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This is the second G20 Summit policing case that has gone to court.

On Friday May 31, 2013, Ontario Superior Court Justice M. Gregory Ellies found Toronto Police Constable Glenn Weddell not guilty of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon in regards to the alleged beating of Dorian Barton.

This is the same day Toronto police cruisers were set on fire in the heart of Canada’s financial district (the intersection of King Street and Bay Street) and also along Queen Street West. The images of burning police cars became a prominent symbol for the demonstrations and were broadcast across the globe.

The trial of Toronto Police Constable Andalib-Goortani began this week and the Crown has rested its case.

Constable Babek Andalib-Goortani — who was among the more than 90 officers caught not wearing their mandatory police identification at the time — was charged on December 23, 2010, with assault with a weapon against Adam Nobody. Constable Andalib-Goortani has pleaded not guilty.

At issue is not the fact that Adam Nobody was arrested but if the force used during his arrest was excessive.

Adam Nobody alleged he was beaten twice during the demonstration on June 26, 2010; once during his arrest by Constable Andalib-Goortani and allegedly again as he was held in custody by two plain-clothes officers.

There was video and photo evidence submitted before and during the trial which shows Adam Nobody getting arrested in what was supposed to be the safe, “free-speech zone” at Queen’s Park during the G20 Summit weekend in Toronto in late June 2010. 

Over the course of the weekend, more than 1,000 people were arrested for demonstrating against the G8 and G20 Summits. This was the largest mass arrest in Canadian history.

Andalib-Goortani’s lawyer, Harry Black, on cross-examination tried to get Adam Nobody to confess that he was actively attempting to resist arrest, but Nobody denied this claim. At one point going frame by frame through video evidence, Nobody conceded that his body might have reacted to being tackled by police officers but those natural, instinctive movements of his body were defensive in nature and not aggressive towards any police officer.

“I may have naturally defensively tried to (get away), but it lasted less than two seconds at most,” Nobody testified in court.

The officer’s lawyer also tried to suggest that Adam Nobody had brought a Molotov cocktail to the demonstrations. Nobody responded that he had a bottle that he filled with whiskey and water, though he could not account for the trace amounts of the flammable liquid toluene also found in the bottle.

Adam Nobody testified that he dropped the bottle when first struck by police. Nobody at that point left Queen’s Park to go buy a six-pack of beer and some bristol board. Nobody claimed that the police tackled him when he was leaning over to draw letters on his sign. Submitted into evidence were photos of Nobody’s bruised torso.

Black also attempted to get Nobody to admit that he was at Queen’s Park for longer than he had suggested and that he was attempting to rile up the crowd; Nobody denied these accusations.

The Crown closed its case on Friday June 7, 2013. This is a judge-only trial.

Adam Nobody is also suing the Toronto police for $1.1 million.

Krystalline Kraus

krystalline kraus is an intrepid explorer and reporter from Toronto, Canada. A veteran activist and journalist for rabble.ca, she needs no aviator goggles, gas mask or red cape but proceeds fearlessly...