G20 police raid in Forest Hill

A man in his 30s was arrested in a G20-related police raid on a Forest Hill house around noon Tuesday.

Police are keeping tight-lipped on why the Elderwood Dr. house was searched or what — if anything — was seized.

Several officers converged on a home, in the Bathurst St. and Eglinton Ave. W. area, around 12:10 p.m., said Toronto police Const. Tony Vella.

It's unclear if any charges will be laid.

“The investigation is ongoing,” he said, and police won’t be releasing further information surrounding the arrest at this time.

By 9:30 p.m., a police contingent was still present in the neighbourhood surrounding the two and a half storey home, Vella said.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

A peek at the summit

Literally, the quietest G20 gathering

Do you like sitting in silence? Do you like capital letters? If so, you should consider participating in the June 27 Human Summit Project, a meditation-focused Woodbine Park gathering that, according to a news release from its organizer, the Centre for Spiritual Living, “can literally change the consciousness of millions and Awaken Humanity To Its Spiritual Magnificence.”

The city above Toronto, in terms of fun, on this particular weekend

Subject line of the City of Mississauga’s news release: “Media Advisory: Looking for something to do during the G20 weekend?” (Translation: “Toronto is going be excruciatingly boring if you’re not, like, throwing rocks at bank towers.”) First sentence: “The City of Mississauga is open for business this G20 Summit weekend with fun and engaging activities for children and adults of all ages to enjoy.” (Translation: “Yeah, Toronto isn’t going to have any fun and engaging activities, at all, for anyone. Like, none.”)

Fun and engaging activities include a concert featuring jazz guitarist Rob Tardik, a historical walking tour of Port Credit, and, far more excitingly, the Frank McKechnie Community Centre and Library’s 10th Anniversary Open House.

Hottie, you’re so hot you exacerbate the climate change crisis

If the library open house doesn’t do it for you, drive 15 minutes or so to Mississauga’s Treasures Gentleman’s Nightclub, which is holding a “G-String Summit” between June 23 and June 26. The “host” of the “summit,” which is totally not just a marketing stunt, is Miss Brooke Haven, an adult film star. Most of her duties appear to include stripping.

New TTC summit diversion

The Dufferin 29B and D buses will no longer travel inside Exhibition Place, which is closed to vehicular traffic. Instead, they will stop at the loop just outside the Dufferin Gate, said TTC spokesperson Brad Ross.

Summit essentially useless: pundits

Jeffrey Rubin, Huffington Post: “Everybody will be heading to the upcoming G20 summit in Toronto with conflicting agendas, in much the same way that they came to the environmental summit on global climate change in Copenhagen a few months ago. And, like that environmental summit, the economic summit in Toronto will have just as negligible an impact. For starters, if no one can agree on points of substance, why bother holding these extravaganzas in the first place? Particularly when host countries like Canada are paying absurd sums in security bills for the privilege.”

Alan Beattie, Financial Times: “Former officials and experts say that while the meeting is likely to pass off without violent disagreement, it is only at the cost of accepting stark divisions on contentious issues, or pushing their resolution into the future . . . The conversation this weekend is likely to be civil, if forthright. But few leaders seem likely to change their minds.”

Summit-related tweet of the day

Anthony Zanfini: “After seeing 25 cops standing in front it is clear that the most important delegate at the #G20 is Tim Horton’s.”

Summit leaves road wide open

It’s sardine city on the TTC most days. But Toronto Star staffers are reporting the luxury of exhaling on the city’s streetcars this week as the summit drives away traffic and transit riders — although the TTC says it doesn’t have the numbers proving ridership is down this week.

The eastbound Queen car, which normally takes 12 to 15 minutes to travel from Niagara St. to University Ave., took seven minutes Tuesday around 9:25 a.m.

“The streetcar just hurtled on because there was reduced traffic on Queen St.,” according to reporter Raveena Aulakh.

Debra Black made a similar report on the Spadina car.

Reduced traffic may be the summit’s silver lining.

“I’m loving this G20 stuff … made it in 15 minutes from Pape and Danforth to city hall, despite the rain. Even fewer cars on the road this morning, not many delivery trucks,” wrote Vanessa Lu.

Nancy White said she saved money as well as a little time. Lighter traffic got her to work five minutes faster than usual from the Beach along Queen East to Queens Quay.

The parking lot north of the Star building at 1 Yonge St., was charging $10 instead of the usual $12 summer rate.

“I guess they know people are staying away,” she said.

Leave the bikes at home

If your parked bicycle goes missing from downtown Toronto this week, don't bother chasing down Igor Kenk -- chances are the police are the culprits this time.

ISU spokesperson Sgt. Tim Burrows says police have been removing suspicious bicycles parked overnight around the G20 security zone (an area roughly bordered by King St., Yonge St., the lake and Spadina Ave.).

"If it looks like an abandoned bike, it's gone," Burrows said. "(If the suspicious bike is parked) after midnight and before 6 a.m., the bike's going to be investigated and there's a good shot it's going to be removed."

Like the many bike rings (and bus shelters and garbage bins and tree saplings) that have already been removed from the downtown core, bicycles can easily be used as makeshift weapons, Burrows explained.

