At Queen and University, someone was pulled out of the group. We stopped. Those of us closest to the back started to say, "Let him go!" Other demonstrators further along heard us, and came back.
We remained there, repeating the demand.
And they let him go.
Yeah, I was right in the middle of the group. It must have been something for the police to see several thousand people turn their gaze on them.
Either way, it was spectacular. It was energizing. I of course bumped into OG and the goatlings. I watched Michelle's FB updates fairly closely! I also spoke with quite a few people were there on the weekend and dealt with some serious police shit.
But I have to say, the entire time...It was weird. I've never looked at a cop and only seen a cop. I always used to see a working person. I'd look around and see cops everywhere. Cordoning it off. When we were at City Hall, I was in another world. I'd look around and see glass and big blue fences holding us in. Cops on all sides. When we got to Queen's Park, it was worse. I saw a line of cops on the foot of the legislature. I looked back and saw them surrounding us to the west and the south. I couldn't see east. I just suddenly felt tense. I eventually relaxed when I thought 'well, if they've not started shit yet...they won't.' But still. I didn't see a working person wearing a uniform. I just saw a uniform. Someone. Something. Something that was being paid to be out there to, at the crackle of a radio, turn a baton on me. Something out there to hurt my friends. To hurt my family. It felt like all the cordial encounters with police in the past had melted away. It was just cops. This sound stupid and potentially put-down-ish, but as a white straight (and ostensibly to my grandma - good catholic) male...I'd never felt so vulnerable and threatened before. I'd never looked at a cop and thought 'that person is out to hurt me'. See the faces all blend together.
What really struck home for me was seeing some of the same cops that were on videos this weekend committing crimes and still walking free. What really struck me was a cop and her buddies sitting at Union joking about what they did this weekend. No remorse. Nothing.
God help us.
Yes, you're all starting to really see why others refer to them as pigs. They're not there to help you; they are there to hurt you, to keep you in line. Seriously, after all the pig violence, who here would have been the least bit sorry if things had happened to the pigs?