ADVISORY Monday July 12, 2010
Appeal for public help exposing police crimes
Groups launch peoples’ investigation into police abuses at G20
Toronto – Community groups are calling on the public to come forward with photos, video, and eye witness accounts of police violence against civilians during the G20 summits in Toronto.
This evidence will be used to ensure that there are consequences for all those who beat and injured people, and for the masterminds who conspired to plan and give orders for the widespread police violence and repression that was experienced by thousands on the streets. TCMN will be displaying on Tuesday 6 photos, and videos of police abuses, and is asking the public to help identify the officers involved.
What: Press conference featuring TCMN, Movement Defence Committee, Toronto Street Medics, and injured protesters.
When: Tuesday July 13, 11 a.m.
Where: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 252 Bloor Street West, room 7-216
Visuals: Six large, high resolution images of police abuse. Videos of police abuses.
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For more information and interviews contact
Media Liaisons
647.454.2443
[email protected]
http://www.g20.torontomobilize.org/media
Twitter: @g20mobilize
**
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plan the gutting of our social programs,” said Farrah Miranda of the
Toronto Community Mobilization Network. “We are asking the public to help
us to expose these incidents, and to ensure that there are consequences
for these outrageous abuses of power.”
“These rogue officers did not act alone,” she added. “They were part of a
coordinated conspiracy by police chiefs and politicians that led to
injuries, the detention of organizers, and the largest arbitrary mass
arrest in modern Canadian history. This is not behaviour that should be
commended, this is behaviour that should be investigated.”
The Toronto Community Mobilization Network is launching an independent
peoples’ investigation into the severe and widespread abuses of police
power that occurred during the G20 meetings in Toronto, and the collusion
of politicians in making and executing those plans. This peoples’
investigation will include representation from community groups, people
who were detained and hurt, NGO’s, academics, legal and medical
professionals, and the communities who face police repression every day.
The investigation will yield a report calling for clear consequences
including firings, and charges of those responsible for abuses including:
1. Arbitrary intimidation, searches, mass arrests and abhorrent
conditions in detention.
2. Many serious injuries to protesters, including while in handcuffs.
3. Illegal, repeated strip searches, threats of rape, and molestation.
4. Discrimination against deaf people, women, LGBTQ people, Quebecois,
organizers, others.
5. Passing of secret laws limiting civil rights, and then misleading the
public about their nature.
The Toronto Community Mobilization Network is posting today 6 photos of
police abuses, and is asking the public to help identify the officers
involved. We are also calling on people of conscience within the police
and the government to come forward as whistleblowers to expose the
decision makers behind this violence. People can contribute photos or
other information to our investigation through
http://g20.torontomobilize.org/PeoplesInvestigation, by emailing
[email protected], and by tagging uploaded photos, accounts, and
video with #G20PoliceViolence. We cannot ensure the confidentiality of
these submissions.
Movement organizations continue to call for:
1. Immediate release of all G20 protest prisoners.
2. Dropping all G20 related charges.
3. Firings and prosecution of those responsible for ordering police
violence, and abuses.
4. Abolishment of the G20.
“All of the serious injuries we saw and treated were caused by police
violence,” said Dr. Abeer Majeed of the Toronto Street Medics. “We did
not come across any police officers or bystanders who were injured by
demonstrators. The police abuses that we witnessed against people caused
significant trauma, injuries and a shattering of the public trust. It is
imperative that there is accountability and there are consequences for
these senseless, violent, and dangerous actions.”
“If such abuses of power are not nipped in the bud such crackdowns will be
repeated as our communities organize to oppose the cutbacks and suffering
imposed by the G20 austerity agenda,” said Jean McDonald, a York
University student who had her hand broken by police. “Police violence
has long targeted racialized communities. Now all our communities are
coming together and the police and politicians are out of control. We
need to ensure that those conspiring to hurt people in any community
cannot get away with it ever again.”
