I celebrated Canada Day by engaging in the highest form of patriotism which, according to Howard Zinn, is dissent.
When it comes to laws passed in secret, which are not published in the Ontario Gazette until after the period they are in force, I dissent.
When police misinterpret the application of those laws, then, upon discovering their mistake, fail to disabuse the public because it is convenient to have the public believe it is subject to laws that don’t exist, I dissent.
When it comes to kettling people, indiscriminate (mass) arrests, beating detainees, I dissent.
When it comes to statements suggesting that a little bit of Charter violation is necessary for the good of all, I dissent.
To express my dissent, I went down to Queen’s Park to join a rally calling for an independent inquiry into actions taken during the G20 — actions by individual police officers, police chief Bill Blair, the G20 ISU (Integrated Security Unit), CSIS, Mayor David Miller, Premier Dalton McGuinty & PM Stephen Harper.
Protesters included the father of two children who were arrested and beaten during the kettling at Queen & Spadina. The son took video which can be viewed here:
Also present was my friend, Gretta Vosper, whose son Izaak was trapped in another kettling incident. Izaak was showing the boot-shaped bruise on his abdomen. Since their appearance at the rally yesterday, Gretta and Izaak have been featured in the Toronto Star. You can read Izaak’s account here. For a flavour, here’s a sample:
we walked by a few civilians who were in the entrance to their apartments recording the scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy-KYijCGtY @ 2:00) i yelled to them that “they stepped on my face and i did nothing” the police officer dragging me told me to “shut the fuck up or else”. we got back to spadina and he sat me down on a curb beside the man who had been arrested before me. he took down my information and took all my possessions. i managed to lift up my shirt a bit to see the brutal gash on my hip. i asked for medical attention to which the yellow jacketed officer responded “i hope your cut gets infected”. appalled, and already crying, i asked for his badge number. he told me to go fuck myself. not wanting to provoke him i simply glared at him. he told me that if i didnt stop looking at him he would “kick me in the chest again.” this was not only a threat, it was a confirmation he had partaken in my beating. prior to my photo being taken the officer filling out the white board for my mugshot asked the officer in the yellow jacket his badge number, it was “8056”. i repeated this number in my head for the next hour at least. i was put in the back of a court services truck in a black compartment that was cold, metal, and had no window. i was in excruciating pain, i was crying, and i was bleeding. I stayed in this compartment for three hours of driving and stopping.