Finally, an independent civilian inquiry into G20 security

Today (Tuesday), Mr. Alok Mukerjee, the Chairman of the civilian Toronto Police Services Board that oversees the Toronto Police force, put a motion forward recommending that the police undergo a review for the actions they took leading up to and during the summit weekend. This is a complete about-face on his comments way, way back on June 30th when he stated that he saw no need for an inquiry partially because Chief Bill Blair was undertaking an internal review of the Integrated Security Units operations with the Toronto Police Service Summit Management After Action Review Team (SMAART) (a rather self-serving acronym, don't you think?). I'm quite certain that the SMAART review will be entirely without bias seeing as Bill Blair, who led the ISU, stated in a news release after the summit:

"Considering the challenges of the G20 Summit, the Toronto Police Service and our policing partners with the RCMP, the OPP, the Canadian Forces and Peel Regional Police, worked together seamlessly. The effort, professionalism and restraint displayed by Summit police officers was outstanding."

It sounds like Chief Blair has already made up his mind how well his security forces performed.

When the independent civilian review is undertaken, there are a few questions that should be asked.

1.) Did the ISU deliberately abandon their vehicles to draw the attention of demonstrators? This video in particular certainly makes it look like the police were using their vehicles as a decoy. As the camera pans, you can see a large number of policemen (I count at least 30 security personnel) and at least 4 marked police cars. The police are very close to the car that ultimately sustains damage (less than 100 feet away) and backing up away from the intersection of Bay and King. One of the officers even has his or her yellow taser drawn. They are obviously standing in very close proximity to their cruiser while Black Bloc members jump on the roof and smash the windows with clubs. The officers appear to be well armed and wearing protective gear. Why did they not at least attempt to apprehend the offenders or at least try to scare them off?

2.) Did the security personnel have orders to prioritize protection of the $5 million perimeter fence and the leaders of the G20 over the best interests of civilians and their businesses? In this video you see the demonstrators smashing windows and a large group of armoured security personnel stand less than a block away, not interfering in any way.

3.) This CTV video shows people walking up Yonge Street as windows are smashed and general vandalism takes place with no security presence, other than an occasional private security guard, for a full 10 minutes. Where were the police/security personnel during that entire time (and I'm assuming longer)?

Apparently, the public will have the opportunity to "vent their spleens" at the civilian review ; at the very least, that should prove interesting if not entertaining. As a side benefit, maybe Canadian taxpayers will get a little glimpse into where some of the money was spent on the billion dollar boondoggle.

Don't leave home with hot sauce in your pocket!

Yesterday (Tuesday June 29th), it was with great pride that Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair called in Canada's mainstream media and their cameras to view the display that had been set up showing the weapons that had been seized over the weekend from G20 demonstrators. This was done in large part to justify the heavy-handed tactics used by the G20 security forces in their attempts to quell the destructive elements of the demonstrators.

While watching the staged photo op yesterday, a couple of items really drew my attention, probably because they stood out from the rest of the items which seemed to consist of a lot of knives, clubs and crude homemade weapons. I noticed an item that appeared to be chain mail body armour and a couple of shields emblazoned with clenched red fists which, in particular, seemed to fit well with the picture being painted of very angry anarchists. The first thought that went through my mind was "Man, that was a demonstrator that was really going to protect themselves from whatever violence was headed their way.". As I later found out while reading the Globe and Mail this morning, it turns out that the body armour belonged to 25 year old Brian Barrett who was headed to a role-playing fantasy game when he was stopped by police at Union Station and had his gear confiscated. Apparently police also confiscated some arrows that he had modified by replacing the tips with pool noodles and socks and plastic clubs covered with foam and plastic. Chief Blair singled out the arrows stating that they could have been soaked in a flammable liquid and set on fire before being shot. Apparently not in this particular case, according to the owner and I would guess that he should know. As well, police displayed the chainsaw and crossbow that were seized from a 53 year old man on Friday June 25th in a matter that even they admitted was completely unrelated to the G20 shortly after the owner's car was pulled over and the items seized. I guess they thought the items made for a better show and tell.

I noticed that the National Post covered the same story yesterday; here's a quote from their coverage:

"Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair displayed a shocking array of weapons and tools obtained from arrested G20 protesters this morning at police headquarters. The recovered items included body armor, sledgehammers, machetes, an electric drill, saws, crowbars, shields, aluminum bats, dog repellent, bamboo rods and bottles of hot sauce. Although the display of items took up half the lobby of the headquarters, officers on hand said more than five times the amount on display had been seized by police. Speaking to reporters, Mr. Blair said the items on display demonstrated the extent of the criminal conspiracy surrounding the violent G20 protests over the weekend. “No one should be so naïve as to think these people were there for the purpose of lawful protest,” he said, noting that the items were capable of “delivering deadly force.”

I'm hoping to see a correction in the National Post.

