A G20 incident caught on video that shows a York Regional Police officer telling a protester he is no longer in Canada and has no civil rights is under investigation.
The video shows several activists standing outside of the G20 security perimeter at King St. W. and University Ave. on June 27 while their bags are searched by a group of police officers. The mood is pleasant until a young man in a black T-shirt and cap refuses to hand over his backpack.
Just outside the St. Andrew subway station, a male York Regional Police officer wraps one arm around the protester and tells him: “You don’t get a choice, get moving.”
“Why are you grabbing me, man?” says the unidentified protester, who in another G20 video gives a brief monologue about animal rights. “I didn’t do anything.”
The officer’s badge number, 815, is clearly visible in the video. The officer with that number, Sgt. Mark Charlebois, said in an email that he would love to speak but couldn’t because the matter was before the Ontario Independent Police Review Director.
“If I was sensitive, I would likely be crying all the time with the comments about me,” he said.
No one from the OIPRD was available to comment.
York police media officer Sgt. Gary Phillips said the incident was the subject of a citizen’s complaint.
In the video, a woman’s voice from behind the camera points out that the protesters are not within 5 metres of the cordoned-off zone — the area in which Torontonians were led to believe, erroneously, that they could legally be searched by police officers at whim.
The male protester insists that, as a Canadian, he has the right to refuse the search. But the officer disagrees.
“This ain’t Canada right now,” he says.
While the crowd laughs in disbelief, the officer continues to tell the protester he has two choices: leave, or open his bag. The protester continues to refuse to do either. “I just don’t like to have my civil rights violated,” he says eventually.
“There is no civil rights here in this area,” the officer replies. “How many times do you gotta be told that?”
“I was upset that police officers could make those kinds of statements in a democracy,” says Derek Soberal, co-filmmaker of the film Toronto G20 Exposed, who re-posted the video on his YouTube site.
The video has been viewed more than 40,000 times.
hardcore trancer
wow it is about time that this video actually got some more attention in media. That officer should be kicked out of the country for saying such stupid like that. This is very good though since the Police thought as time goes by everything will just be forgotten and they could just get away with it.
-g-
the strangest thing about this is that this officer is the only one being investigated.
he might be the only officer to come out and say you don't have rights, but so many others are acting as they you don't have rights. his buddies there telling camera guy to leave are just as complicit.
no one says much about that even though it is the action, not the word, that is the breach of rights.
jester
I just find it amusing, why doesn't the G20 just have their meetings on a bloody aircraft carrier. You need less people to protect it, seeing its out at sea. I guess they do not do that, seeing people would cry foul and be like "see they are trying to take over the world" or some other crap.
At least the cop was being truthful, the next G20 the black bloc should even the playing field and steal a tank (hard but not impossible) ;)
I just can't wait to see whats going to happen in Cannes in November.
hardcore trancer
For those that still care about Democracy and freedom of speech in this country, CBC just aired this documentary on the events that took place in Toronto last June I think it is worth watching it.
smuncky
thanks dude. good overview.
exraver
quote:
“This ain’t Canada right now,”
This just proves, when time comes, Canada won't be much different than China.
Or Egypt.
Or Libya.
This is democracy for you.
Xavier Moriarty
quote:
Originally posted by exraver
This is democracy for you.
its impossible to explain to people who never lived in it, democracy is not different than communism at all.
hardcore trancer
Our voices are being heard worldwide. As I promised months ago this story will not disappear and it is here to stay. We are getting closer to get a full public inquiry and more and more pressure is building for the government to act now.
Toronto G20 unrest: Civil rights groups seek inquiry
As Canada played host to leaders from around the world, protesters and police clashed on the streets of the city.
More than 1,100 people were arrested, and property and vehicles were damaged.
In their report, the rights groups said a full investigation was needed into claims of "serious violations of fundamental rights and freedoms".
The Canadian government had anticipated trouble around the summit and had made preparations in case of unrest.
However, the scale of the police response drew negative comment.
Toronto police told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation they were co-operating with a number of inquiries into police conduct.
Based on three days of public hearings in November, the report by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) and the National Union of Public and General Employees alleges that police were responsible for violence, threats and illegal detainment of protesters.
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
It is imperative that there be a full public inquiry into what happened during the G20 to ensure that it does not happen again”
End Quote
Nathalie Des Rosiers
CCLA general counsel
"While the widespread property damage that occurred during the summit was deplorable, it neither justified nor warranted the extent of the police response that occurred," a joint press statement by the two organisations said.
"Canadians are entitled to policing that does not undermine constitutional values.
"Unfortunately, the security operations and police conduct chronicled in this report fell well short of this standard, resulting in a significant diminution of public faith in policing."
A number of official reviews into the events of the G20 weekend have already been ordered.
But Nathalie Des Rosiers, general counsel for the CCLA, said none of those reviews had the scope to give the answers needed.
"It is imperative that there be a full public inquiry into what happened during the G20 to ensure that it does not happen again," she said.
In December, ombudsman Andre Marin described the events of the G20 weekend as "the most massive compromise of civil liberties in Canadian history".
The provincial government in Ontario had passed a regulation in June giving security forces extra powers of search and arrest until after the summit ended.
hardcore trancer
quote:
Originally posted by exraver
This just proves, when time comes, Canada won't be much different than China.
Or Egypt.
Or Libya.
This is democracy for you.
This is true if we all just sit and pretend everything is ok and do nothing. We as citizens must take actions and speak up.
smuncky
quote:
Originally posted by hardcore trancer
This is true if we all just sit and pretend everything is ok and do nothing. We as citizens must take actions and speak up.
for the next 4 years the people of toronto are taxpayers, not citizens. courtesy of rob ford.
