Tuesday, June 29, 2010

G20's Over Now Get Back To Work

The G20 fences are coming down. The world leaders have all gone home. Last night saw a small group of activists holding a vigil at the temporary jail on Eastern Ave. When the sun rose the jail was empty, closed down after releasing or processing the last of the 900 Torontonimo Detainees. The number of people arrested is shocking. It was the largest mass arrest in Canadian history. Clearly Toronto Police brass sent out the order. Arrest them all! Even people waiting for buses or jogging got in on the free rides to jail. The frontline officers were left to carry out the orders. They worked like dogs through heat, humidity and rain storms, while it was clear to see that many were not comfortable with the orders.

So I started my night with some solidarity songs on Eastern Ave and never stopped all night long. Two fires, a crash that sent eight to hospital, a man stabbed confronting a car thief and finally a murder in 23 division. A woman was found at 390 Dixon Rd suffering from multiple stab wounds. EMS rushed to the scene but she did not survive. Minutes later a man, who police say may be the prime suspect, walked in front of a tractor trailer on highway 401 east at Dixon Rd.

It’s Toronto, it’s the night shift and the fun never stops.
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Monday, June 28, 2010

Rain Rain Go Away!

Heavy rains caused the Don River to jump its banks on Sunday evening. The DVP had to be closed south of Bayview Bloor, as did the Bayview Extension. An elderly couple was rescued from that car you see below. I didn't stop all night even though th G20 was finished.

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Sunday, June 27, 2010

Video Frame Grabs from G20 Overnight Protests

They obviously had most of the trouble on the day shift. Got to work around 10pm. I ran up and down Queen West for a while with a group of about 150 protesters. Police would push forward with PSU and then open the line to let others on horseback charge the protesters.

I also visited the temporary jail on Eastern Ave. Police boxed in about 80 people there and arrested all of them.

At the end of a really busy night it seemed very strange to come home to my wife and daughter just getting out of bed. "Hi Honey. How was your night?"


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Monday, June 21, 2010

Fortress Toronto

We are now just days away from the G20 Summit in Toronto. I was asked to grab some video overnight as workers put the finishing touches on the fences. I also saw large groups of RCMP officers walking around downtown. To me they seemed to be just familiarizing themselves with the lay of the land. I saw one group as far north as Yonge and Bloor.

Also lots of undercover cops in unmarked cars around the city. That's not suprising I guess. I know they have been watching some of the groups that may protest for at least a month now. I ran into a few one morning in 52 division. I will not say where they were but it's safe to say they have been watching potential trouble makers for weeks now.

Here's a few still shots of what downtown Toronto looked like around 6am this Monday morning.

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Tuesday, June 8, 2010

G20 Toronto 2010

So as we prepare for the G8 and G20 meetings this month, I was asked to attend a Domestic Threats training session at CBC. It's nice to work for someone who actually offers some training on these type of situations. I remember when I covered the G7 in Detroit - Windsor years ago. I was working for Chum Television at the time. We didn't even have PPE's never mind training.

Hopefully I will not need any of this stuff but somehow I think it may come in handy. Let's hope things don't get too out of hand. It was all pretty well common sense stuff but as we've all heard before, common sense isn't really that common.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Fatal Pedestrian Struck

It was really quiet last night, save for the car accidents. Whenever it rains we can usually count on it being quiet. It seems though that people don't really change driving habits in rain. So if they go 130 km/hr on the 401 in the sunshine they just go the same speed in the rain. It means call after call for cars spun out and cars into the guard rail. I had listened to them all night then I heard this one that sounded so much more serious. The pedestrain was struck just north of St. Clair on Dufferin, crossing the road about 50 meters from a traffic light. First reports said he was thrown, then others said he was possibly vital signs absent. Paramedics tried to save him but the poor guy didn't make it. He didn't have identification on him so now police are trying to figure out who he was, so that next of kin can be notified. A large hole can be seen in the windshield of the Honda minivan that struck him.

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