I would have to imagine that Mr. Harper would have been quite happy that his security chief during the G20 was putting on such a show. Maybe, at last, non-thinking voters would now agree that spending a billion dollars to protect G8 and G20 leaders along with a $5 million security fence could be justified. Maybe there really was a reason to be afraid now that we've been told that there was a criminal conspiracy afoot!

Perhaps the police did seize many more items, however, I would have to imagine that they put the attention-grabbing items on display for the media, leaving the more mundane items like vinegar-soaked bandanas in baggies in the back rooms. As well, even the mention of hot sauce reminds me of the RCMP being threatened by a stapler at the Vancouver International Airport. The way most of the front-line security personnel were outfitted in their storm trooper garb with full face shields, it is highly unlikely that most of the items seized would have had any impact on their well-being. As for criminal conspiracy, I think the Chief is giving way too much credit to a small group of thugs bent on breaking windows, spray painting buildings and hurling epithets and whatever else was handy at security forces.

If Chief Blair wants to re-establish the legitimacy of the actions of the security forces under his command during the G20 demonstrations this past weekend, this is hardly the way to do it. He has done nothing to create trust in the public over the past few days and his actions of yesterday reinforced the stereotypical police forces that Canadians trust less and less to look out after their rights and their freedoms.

Please Chief Blair, don't treat the public and media like fools. Please don't try to justify the actions of your security personnel by deliberately misleading the public who pay your salary. We're just a wee bit smarter than what you may think. Most importantly, please give us some credit for being able to ascertain what is the truth and what is not.

G8 Security Show and Tell - Oopsy Daisy

I found this little gem while trying to find detailed expenditures for the G8/G20 summits on various Government of Canada websites (which are very well hidden except for this item about expenditures in Tony Clement's . In light of Wednesday's "fertilizer farce" that was propelled to front page news by INSET (the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team), this article sheds some pretty interesting light on the functioning of Canada's security for the leaders of the G8 and G20. The website where I found the story, Cottage Country Now, is an online newspaper for the Muskoka, Parry Sound and Huntsville communities.

Here are a few excerpts from the cottagecountrynow.ca website article as they appeared online on June 9th, 2010. I wish I could give credit to the author of the article but unfortunately, no name appears as either author or editor.

"There were toys – tanks, helicopters and gadgets. The Integrated Security Unit put on a show on Sunday at the Canada Summit Centre (in Huntsville).

The national media was out in full force and everyone from young families to senior citizens were cruising the parking lot adjacent to the centre to check out the security hardware that will be on the streets of Huntsville, in the air and on guard in case of emergencies during the G8 Summit.

The Integrated Security Unit, comprised of the Ontario Provincial Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Forces, put on the show for the people of Huntsville, and the people of Canada via the television cameras that caught the act...

This was meant to be a choreographed introduction to leaders from each arm of the Intergrated Security Unit and a “what to expect during the G8” session. And while it was informative for the crowd in the arena stands, it was less than smooth...

The crowd was then treated to a motorcade demonstration; motorcycles, their lights flashing led in a succession of vehicles.

“We know this has been an area of concern for local residents,” said Chamberland as he introduced the demonstration of how roadside checkpoints will work. OPP officers set up their checkpoints and waited.

And waited. Delays continued throughout the demonstration which in the end amounted to little more than officers poking their heads toward the driver of the car, asking a question and waving them on.

“If travelling with proper accreditation (you will) first be met by a member of the OPP or RCMP who will ask a few questions. A couple of minutes and you will be on your way,” said Chamberland (OPP Sgt. Pierre Chamberland).

If you are travelling without proper accreditation you will be asked more questions and if a valid reason is provided you will be able to proceed through, he said. But, you will be escorted.

The closer you get to more secure areas the more checkpoints there will be, there will be more dogs and you will be engaged by officers in a more robust search of your vehicle.

This was going to be demonstrated, but the plan seemed to fall apart and it just didn’t happen...

Next came guys in space suits. Or suits meant to be worn to protect the security personnel inside the suit from things like chemical, biological and radioactive fallout. Worst-case scenario stuff.

“And the rest of my speech is missing….” said Chamberland at this point.

The crowd chuckled along with the hapless act of the security team leader. Nothing was going as planned."

Believe me, your time will be well spent reading the article.

I found it most interesting to see that the Canadian Forces personnel are involved in security. I seem to recall that Public Safety Minister Vic Toews telling Craig Oliver on Question Period two weeks ago that soldiers would not be used because Canadians (and his Liberal counterparts in the House) are most uncomfortable seeing armed soldiers roaming the streets of Canadian cities and towns. It is the the use of RCMP and other police forces who will be paid overtime, rather than Canadian Forces personnel, that is being credited for the increased security tab for the event. Apparently though, we're ever so much more comfortable being surrounded by 3 metre high prison fences that cost $5.5 million to erect in Toronto and $3.9 million to erect in Huntsville than we are being surveilled by soldiers.

You know, sometimes the best stories are hidden in local newspapers and sometimes the best things happen in small town Canada.

Really.

Oh yeah, I still say the very idea of a security team called INSET has the ring of a new CBC weekly one hour docudrama. You heard it here first.