Mounted police take in the game

A Star reader captured this scene outside the Air Canada Centre. He writes: "Here is a beautiful picture demonstrating the effectiveness of our $1 billion G20 summit security personnel hard at work. I know I feel safe. Tax dollars well spent."

A peek at the summit

Everyone on the bus to Dufferin and Sheppard!

“We have what is estimated to be 3,500 foreign media coming to Toronto. We’ve entertained a number of them already. It’s clear that most of them have never been to Toronto, most of them have never been to Canada. This is a fabulous opportunity . . . Let’s try to get the media out to see the city. All the neighbourhoods during the World Cup are going to be very vibrant. They’re not going to see what we really are in downtown because it’s empty and barricaded. But the rest of the city is still alive and vibrant, and if we can get people out to see the rest of the city, it will accomplish our goal.”

— Mike Williams, Toronto’s general manager of economic development

Overheard in the summit media centre I

Man 1, standing behind the counter of the free coffee bar beside the fake lake: “What can I get for you?”

Man 2, a member of the local media standing at the bar looking confused: “What do you got?”

Man 1: “Latte, hot chocolate, cappuccino, espresso...”

Man 2: “And this is all part of the...”

Man 1: “Yep.”

Overheard in the summit media centre II

“Party on.” — CBC’s Wendy Mesley, to a group of RCMP officers after posing for a picture with one of them

True summit-related fact

The westbound Gardiner Expressway was virtually empty at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

First they turn downtown into a maze, then ...

G20 protesters are at risk of being used as “guinea pigs” to test the effects of sonic cannons, civil rights groups say. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Canadian Labour Congress were in court Wednesday seeking an injunction against use of the long-range acoustic devices during demonstrations this week, saying the high-decibel gadgets, which can damage hearing, are “weapons” for which Ontario government approval is needed.

Toronto police bought four in May, while the OPP bought three this month.

Their planned use “has created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation in which reasonable citizens are questioning whether they should attend the G20 protests,” argued Paul Cavalluzzo, lawyer for the applicants.

OPP lawyer Christopher Diana said there is no evidence the cannons will cause people to avoid the protests. (He may have a point: After all, hearing damage hasn’t put an end to rock concerts.)

Possible intended messages of the summit media centre’s four-dimensional 4D Ontario ride

Ontario: Where you will think you will have fun but quickly get nauseous

Ontario: Where summer lasts much longer than winter

Ontario: Where residents spend large periods of time whitewater rafting and riding horses through forests

A place to stnad, a plcae to grow

According to a photo posted on BlogTO.com, at least one resident of the downtown security zone has received a pass that identifies his province as Ontairo. Perhaps it was typed by someone who had just exited the 4D Ontario ride.

Can they teach us how to be unconscious of this summit?M

Another group of international luminaries gathering in Toronto this week is the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness, which begins its 14th annual meeting Thursday. Among the matters to be discussed on Sunday: “Idiosyncratic spatial inhomogeneities in breakthrough to consciousness of suppressed visual stimuli.”

The summ-hit list: G20-appropriate oldies of the day

The Manhattan Transfer, “Spies In the Night.” Sample lyrics: “Shadows looking through an open window/Footsteps following wherever you go/Undercover eyes. . .” The Miracles, “You’ve Really Got a Hold On Me.” Sample lyrics: “Don’t want to stay here/Don’t want to spend another day here/Oh, oh, oh, I want to split now.”

Summit-related tweet of the day

Andrew Bailini: “it wasn’t an earthquake..it was just the effect of the final bill for the G20 & G8 being dropped on the Canadian taxpayers..#porkbarrel”

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.”

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.

 

#G20FakeRumours

There's a lot of mystery and uncertainty surrounding the G8 and G20 summits so it's no surprise these international spectacles have sent the rumour mill into overdrive.

In Huntsville, where the G8 is taking place June 25-26, the tiny seasonal town is especially fertile grounds for that proverbial grapevine -- as one Huntsville local put it to me recently, "If you haven't heard a rumour in Huntsville by 5 o'clock, start one." The misinformation was already flying when I was up in Huntsville a few weeks ago  -- everything from submarines patrolling the lakes to rumours of RCMP confiscating people's guns for an entire month. Other tall tales were even more bizarre -- one OPP officer told me he's heard local chatter of satellites that can read people's thoughts. 

In Toronto, rumours are also starting to fly faster now that the G20 is just around the corner. And of course, we can always count on Twitter to add some fuel to the fire -- earlier this week, as a construction fence went up along Front St., a few people mistakenly tweeted it was the security perimeter for the G20 (that fence isn't going to go up until June 7). And during Wednesday's power outage, there were plenty of tweets speculating the blackouts were part of G20 preparation tests or conspiracies.