He said some bikes have already been removed by police. Any cyclist who discovers his or her wheels missing can check with the Toronto Property Bureau at 799 Islington Ave. (416-808-3750).

"The other day, there was a very old decrepit bicycle -- there was no way it could have been ridden -- and it was locked with a brand new Kryptonite lock. These things just don't go together," Burrows said. "Whether it’s intent is to be used as a weapon or any other nefarious purpose, we’re just not taking the chance."

Meanwhile, it seems some office buildings are accommodating their cycle-happy employees and moving staff bike parking indoors. Twitter user @kayakinstructor tweeted this picture today of a Queen's Park building, where a makeshift indoor bike parking seems to have been constructed in the lobby.

 

RCMP pinup boys on the water

A group of RCMP officers congregated around five sleek black boats docked at Queens Quay and Yonge St. Tuesday morning.

Filled with scuba gear and other Miami Vice-esque accessories, the group was tight-lipped about its mission for the upcoming G20, directing all queries to media relations.

“Apparently we don’t know how to talk,” said one jocular officer, who wouldn’t give his name. “Security is a big concern,” said another. One thing was for sure. They were buff, gorgeous and decked out in uniform. Automatic rifles were slung over shoulders. And handguns strapped to their hips.

While the visit left many questions lingering about the role of this seemingly special-ops unit in the lead-up to the G20, it raised another query as well: Why hasn’t the RCMP come out with its own calendar? A simple, “Can we help you with something, Miss?” got this young reporter tripping over her words. It certainly brought a little sunshine to an otherwise dreary day.

Updated schedule of planned protests

The Toronto Community Mobilization Network -- an organizing body supporting and coordinating protesters for the G8 and G20 summits -- released an updated schedule of planned protests yesterday. Whether you want to join in or steer clear, here is a list of some G20 demonstrations and events planned for Toronto this week:

June 18-20 All Day, Forum, Ryerson University: 2010 People’s Summit

June 21-24 THEMED DAYS OF RESISTANCE

June 21 Migrant Justice and An End to War and Occupation, Income Equity and Community Control Over Resources

• 2 p.m. Allan Gardens, March: "All Out In Defense of the Rights of All"
• 7 p.m. 25 Cecil St., Forum, “Harper's Attacks on Reproductive Rights at home and abroad”

June 22 Gender Justice, Queer Rights, DisAbility Rights

• Various Times/Locations: “Creative transformations & street theatre for Gender Justice”   
• 4:30 p.m. Yonge and Queen: “Creative Queer Resistance to the G20”

June 23 Environmental and Climate Justice

• 11 a.m. Alexandra Park (Dundas and Bathurst St.), March: "Toxic Tour of Toronto"
• 7 p.m. 55 Gould St, Forum: “People's Assembly on Climate Justice”

June 24 Indigenous Sovereignty

• 11 a.m. Queen's Park, March: "Canada Can't Hide Genocide: Indigenous Day of Action  
• 5pm, Toronto Underground Cinema 186 Spadina Ave, Film: "Six Miles Deep"
• 8pm, 25 Cecil Street, Forum: "Confront the Invasion!" 

June 25-27 DAYS OF ACTION

June 25: 2:30 p.m., Allan Gardens, March. Block Party. Tent City: "Justice for Our Communities"

June 25: 6:00 p.m., Massey Hall, Forum: "Shout Out For Global Justice"

June 26: 1:00 p.m., Queen's Park, March: "People's First. We Deserve Better"

June 26: 1:00 p.m., Queen's Park, March: "Get Off the Fence"

June 26: Time/Location TBA, Radical Street Party: "Saturday Night Fever"

June 27: Time/Location TBA, Autonomous Direct Actions: "Getting Down to Business"

June 27: 1 p.m., Location TBA, Bike Block action

June 27: 2pm, St James Park, March: "Funeral March"

June 27: 5pm, Bruce Mackey Park (Dundas and Wardell), March: “Fire.Works.For.Prisons “

Terrorists unlikely to target G8 and G20 summits: CSIS

There has been "surprisingly little" indication of terrorist activity during the G8 and G20 summits,  the head spy at CSIS told the CBC Monday night.

Richard Fadden, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, told The National's Peter Mansbridge that CSIS agents have been gathering intelligence for the past 12 to 18 months and there has been "surprisingly little on the terrorism front."

"We don't think there is anyone who is really interested in doing any harm from that perspective," Fadden told the CBC. He adds that Al Qaeda, for example, prefers not to have its "timing planned for it" and tends to strike when least expected.

But "anarchist groups" and "multi-issue extremists" are a different story, he warned. Fadden predicts "a substantial amount of people" will take advantage of the summits to get the world's attention.

"Nothing attracts the world media like the G8 and G20, so anyone who is interested in getting their issues in front of the public, I think, are interested in being in Toronto," Fadden said. 

He adds that his top concern is the "lone wolf" who has been planning something for the past year or two and comes in "unexpectedly."

"I think most people want to go and get their issues on the front page," he said. "But I think there's a small number who believe that the only way that they can do this effectively is by causing a bit of a ruckus."