Wednesday, 30 June 2010

Toronto Sun Columnist Demands Inquiry

Like most people, I'm still processing the G20 mayhem, but I wanted to share this. Toronto Sun -- yes, Sun -- columnist Joe Warmington is demanding an independent inquiry. While he's defending ordinary cops and quotes unnamed police sources, he's got some interesting information and some damn good questions.

Read the whole thing. Here are a couple of tastes:
Who made the decision for police to stand down despite the fact the city was under attack?

And why?

Was it a police decision or political?

These should be the cornerstone questions of an external review surrounding the chaos of the G20.

While the ninjas were looting on Yonge Street, there was indecision, confusion, and finally a clear order not to engage them.
"It was awful," said an officer. "There were guys with equipment to do the job, all standing around looking at each other in disbelief ... The Montreal riot guys were livid ... They just wanted to get in there and do the job but were told they are too intimidating."

Warmington asks: 'who made that order?' Bloody good question, Joe. I'd like an answer to that too.

Of the brutal kettlin' in the rain at Queen and Spadina, there's this:
Toronto Police so far have offered no apologies for the bizare incident at Queen and Spadina, but my sources say that may be the easiest option for them.

"The chief is rattled because he knows that circus at Spadina and Queen was unlawful and it is going to come back to bite him in the ass," said one copper. "If one of us had detained people like that, we would be hammered with Police Act charges."

If it's deemed criminal, who investigates? The very people who ordered it?

Another bloody good question.

As I say, read the whole thing. Not just for the information, but for the bizarre sensation of agreeing with a Sun columnist.

1 comment:

Skinny Dipper said...

Like Joe Warmington, I do not wish to discredit most individual police officers who perform their jobs daily to the best of their ability. I want an inquiry to figure who in the hierarchy of police gave the orders to violate our human rights.

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