2010-06-28 

Reason of State

“We saw this tactic, often called a Black Bloc tactic, demonstrated in all its mindless violence and destruction.”
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair

“These images are truly shocking to Canadians.”
Canadian Public Safety Minister Vic Toews

“They deliberately promote violent confrontation to draw the naïve and curious into their mob mentality.”
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair

“What we saw yesterday … is a bunch of thugs that pretend to have a difference of opinion with policies and instead choose violence in order to express those so-called differences of opinion.”
Spokesman for Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper

“I am profoundly disappointed in the criminal acts which have taken place.”
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair

“A lot of them were home grown. There’s a lot of Canadian talent in the group.”
Toronto Police Sgt. Tim Burrows

“They’re criminals – they’re not protesters, they’re not anarchists – they are criminals that came to Toronto, hid in crowds of legitimate demonstrators and deliberately committed violent acts.”
Toronto Mayor David Miller

“We have never seen that level of wanton criminality and vandalism and destruction on our streets.”
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair

“Leaders of the world’s richest nations ‘hate’ having to conduct their talks behind a security cordon designed to keep out protestors.”
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair (2005)