So by the sounds of things, the protests in Toronto for the G20 summit have already turned violent with smashed windows, looting, multiple arrests, vandalism, torched cop cars and media vehicles, etc etc.

... I don't get it. I really don't. Why protests against a meeting of world leaders? It's not like they're sitting in there devising a scheme for world domination (they already have that, anyways, pretty much). I understand protesting the ridiculous amount spent on this summit by the federal government, but what else is there to protest that specifically pertains to the summit?

Sometimes I hate this damn city.

(For the record, I'm aware all summits are accompanied by (violent) protests, and this commentary applies to all of them too)

Quote from MAGGOT :

... I don't get it. I really don't. Why protests against a meeting of world leaders?

Globalisation.

Don't hate your city too much. You have this kind of things at every single G8/20 summit, whenever it goes. As amp said, it's just a pretext taken to protest against nowadays' globalisation.

TBH I'd say that the amount of money spent on the organisation is pretty much indecent(1 billion $ for the G8/20 Toronto summit according to some sources!), while they could easily make via visioconferencing. And the fact that they haven't taken any effective decisions in the last few years won't help them to improve their reputation.

The amount spent is obsurd; $1.1 billion CAD in some accounts, but I've heard as much as $1.4 billion from other sources. I think it was something like $980 million spent on security alone, compared to $18 million for the next most expensive G20 summit. The thing that gets me most, though, is the amount spent on this pavillion thing. Some $25 million to create a pavillion, complete with artifical lake, to showcase 'Canada's assets.'

In any case... people are still moronic. Anarchy for the sake of anarchy should be punishable by castration. The G20 is already enough of a pain in the ass without having to dodge flying rocks, shattering glass and burning cop cars.

Kudos to the Calm protesters who tried to intervene to stop some of the senseless cost to local business. When you consider how many cultures are parting it up at world cup events in Toronto...with little or no problems...you have to wonder how many of the problem children came from somewhere other than Toronto.

The cops drew a line and didn't over react in most cases, this to shall pass.

Lets hope calmer heads prevail and no one ends up in to bad of a way.

Peace out!

AAnt

i'm glad i live in hamilton. i couldn't imagine living in a city as big as toronto to have the entire downtown core locked down behind a fence, along with military-style police presence.

and yeah, i saw that pavilion on the news, what a waste of money.

Protest = fine.

Destroying people's property and livelihoods = wrong.

Quote from GreyBull [CHA] :

TBH I'd say that the amount of money spent on the organisation is pretty much indecent(1 billion $ for the G8/20 Toronto summit according to some sources!), while they could easily make via visioconferencing. And the fact that they haven't taken any effective decisions in the last few years won't help them to improve their reputation.

If the money figure is true, it is ridiculously big. But video-conferencing? Don't kid yourself. Diplomacy and negotiations are best done physically, face-to-face.

As for effective decisions, what exactly would be the criteria for "effective decisions"? They have only held three summits in the organisation's history, and most of the agreements have been long-term strategy decisions, not short-term moves. The G20 doesn't exist to solve the world's economic problems within two years!

Let's not be hasty about passing judgement. Our children's children will write our history and judge us.