Mass Arrests At Queen & Spadina Following Protest
Posted June 28, 2010 8:34 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Some people are questioning the tactics police used Sunday when hundreds of people, many who claim they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, were arrested and left standing in the rain for hours.
The arrests came a day after thugs smashed windows and set cruisers ablaze and authorities exercised apparent restraint.
Members of the crowd held in the rain at Queen and Spadina were released unconditionally at the request of Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair at around 9:45pm. That was after two busloads of people were transported to the temporary detention facility on Eastern Avenue, which was the scene of a violent confrontation between protesters and police Sunday afternoon.
At a press conference held shortly after 10:30pm police spokesman Staff Supt. Jeff McGuire said officers clad in full riot gear had “reasonable grounds” to box in and then arrest the people gathered at the downtown intersection Sunday evening and said police had a lawful right to detain them.
McGuire said authorities believed there were suspected Black Bloc-style vigilantes who’d embedded themselves within the peaceful group. Those individuals had apparently donned masks as the impromptu demonstration moved along Queen Street West toward Spadina Avenue, he said, where riot police were waiting.
Authorities also allege weapons were recovered along the protest route.
More than a hundred seemingly innocent people, many who appeared to simply be curious onlookers there to take pictures, were boxed in at Queen Street and Spadina when officers trapped them from all sides at the intersection just after 6pm. Some claim police offered no notice that they intended to block people in, but on Monday morning Chief Blair said warnings were issued. Officers began by pulling specific people out of the crowd and then mass arrests began.
Members of the media were among those arrested. CityNews reporter Francis D’Souza was trapped but managed to make his way outside police lines before the mass arrests began.
Many people were held for breach of peace, and police said some were detained on criminal charges.
The Toronto Police Service made no apology for its tactics.
“These are split second decisions our officers have to make,” McGuire late Sunday night.
“I’m not certain we had people boxed in there who were trying to take a streetcar,” McGuire said in response to being asked about innocent people being corralled by cops.
“It’s unfortunate they found themselves in that situation.”
McGuire noted the G20 unrest was unprecedented for both Torontonians and Toronto Police.
Many Torontonians have expressed support for the police and the restraint they displayed in the face of violence.
On Monday morning Chief Blair encouraged anyone who has a problem with the way they were treated by authorities to file a formal complaint. You can do that here.
“All complaints of misconduct are investigated,” he said.
