Fighting for justice a year after the G20

by Peter Hogarth

A year after the mass arrests at the G20 demonstrations, a 1,000-strong crowd came out to reclaim the streets, defend the G20 arrestees and their civil liberties, and renew the call for a public inquiry into police actions.

Speeches from the front and signs throughout the demonstration highlighted the historic violation of abuses and police brutality at last years G20 Summit, with its $1-billion security costs.

Throughout the demonstration and march the important connection was made between the brutality suffered at the G20 protests and the violence meted out to poor and racialized communities and the attacks on the living standards of the working class.

The enthusiastic crowd took to the streets, gaining numbers as passersby joined and rallied outside 52 Division (headquarters of the Toronto Police Department) and occupied various intersections—including the infamous Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue intersection where the police employed kettling tactics last year.