Today, Twitter has been especially rife with fake rumours but at least these ones come with a disclaimer. A #G20fakerumours hash tag has been started and people have been tweeting up a storm, announcing faux-facts about the G20 and its elaborate security preparations.

(Correction: It's been pointed out to me that #G20FakeRumours all began with a tweet from @Torontoist and a response from @frsrmtthws. See Torontoist's blog post about the trending topic here.)

Here's a small sampling of what some people are coming up with:

rmcw 80% of G20 security price tag will be used to distribute fluffy kittens to subdue protesters #G20fakerumours

carvetha Security fences installed 4 pre-emptive Stanley Cup parade route after Brian Burke traded Kaberle and 4 picks for G20 Summit #G20FakeRumours

shankell Giant RCMP Beavers from the 2010 Olympics closing ceremony to be flown in as extra security personnel. #G20fakerumours

HereNowParkdale Much will be accomplished at the upcoming G20 Summit. #G20FakeRumours

frsrmtthws #g20fakerumours Justin Beiber will perform 'Baby' for selected delegates in Huntsville at the request of Barack Obama

rubedawg83 #G20FakeRumours City to be enclosed in airless vacuum to reduce the risk of air born weaponry.

And my personal favourite:

RobFordAngry I AM A SOUND CANNON! #G20FakeRumours

  Photo: Lucas Oleniuk/Toronto Star

Putting CCTV on the map

Our web editor, Patrick Cain, has created a fantastic Google map of the 77 CCTV cameras installed for the G20.

You can read his blog entry about the map here and see the finished product here.

A peek inside the G20 war chest

The summit's Integrated Security Unit demonstrates what Torontonians can expect to see during the G20 this June. Photo: Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star

In an impressive show of strength this morning, the G20's Integrated Security Unit (ISU) showcased the myriad officers, resources and equipment in its arsenal for the G20 summit.

When it came to law enforcement personnel, it was the whole kit and caboodle: there were cops on bikes, cops on horseback, cops with riot gear, cops with German Shepherds, and yes, even cops with the LRADs, or long range acoustic devices (the so-called sound cannons). There were units from the Canadian Forces, Peel Police, Toronto Police, Ontario Provincial Police, the city's Emergency Task Force  and the province's CBRN response team (which reacts to threats of the chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear kind).

The ISU held its "technical briefing" for media at the Toronto Police College at 70 Birmingham St. Reporters and camera crews were asked to stand behind a metal barrier as the various police and army units flexed their muscles and demonstrated what Torontonians "may be exposed to and experience during the summit." 

Here is what we saw:

Motorcades: Reports have estimated there will be as many as 83 motorcades during the summit, each of which could involve 10 to 50 cars. The motorcades are sure to snarl traffic from June 24 to 27 as dignitaries move between Pearson Airport, the G8 in Huntsville and the G20 at Toronto's Metro Convention Centre.

In the demo, each VIP vehicle was book-ended by police cruisers and officers on motorcycles. Several other police officers also rode ahead to block off roads for the motorcades to pass through. It was a highly choreographed affair and as the motorcade prepared to drive away, the officer at the front commanded "Fire 'em up" into his headset and each vehicle gunned its engine nearly in unison.

Crowd control: The police response to an escalating crowd seems to happen in stages.

In the demonstration, eight police officers on bicycles rode in formation and lined up to create a human barricade. Next, a riot squad marched in with its shields up and stood behind the officers with bicycles in two perpendicular rows, creating a kind of u-shaped formation. Riot police on horseback then followed and stood at the back; according to Const. Wendy Drummond, the mounted police units will be deployed 24 hours a day during the summit for crowd management purposes.

The police officers on bicycles then proceeded to lift their front wheels as riot officers moved to the front. It was at this point that two officers used a "handheld" LRAD device to communicate their message to the imaginary crowd:

"This is the Toronto Police Service. I'm asking you to vacate to your right in an orderly fashion down Birmingham St."

LRADs: Police emphasized that their four recently purchased LRADs are not weapons and will be used as a communication devices, with the alert function deployed for no more than five seconds as a way of getting people's attention. Police say they will use the alert function if necessary but will not deploy it on crowds or protesters standing 10 metres away.

Of the four LRADs purchased by Toronto police, three are the 100X model. These versions can reach amplitudes of 135 decibels for anyone standing one metre in front of the device; they are referred to as the handheld models but really look more like black backpacks worn on the front.

