Go Toronto! http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20100626/summit-protests-100626/ Heavily armed riot police are attempting to clear crowds out of downtown Toronto, several hours after black-clad vandals raged through the city in protest of the G20 summit. In the heart of the city, four police cars have been torched and officers have used tear gas. There are reports that police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowds, which Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair could not confirm. Before midnight, about 200 protesters gathered at the Novotel hotel close to the lakeshore. Many sat on the ground, holding signs, as riot police moved in and made arrests. As midnight approached, at least 150 arrests had been made and officials said that number could rise overnight. “I want to assure you that the persons responsible will be held accountable,” Blair told reporters. “We are working hard to maintain order and restore the rule of law.” Only a few blocks from the mayhem, G20 leaders are meeting at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The violence escalated after a splinter group broke away from a large and peaceful group of protesters who began marching around 1 p.m. local time. Though the number of protesters appeared to dwindle into the evening, flashpoints continued to occur around the city. At the Ontario legislature, mounted police and riot officers attempted to disperse a crowd of demonstrators and onlookers. At one point, a CTV producer working on the scene was taken into police custody. CTV reporter Scott Laurie questioned police officers about the arrest but was not given an immediate answer. Laurie said the employee was wearing his media accreditation. Moments later, the crowd then re-grouped and marched southward down Yonge Street. Toronto Mayor David Miller said at a news conference that the so-called anarchists are simply criminals who are determined to cause as much destruction as possible. “It was a deliberate act by people who make it their business to commit these acts,” he said. “Am I angry? Absolutely.” Miller spoke to reporters at about 6 p.m. local time, nearly five hours after the protest erupted into violence. Video footage captured earlier in the day showed that many of the violent protesters were changing out of their black clothes and blending into the larger crowds. The Prime Minister's Office released a statement on Saturday evening, saying: “Free speech is a principle of our democracy. But the thugs that prompted violence earlier today represent in no way shape or form the Canadian way of life.” Earlier, the black-clad protesters smashed up a police cruiser and smashed its windshield along Queen Street, as other demonstrators hurled bottles and sticks at a solid line of riot police. As police donned gas masks and mounted units rode into the city's core on horses, the violent protesters lit garbage on fire and tipped over recycling containers. They also smashed vehicles in and grabbed stones from nearby homes. News media vehicles were also targeted and vandalized. A concert at the Air Canada Centre has been cancelled, hospitals in the downtown core have been locked down and the Eaton Centre was also closed. Earlier on Queen Street, next to the MuchMusic building, the violent protesters attempted to break southward through a tight line of riot police. Three protesters involved in the confrontation suffered injuries. According to reports from the scene, some were bleeding from the head. Moments later, another standoff occurred a few blocks west, where protesters reportedly tossed sticks at police and chanted “let us go.” Earlier, thousands of demonstrators gathered at the Ontario legislature Saturday morning to hear speeches. While protest organizers promised a family-friendly demonstration, a splinter group calling itself the “Get off the Fence contingent” announced plans to challenge the heavy security cordon around the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, where the G20 summit began Saturday afternoon. Around 1 p.m., two protesters were arrested near the downtown core and allegedly found with an “incendiary device.” Unconfirmed reports from the scene said the pair was carrying Molotov cocktails. (video at link) added by: animalia_libero
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