Sunday 27 Protest Update

Gosh. What a day this has been. Smashed windows, burned police cars. 130 arrests so far and rising. I expect you can hear the helicopters overhead, still buzzing. If you missed the peaceful and violent parts of the protest, you can read my absolutely enormous timeline here.

So what’s coming for tomorrow? One thing I would recommend is staying away. Leave the camera at home, take a day in the park with the dog or a book. The police are fighting moving targets in an urban setting with a populace they are trying not to harm (thank you so much for what you are doing, police!) This never happens in Toronto. They were not trained to deal with it and mistakes will be made. I appreciate you want to get photographs but your presence confuses and complicates the issue– even real journalists are getting into trouble by standing nearby Black Bloc members.

Think of what it looks like and what your presence is doing, not what your intent is.

As before, bold protests are one which might turn violent because they say they will.

• June 27 – G20 Mobilization – Jimmie Simpson Park (Dundas/Wardell) 10am – Jail Solidarity. Protesters plan to peacefully stand by their “comrades” in jail. Snacks are provided, says the site genially.

http://www.g20.torontomobilize.org/node/344

• June 27 – “Getting Down to Business” All day – Everywhere. – Instructions for small groups to “show them [G20 leaders] who’s boss.” I do not like the sound of this.
  

• June 27 – Bike Block Action (Spadina/Bloor) 1pm – Mass bike riding protesting automobile domination akin to Critical Mass.

• June 27 – St James Anglican Church Park (Jarvis/Church) 2pm – Prayer March (religious affliation: Christian). Specifically says non-violent but road and building occupations expected.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135104346505408

• June 27 – 299 Queen Street West (CTV Building at John and Richmond) 3:33pm – Money burning. I’ve just made this one bold because burning money is illegal and involves fire on the already smashed streets of Queen. This will involve lots of police and hopefully no fire fighters will be required. Stay out of the way of the police and let them do their jobs.
  

http://sites.google.com/site/makebelieveteaparty/

• June 27 – Fire Works For Prisons – Jimmie Simpson Park (Dundas/Wardell in East) 5pm – anarchists protesting prisons. They specifically say they will confront media (esp. photographers) and do not intend to make a statement for the media. These are possibly the people smashing and burning today so let’s hope whatever happens is brief and as peaceful as anarchist protesting prisons can be.
  

http://fireworksforprisons.wordpress.com/

Toronto, we are damaged, but one more day and it will be left for the courts and the politicians to fight over what happened this weekend. I talked to a friend in Pakistan today. What will leave our city by Monday is not rare in his city every weekend.

Wondering what I can do to help clear up when this is over. If someone knows– let me know.

Yours hoping for peace tomorrow,

— Torontoite