It’s been 11 days since the G20 protests marched through the streets of Toronto. There were a total of 1,090 arrests according to activist sources/police say 1,105 were detained (see the full count below). We have been hearing stories of those who were arrested and detained at the Eastern Avenue Detention Centre, including the wretched conditions inside the Detention Centre, and of more than 700 people released without charges.
Who’s missing from this story are the people who still remain in custody. The Movement Defence Committee (MDC) is currently providing legal support to the 16 people still remain in custody (as reported by The Attorney General’s Office).
I want to take this moment to provide a huge shout out to the people from the Movement Defence Committee who have stood side by side with activists and community.
Among those still behind bars is Jaggi Singh who surrendered to Toronto police early Tuesday morning to comply with a warrant issued following the G20 protests.
So while we sit around our living rooms, in coffee shops and community parks, and talk about the impact of the G20 on our lives, let’s not forget the motto: “we are not free until all of us are free.”
According to MDC lawyer, Ryan White: “Those individuals who were arrested are clearly political prisoners (who) were caught up in the state’s overreaching of their police powers and these individuals, first and foremost, should be freed as soon as possible.”
Other groups that faced intense police harassment when out in the field were Street Medics tasked with providing basic first aid for simple injuries like cuts and bruises.
Returning back to Jaggi Singh, according to the warrant issued for his arrest, the charges he faces include several counts of criminal conspiracy, including alleged conspiracies to commit mischief to property, assault police, and obstruct justice.
I won’t say anything else right now since this is now before the courts and I know the police(=state) will be looking to manipulate any words for their own purposes, but I have to agree with the role that Singh described for himself: “I helped people find housing and get transportation to come to a demonstration. That’s my conspiracy,” he said. “But give the police enough money and resources and they’ll transform protesters and organizers into criminals.”
Community Organizers were targeted by police in the lead up and during the G20 Summit demonstrations.
For example, Syed Hussan, 25, an organiser with No One Is Illegal-Toronto and the Toronto Community Mobilization Network was reportedly swarmed by a group of plain clothes police officers, thrown into an unmarked van and driven away while on his way to the Labour March at Queen’s Park on the morning of Saturday, June 26th.
In a press release by No One Is Illegal, community members who have been impacted by Hussen’s good work comment:
“I feel scared for Hussan and really sad,” said Alisha Alam, an 11-year-old participant in Hussan’s youth program. “He taught us a lot about the real world. He stands up for people’s rights. He’s nice and friendly, and I don’t think he should have been arrested.”
On the flip side — and I’m pretty sure the direction we’re flipping is down and not up — it was reported that Hussan and other Toronto Community Mobilization Network organizers were most likely arrested within the context (as a “co-conspirator”) of a year long police undercover operation to nail four alleged “ringleaders” of the G20 Summit protests.
Amanda Hiscocks, Leah Henderson, Alex Hundert and Peter Hopperton are all alleged executives in the Southern Ontario Anarchist Resistance (SOAR). They were arrested on Friday June 25, 2010 in morning and charged with conspiracy to commit indictable mischief. Fifteen alleged co-conspirators were also arrested.
See here: G8/G20 Communiqué: Police conduct midnight raids on activists, up to 23 arrested though please note that it turns out the Toronto Police lied about the extent of these supposed secret police powers.
Dear rebellious, does any of this piss you off, then come out to the Civil Liberties rally planned for Saturday July 10 at Queen’s Park for 1:00 p.m.
“State of Emergency” video calls for G20 public inquiry
So let us not become complacent and drift back into our normal half-awake in a fake empire. Our friends need our help. And you know what we are all just so awesomely great at doing: Organizing and mobilizing! We can do this. We can be there for each other through the people-good and the police state–bad.
This is the “So-so-solidarité” you hear everyone chanting at demonstrations, well let’s make it fucking mean something!
G8/G20 Communiqué: The importance of jail solidarity
This is when we need each other most. Let us rise up like a pride of lions and defend our own. Out of our heads and our living rooms and into the streets!
None of us can be free until we are all free!
**
According to Toronto Police, Ministry of the Attorney General:
Of the 1,105 people detained:
–113 were released at the scene with no charge laid.
–714 were charged with breach of the peace, detained by police for up to 24 hours and released unconditionally with no charges laid.
–15 were charged with offences, detained by police and released on a promise to appear.
–263 were charged with offences and detained by police for bail hearings.
Of the 263 held for bail hearings (as of Tuesday):
–16 were still in custody awaiting completion of their bail hearings.
–Six or fewer people had completed their bail hearings and were denied bail.
–245 people had been granted bail. In the “vast majority” of cases, despite the police holding the person for a bail hearing, the Crown did not contest bail being granted.
**
The Toronto Police Board wants you to know that anyone wanting to lodge a complaint about their treatment by police during the summit or under any other circumstance can find out how by contacting the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) at www.oiprd.on.ca or calling toll free at 1-877-411-4773.
More on the Toronto Police Services Board Inquiry into the police’s conduct during the G8/G20 Summits to come since I’m waiting for news to roll in. In the meantime, here’s an inspiring video I’ve embedded below.
You can see pictures of the security fence that protected delegates from the people — a mean, my god, think of what would happen if the people and politicians were actually able to meet! — a fence which now will cost taxpayers $9.4M, nearly double the original estimate.
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