These videos, shot on Carlton (College), just east of Yonge, show that a large squadron of riot police witness black bloc members smashing windows but are ordered to retreat up an alley instead of making arrests or protecting private property on Yonge St. from vandalism.
The person filming the video figured that they were ready to engage the protesters, but they did not. Police only started attacking people after all the vandalism had already occurred and the guilty parties had a chance to escape to Queen's park where many took off their black bloc attire so that they could blend in to the thousands of peaceful protesters. It is important to remember that even though there may have been black bloc anarchists who committed vandalism in the crowd at Queen's park, there is no word yet if any of them were even caught or charged in the mass arrests that took place. As far as the public knows, the police let the black bloc anarchists escape after they committed their vandalism. It is difficult for one to believe that this handful of people, using a black bloc tactic, managed to outsmart and outwit the massive security police grid that was in place in the downtown core.
Also, this handful of individuals did not really harm any police officers, protesters or members of the public. I have yet to see any footage or pictures of bruises or injuries caused by any protesters. All the damage occurred to property. However, the physical and psychological abuse committed by police happened to peaceful, innocent people, many of whom have lived in Toronto most of their lives. It is certainly a sad day for Canada when members of the public are more afraid of the police than they are of black bloc anarchists.
Given all the stories that have come out from the G20 weekend, if you were somehow caught in a hypothetical situation where you were trapped between a group of riot police and a group of black bloc members closing in on you, would you:
a) stay in the middle?
b) walk/run towards the police line?
c) walk/run towards the black bloc line?
Before the G20 in Toronto, I would have definitely said that I would have walked or ran towards the police line so that they could protect me from these scary, crazy anarchists coming towards me. But after what I witnessed and the stories that I've heard, I can definitely say now that I would run towards the black bloc anarchists because maybe they could protect me from these scary, crazy police coming towards me. At least if I run towards the black bloc, I know they are not going to assault me and they would let me though and give me a chance to escape the situation.
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