Toronto Hospitals and G20 summit riots

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

Any ways:

As you may or may not know the G20 Summit is being held in Toronto this year.

Well, since 1:00 pm Saturday, there has been some rioting going on - police cars set on fire, store windows broken.

The hospitals in the area (at least 3) have been in Lock Down since around 4:00 pm. I just want everyone to please think of our collegues working in these conditions. I don't think they are being permitted to leave and the next shift probably is having difficulties getting in.

so I just want to say to all those nurses working in these conditions that I am thinking of you, please take care of yourself and please stay safe!

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

news reports:

police try to restore order after violent g20 protests - ctv new

g20: protests shut down ttc, hospitals downtown | posted toronto

cbc news - toronto - hospitals prepare for g20 casualties

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Why oh why things have to escalate to violence I never know, so sad

My thoughts with everyone working in that area

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

police arrest more than 500 at toronto summit

[oryxandcake]

My friend was present at the protests over the weekend. This is what she wrote about her experience:

The media blame the protestors and only mention security. In fact, they have actually told Toronton...ians and tourists to go and 'enjoy' the city elsewhere (go watch soccer games and shop) instead of getting involved. There is certainly no talk of the significance of what is actually being determined in these G8/G20 meetings, and little acknowledgement that people have a right to demand that social and environmental justice be implemented in the policies being put forward at these meetings.

Seeing the most recent developments in Queen's Park at the end of the day, where some remaining peaceful (that's right, peaceful, and not even wearing bandannas to protect themselves from teargas) protesters were far outnumbered by police and riot squads who intimidate and advance on them; seems comical and pathetic, this over-exaggerated use of force.

It was very unsettling to be surrounded by these riot squads and criminalized for our dissent. We are told that they are there to protect the peace. I suppose that by peace, they must mean the war in afghanistan, the erosion of women's rights, the cutting of funding for the arts and social sciences, and the enforcement of policies that reinforce and exacerbate wealth inequalities all over the globe.

Being at this protest has made me feel optimistic for the willingness of a variety of groups to draw together in a call for change. It has also made me very distraught, as I have never been faced with a security apparatus of this magnitude. The faceless and silent walls that these riot squads form are incredibly intimidating and antagonizing, inducing a kind of claustrophobia... With a mass protest such as this, we see an escalation of police powers,

both in terms of legislated powers and in terms of the development of

weaponery. I only feel more desperate to create spaces where people will not be harassed for voicing en masse their displeasure with our governments and the organization of the economic system. If we lose this, I do not know what we will have left. Shopping and working, I suppose.

On a side note, apparently leaving a police cruiser unattended (with its windows open!!) for several hours in large groups of antagonized protestors isn't at all suspicious. hmm. I wonder why it would be set on fire?

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/06/26/g20-saturday-protests.html "