Two officers are required to operate the LRADs -- one who wears the device and a "public order commander" who speaks into the microphone and determines at what strength to calibrate the alerts. Police say 24 officers are currently being trained to use the LRADs.

The first demonstration of the LRAD was only at half-strength, about 70 dB, and the sound was underwhelming at best. I could barely even hear it from about 20 metres away and had to move closer to the device in order to hear the messages being broadcast. 

Police officers demonstrated the LRADs a second time, however, this time dialling the volume to full strength and standing at a distance of about one city block away. This time, they spoke into the loudspeaker while panning the LRAD from side to side because the device creates a "tunnel" of sound -- when the LRADs point away from you the noise is actually quite muted. When you stand in its path, however, it is like having a speaker right up against your ear.

During the full-strength demonstration, the alert was also sounded for a few seconds at full force. It was a loud blip that was irritating and jarring, making a few reporters jump. The sound was certainly piercing but tolerable; however, if it were to run for longer than five seconds, it would certainly become less than bearable.

Special operations: The Toronto Police Emergency Task Force (ETF) has eight special weapons teams, complete with negotiators, snipers, sniper spotters, rappel experts and CBRN-certified officers that can respond to hazardous materials, bomb threats and the like. The Emergency Task Force units will be located within the "interdicted zone" just outside the RCMP-controlled summit site.

Staff Insp. Dave Marks wouldn't disclose how many ETF officers will be working at the summit but confirmed the force has about 100 officers in total. Its marine unit, which will have the larger 300x LRAD at its disposal, will be patrolling the lake to potentially "assault other vessels," according to Marks.

The Ontario Police will also have its Urban Search and Rescue and CBRN teams working at the summits, with about 24 trained officers across the two units. Among its capabilities are:

• "Obstruction removal" -- protesters often use machinery to lock themselves to trucks, railways or even ships, and a specialized team will be on hand to dislodge and remove them.
• Rescue -- in the event of a large structural collapse, a rescue team, complete with three dog handlers, will be available for search and rescue missions.
• Hazardous materials response -- travelling CBRN units will be equipped with everything from $500,000 bomb-disarming robots to portable labs for testing hazardous substances.

K-9 units: Toronto police will have 22 dog handlers with 34 police dogs at its disposal. The Belgian Shepherd Malinois and German Shepherds are trained to do everything from detecting explosives and firearms to "criminal apprehension."

Canadian Forces: The Canadian Forces' contingent for the G20 will be mainly stationed at Pearson where it will conduct foot patrols with other units, mostly from Peel Police. Soldiers will be be dressed in full fatigues and armed with C7A1 rifles for self defence, according to public affairs officer Captain John-Hugh MacDonald.

"(Soldiers will) provide surveillance and observe, and provide early warning to law enforcement," he said.

EMS and Fire Services: It will be all hands on deck for Toronto EMS during the summit as all staff has been asked not to book vacation during the G20 week. There will be EMS buses available to respond to mass injuries -- these vehicles are capable of holding eight people on stretchers although some can be converted into seating to accommodate more patients. The bus is meant to serve as a large ambulance but can also be converted to a field hospital, if necessary.

In the event of a mass contamination, like tear gas contaminations, EMS will be operating inside the "cold zone" -- because tear gas can be passed from person to person, exposed victims should be decontaminated before entering an ambulance to be taken to hospital. 

The fire department will be operating in the "hot zone" however, and serve as the first responders to tear gas victims. Captain Bill Casey said the fire department has mobile tents it can set up in the event of tear gas contaminations.

Factory shutdown

Factory Theatre learns it will have to shut down production of Featuring Loretta one week early due to complications stemming from the G20. Photo: courtesy Factory Theatre

The G20 has claimed yet another.

Factory Theatre has announced it will be truncating its run of Featuring Loretta and ending the season's final show on June 20 -- one week earlier than originally planned.

Factory Theatre is located at 125 Bathurst St., just outside the summit traffic zone. Featuring Loretta's closing night was supposed to be June 27 -- which, as it turns out, is also the last day of the G20.

Summit organizers have warned that visible G20 security preparations will begin as early as two weeks prior to the summit. For Factory Theatre's managing director Sara Meurling, she thinks Torontonians have decided to avoid downtown like the plague during this time, something which has definitely been reflected in the ticket sales -- of the six shows in Featuring Loretta's final week, four have had no ticket bookings at all.

On Monday, Meurling met with her team and decided it would be best to draw the curtains early.

