Hope for a peaceful G20 weekend disappeared after windows were smashed from police headquarters to the business district, and police cars were torched by a contingent of violent protesters.
Mayor David Miller angrily denounced the act of a small group of protesters who broke windows along Queen Street West and throughout the downtown core, and set two police cruisers ablaze.
“This isn’t our Toronto,” Mr. Miller told CP24. “My response is anger. We have thousands of people peaceably asserting their democratic right to speak up. And a relatively small group, probably a few hundred, mostly people who seem to be not from Toronto, come here on all evidence to commit deliberate acts of violence. I think all Torontonians should outraged by that.”
He said he had “absolute confidence” in Police Chief Bill Blair, and said the Chief had told him they intended to “move very strongly” against the violent protesters. But he also urged people to be calm, and if they are visiting the downtown area where violent protests are under way, to leave.
The Mayor said Torontonians should be angry with the violent protesters: “I think Torontonians should be very angry with people who would come to burn cars and break windows ... to make, I don’t know what kind of statement they intend to make, except about themselves.”
Constable Wendy Drummond, of the Integrated Security Unit, told the media police would use “the great resources” at their disposal to bring the situation to an end.
Constable Tim Garland, a spokesman for Toronto Police called the situation “pretty dynamic, pretty fluid,” and confirmed that police headquarters had been attacked, with some windows broken.
Asked whether Toronto Police will ever bring violent protesters to justice, he said, “we're going to do our best.”
Claudia Calabro, of the Toronto Community Mobilization Network, blamed today’s violence on police presence.
“People are angry when you pen them in,” she said. “The marshalling was extremely poor. The excessive police presence has completely bulldozed our message.”
Ms. Calabro said the group opposes the G20 and would not denounce the tactics of protesters.
City councillor Adam Vaughan appeared on television to appeal for the violence to stop.
“Everyone needs to take it back more than a notch,” he said on CP24. “It’s clearly inappropriate. I just hope we’ve seen the worse of it and we won’t see any more personal injury.”
Mr. Vaughan said this is why he asked the federal government to provide the city with a compensation package before the G20 began.
Janice Solomon, executive director of the Toronto Entertainment District BIA, watched the violence from her condominium on University.
“I am so angry this happened,” she said. “This is a city where we’ve had demonstrations of all different sizes and issues without incident. Here we are, we have this rogue group, probably not even from Toronto, and they think this is okay and it’s not.”
Ms. Solomon said she expected the impact on downtown business owners to be profound, not just in terms of damage but lost revenue.
“I don’t see how anyone will stay open now,” she said on Saturday afternoon. “I think it’s just inexcusable.”
A Starbucks at Queen and John had its windows smashed and the manager pleaded with people to stop taking pictures. “What’s the point of all this?” he yelled. “What about peaceful protest?”
The day’s events began with a “People First!” march organized by various labour and women’s groups. The planned protest began at Queen’s Park North and made its way down University Avenue and along Queen. But when the majority of demonstrators turned north on Spadina Avenue, a small group doubled back and began destroying property on Queen Street West.
Demonstrators also broke the windows of several businesses, including a Scotiabank, CIBC, a McDonald's, Starbucks and an American Apparel. Protesters also threw bricks at a CBC van, breaking its windows. TTC streetcars were abandoned on Queen Street; two were spraypainted with anti-summit graffit and anarchy symbols. A jewellry store was looted at Yonge Street and Gerrard Street. On College Street a Tim Horton’s, a Winners and another Starbucks were smashed open.
Gord Smith, general manager at the Yonge and Dundas Adidas store, spoke to a reporter moments after it was just destroyed by protesters.
No one inside was hurt, according to Mr. Smith. The police gave them enough warning to get all the customers out, though about 10 employees were in the store.
He seemed upset, but resigned. “Well it already happened so what can you do?” he said.
Protestors cleared the area moments later and a crowd gathered to take pictures of the broken glass while Mr. Smith tried to move them along.
Sid Ryan, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour and one of the march’s organizers, said he learned of the violence when he arrived back at Queen’s Park.
“I’m pretty ticked off about it,” he said. “Now the message coming out is not the positive one we had developed. Everyone is now focused in on the violence.”
Mr. Ryan said his group had gone to great lengths to work with police to ensure the demonstration was peaceful and said he fully supported efforts to bring the violence to an end.
“These guys burned a police car, you’ve got to stop that kind of stuff,” he said. “The whole notion of using the cover of our demonstration to do this really makes me mad.”
With files from Jeff Gray, Katie Hewitt and Globe Staff
