics?
- Telecommunications between delegates and their home nations?
- Access to computers?

And if it were logistically and practically possible, what would it cost?

There's something to be said for having the event where the necessary meeting, accommodation, and other logistics are all available within walking distance.

The security is a problem as far as daily life in the area is concerned, but it's for a very short time. It's also necessary with so many high ranking international leaders concentrated in one spot. One nutbar with free access could do a lot of damage otherwise.


I was mostly joking. I do understand logisitcally why its here but its still a huge pain in the ***. I think my dislike of politicians is only eclipsed by my dislike for the protesters that follow these clowns around. I'm conflicted here. :D
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

Military base, it has all of that.

You might be surprised at how limited the facilities are at Canadian military bases. Aside from base security considerations, they're just not set up to handle the housing and meeting needs of large conventions of the scale of the upcoming Summit.
 
Re: Police State Canada 2010 and the G20 Summit

I was mostly joking. I do understand logisitcally why its here but its still a huge pain in the ***. I think my dislike of politicians is only eclipsed by my dislike for the protesters that follow these clowns around. I'm conflicted here. :D


Protesters, ugh. I remember when protesters turned downtown Seattle into a literal war zone during the WTO conference in 1999.
 

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