Is anybody else horrified by the going-ons in Toronto today? This is not a city plagued by protests, especially violent ones. There are so many things that can be discussed about what happened yesterday afternoon and right up to this writing. I’m going to focus on three.
The first is that the rioters should not have been allowed to rampage what appears to be virtually unhindered for over an hour. While I understand security of the G20 itself is paramount you cannot tell me 10 000 police officers could not act sooner. I was quite literally cursing the radio as I listened to a reporter describe what was occurring. It was taxpayers, many of whom reside in Toronto, that are footing the billion dollar bill for this event. We deserved better protection for our money.
The second thing is that when I first started listening to the radio this morning I thought that maybe a peaceful protest could be a good thing. They were discussing the various groups that were participating in these protests and it seemed like there was a possibility that this would increase awareness of the various issues and concerns of the participants. I was completely wrong. Now all I can think is that out of the protests and marches from this morning came violence on an unprecedented scale for this city. I am disgusted that protestors were encouraged to bring their children along, seeing that protests have a tendency to get nasty.
Finally, I had my belief that sin exists reaffirmed today. There is something darker than what man alone is capable of when a group starts destroying and breaking buildings, even in one case reported where a man punched through a window with his bare hands. These are people, not so different from myself, who seem to be driven into a bizarre sort of delirium. I have to say, there but for the grace of God go I.
I hear you, but I wonder if this is the result of peaceful protests being ignored for so long, and direct action being met with force. People will only put up with this for so long.
And I also wonder- why was the violence allowed to last? was it in the hope the medis would focus on that and not the issues?
I don’t know if you and I are on the same page on this one Andy. I believe that legitimate causes, that are resisted or protested nonviolently, will gather momentum. The insular nature of these G20 summits mean that the violence really only affects shopkeepers and locals.
I think we are: I certainly don’t think the violence is a good thing, or excused, and historically it seems non-violent protests do win through eventually. I just feel that sometimes people’s patience will snap, and then you have a mob, as you saw in Toronto.
Or perhaps some people went to cause trouble, I don’t know.
All great points buddy. When you coming to ottawa?