Most Fun Ever…G-20

The weekend that cost a billion dollars (not including the un-tallied dollars in private sector business business lost because of grinding the entire city to a halt over fear) is finally over and what do we have to show for it? 600 arrests, a global (and when I say “global” I’m talking first world only of course) bailout plan to tighten our fat cat economic belts within 3 years (5 for Japan cause they’re house of cards is already falling), and some scorched earth.

How did we fair overall Toronto? At PinkMafia, we’re more bewildered than anything else. Why did a city filled with overzealous small town cops dolling out speeding, j-walking and traffic tickets like poppers at a 70s Zeppelin concert leading up to the big weekend, just stand by while a few rogue anarchists starting destroying the streets before them like deer in headlights? Why did they beat back peaceful protesters by the dozens when they did finally do something? Where the hell was the media coverage?

Oh wait, the media WAS there. Scaring the living shit out of anyone watching from home. Yeah, we’re looking at you CP-24. What the hell was that shaky camera angle of the streets “rioting”, zoomed so far in that no one could make out the intersection, no matter where you were? Why was there almost zero focus (and I’m saying almost here to be generous) on what was being protested? You’d think with that extreme closeup angle, we’d actually be able to make out a sign, maybe hear a voice, but nope. Even though peaceful protesters outweighed the “black-block” by 20-1, but who cares what they have to say when there’s a cop car on fire (Montreal in the hoooouuuse!). When the media wasn’t doing a half assed job of covering what was actually going on, they were scaring the pants off anyone who might want to peacefully protest by five-alarm firing everything from threatened snipers on buildings in the weeks leading up to G-20 weekend to claiming police used tear gas at Queen’s Park over and over and over then finally admitting that was false reporting over an hour later but just once, and not with the same mind-numbing repetition. At one point when Dundas Square was overtaken, College and University under great stress and Queen Street from Spadina to Bay at full stop, I took a bike ride from College to Dundas on Bay and there was NOTHING happening. All the shops were open and you could hear protests, but nothing like the armageddon Anne Roehmer had me believe was going on outside my door. Frankly the Sri Lanken protests last year seemed close to par (minus the car-burning of course, sup Montreal), and no one was running around like the sky was falling then.

All in all, we came off far better than other cities who hosted anything like this on a damage level, but far worse than I ever thought we’d act in Toronto, the tame. the PinkMafia hate-on for David Miller has grown at least 6 more throbbing inches since last week, what a total fail. Can you believe he convinced Harper to have it in Toronto in his first term instead of Alberta in the sticks to bring tourism to Toronto? Stink bomb your face Miller (I dream of it all the time)!

We’ll see if any of the countries hold true on their promise to cut back (that’s code for slash money to education, health care and increase taxes) in the next three years. It wasn’t made bond, like a rule of the G-20, just a suggested outline. Do we think it’s a good idea, yes. Do with think anyone is going to do it, probably not. Was it worth it? Hmmm, we’re gonna have to throw a big fat “no way” on this one. A la garbage strike, Bloor Street “rejuvenation” and the most recent subway extension. Again, Miller go choke on it sir.

Until the next protest, stay classy Toronto!

Photos By Zach Slootsky TakeMorePhotos

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