"Definitely, there is a radical difference in that last week," Meurling said. "Like, (an) outrageous, shocking difference between that last week and the weeks before. It's definitely affecting us negatively."

Meurling says she's worked in the theatre business for 25 years and has never been forced to shut a show down early. She says she feels especially terrible for her actors, who are now unexpectedly out of work for a week.

But to Meurling and Factory Theatre's credit, they're all trying to make the best of the situation -- the theatre is now offering a "Beat the G20" deal for Featuring Loretta, offering $20 tickets for all shows over the next three weeks. Get 'em while you can! (And while downtown traffic is still tolerable)

George Orwell would not approve

One of the new security cameras installed across downtown Toronto for the G20 summit. Photo: Andrew Wallace

Police issued a press release today announcing they have finished installing 77 CCTV cameras for the G20 summit.

These cameras have been installed across downtown Toronto and are in addition to 18 CCTV cameras already in place.

Police say the new surveillance cameras will be removed immediately after the summit. Their locations are at the following intersections (update: also scroll to the bottom for a link to a map):

University & Armoury East
University & Armoury West
University & Dundas East
University & Dundas West
52 Division, 255 Dundas Street West
Yonge & Queen
Queen & Bay
Queen & Sheraton Hotel
Queen & University North
Queen & University South
Queen & Duncan
Queen & John
Queen & Peter
Duncan & Pearl
King & Peter
King & John
King & Metro Hall
King & Simcoe
Richmond & University
Richmond & York
Richmond & Bay
Richmond & Sheppard
Richmond & Yonge
Adelaide & Yonge
Adelaide & Bay North
Adelaide & Bay South
Adelaide & Sheppard
Adelaide & York
Adelaide & University
King & University
King & York North
King & York South
King & Toronto Stock Exchange
King & Bank of Montreal
King & Bay North
King & Bay South
King & Yonge
Wellington & Yonge
Wellington & Bay North
Wellington & Bay South
Wellington & TD Bank
Wellington & York
Wellington & University
Wellington & Simcoe North
Wellington & Simcoe South
Wellington & Metro Hall North
Wellington & Metro Hall South
Wellington & John
Wellington & Windsor
Front & Windsor North
Front & Windsor South
Front & John North
Front & Simcoe
Front & Royal York Hotel
Front/BayN
Front & Bay South
Front & Yonge
York & Bremner
Bremner & Lakeshore North
Bremner & Lakeshore South
Simcoe Drive
Simcoe & Lakeshore North
Simcoe & Lakeshore South
College & Yonge
TPS HQ - 40 College St.
Grenville & Bay
College & Bay

Update: @bethanybhorne with OpenFile.ca has created a Google Map of the surveillance cameras (she has most of them mapped already and is continuing to update). Check it out here.

Summiting by candlelight?

A large power outage hit downtown Toronto today, leaving 20,000 people without electricity in the middle of the day. The blackout was caused by a cable fault and affected a large chunk of downtown Toronto -- stretching from Bay St. to Frederick St. (just east of Jarvis St.) and Shuter St. to about Lake Shore Blvd. -- and darkened downtown office towers and snuffed out traffic lights.

As news of the power outage spread across the Twitterverse, many wondered whether the blackouts might be related to G20 preparations:

"Toronto power out at Victoria and Wellington. Transformer blow out? G20 practice ?" asked BonoBC

"There have been rolling power outages all over the city lately. I've overheard that it's clandestine #G20 preparedness stuff." wrote MichelSavoie.

According to summit security, today's blackouts have nothing to do with summit preparations. The outages do beg the question, however: what would happen if Toronto were to blackout as world leaders and dignitaries convened at the Metro Convention Centre?

Michele Paradis, RCMP spokesperson for the summit's Integrated Security Unit, said she can't discuss details relating to specific  security preparations but assures us G20 security is prepared for the possibility of a blackout.

"I can tell you that is all part and parcel with our planning, not just for G20 but also for the G8," Paradis said. "It will be one of the things we’ll be looking at to ensure the integrity of the power system – if the power were to go down, the summit could go on."

"We would be able to have a plan B," she added. "We always plan for every eventuality."

According to Tanya Bruckmueller with Toronto Hydro, the hydro company always has emergency crews on standby but will staff additional crews during the G20 weekend, just in case. She also said Toronto Hydro is always concerned with maintaining security at its power stations but she "guarantee(s) that we've been looking at security at all our locations."

Well, nice to know everyone's prepared -- just imagine the freakout if Barack Obama were to get trapped in an elevator somewhere.