2010-06-18
Siri Agrell
The Toronto Police Association called for Sid Ryan to resign as president of the Ontario Federation of Labour after he suggested that “agents provocateurs” may be used to incite protesters during next week’s G20 summit. “His comments reported in the media are idiotic, irresponsible and inflammatory against the Toronto police,” said Mike McCormack, head of the 8,300-member union. “He should resign for defaming the police.”
Mr. Ryan has said he believes undercover officers will deliberately pick fights with the protesters to justify the summit’s security expenditure. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” Mr. McCormack said.
“It’s obviously a cheap attempt at publicity. He should be writing fiction because obviously he isn’t dealing with reality. At the very least he should apologize to Toronto’s finest for his groundless attack.” Various protest groups have raised the spectre of agents provocateurs being used at the G20, after Quebec provincial police admitted that three officers disguised themselves as demonstrators during the protest at the North American leaders summit in Montebello, Que., in 2007.
American travel advisory
Toronto Mayor David Miller says a travel alert issued by the U.S. State Department is unnecessary. “While I respect the State Department’s right to do what it thinks is in the best interests of U.S. citizens, I feel this alert is an overreaction,” he said in a statement. “It is true that parts of downtown Toronto, the roads in and around the security zone and highways leading into and out of the city, will see disruptions at varying times. But there are many other parts of downtown Toronto that will remain unaffected by the summit.” The alert, released Thursday, warned U.S. travellers and American residents of Toronto about the potential of violent protests during the leaders’ summit. “Even demonstrations that are meant to be peaceful can become violent and unpredictable,” it said. “You should avoid them if at all possible.”
Poster arrests
Two activists in London, Ont., were arrested after gluing G20 posters to government-owned mailboxes and hydro equipment. Darius Mirshahi, 25, and Andrew Cadotte, 19, were charged with seven counts of mischief for putting up posters with such slogans as “Disrupt G20,” “Let’s Crash it” and “Crisis is Business as Usual.” Damage to the boxes was estimated at $700, although the activists say the glue was environmentally friendly wheat paste.