A trip to the G20 zone

Blue Jays baseball ticket buying process changed: now requires 6 cops

I guess now is the time I’ll be starting to do more coverage of the actions rather than just issues, though I will continue to mostly focus throughout on what the G20 is up to, decisions made, analysis, etc… For a one stop independent shop on the mobilzations (and a truckload of issue analysis as well) see – 2010.mediacoop.ca

Anyway, I was just down at the Jays stadium getting tickets for tonight’s game (I need a bit of a break!) and there were 6 police waiting right behind you as you buy tickets. 6!  After my seat selection was properly vetted by the officers, I headed downtown to look around for a second time.

There may have been as many police in the Mountain Equipment Coop on King than non-police patrons. I went to buy new bike lights, given that people are being targeted and ticketed for not having them, and I needed them anyway.

As many have reported, Toronto is currently a police state, w/o question.

Have we internalized the idea that this police state is ok?  Or is the violation of civil liberties creating dissent even amongst people who may not have thought much about the G20 before?

People are upset about being inconvenienced – fair enough.  But the more fundamental questions are – 1) why does the Canadian government feel the need to do this? (fear of rising discontent?)  2) what right do they have to do this?

The much ballyhooed violence has started – with the fence and the police and the ‘designated protest zone’ being the first act.  It much, much more violating than any broken window. It is a violence that says who is in and who is out. Who counts and who does not.   Please mainstream media, report it as such.