A bitter victory

[sabotabby]

Photo by Victor Magdic

Downtown Toronto is a ghost town. I haven't been there myself, but I've seen the photos. I've been keeping up with the news of the wall, the surveillance cameras, the sonic cannons, the legions of cops, the private army of thugs, the school shutdowns, the work and transit closures, the prom and wedding cancellations, even the moronic fashion advice.

And it hurts. I have to say it. Mock Toronto all you like, but it's my city, and I love it with all the irrational enthusiasm of a flag-waving Yank. I live here and I work here; it's my haven and my playground and I find its vastness, its variety, even its cold-shouldered anonymity, a comfort and a joy. It's my home, and at the risk of sounding hyperbolic, these soulless bastards have turned it into a warzone for their little photo-op.

But in the midst of this ugliness, I've come to the realization that we—the activists, the protesters, the unwashed masses—have actually won the war without firing a shot. What's the purpose of summit-hopping, after all? Seattle was a fluke—they'll shoot us all before they let us shut down another big meeting. A more realistic goal is discrediting what takes place at these closed-door meetings, and Stephen Harper and his buddies have done that for us.

How about economic disruption? John Zerzan could raise an army of stinking anarcho-primitivists and it wouldn't rain as much havoc down on Canada's infrastructure as shutting down Toronto's entertainment and financial districts during prime tourist season. We don't need to shut down the streets—they went and did that. We don't need to toss bricks through windows—they've already made a bloody mess of the downtown.

Nor do we need to shame them. They have transformed a bustling, prosperous city into a microcosm of the world they wish to create. Governed by martial law, cordoned off, leaders isolated from the people they claim to represent. This is what democracy looks like, indeed. They used to accuse activists of hiding our faces behind black kerchiefs and balaclavas—now they're the ones hiding behind walls.

So while I mourn as the rich and powerful prepare to shit all over my city, it's heartening to know that they've gone and proved my point for me.

P.S. I totally missed the earthquake. I guess I was at school. Nothing ever happens in Scarberia.

Comments

[fengi.livejournal.com]

The coverage on the CBC podcasts is pretty amusing, even when they are feigning seriousness. The best had to be a report on the fantasies in Huntsville about a sudden economic boost from the G8.

[sabotabby]

...yeah, no one goes to Huntsville. Except culpster, I guess.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

The lemur and I went there last fall. They have moose.

[sabotabby]

Moose are cool, I guess.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

I expect the moose have been deemed to be a security risk and shot.

[sabotabby]

I imagine so. They're the symbol of archaic nationalist protectionism and environmental regulation, and we need to be open for business in the new global economy.

[iclysdale.livejournal.com]

Nor do we need to shame them. They have transformed a bustling, prosperous city into a microcosm of the world they wish to create. Governed by martial law, cordoned off, leaders isolated from the people they claim to represent. This is what democracy looks like, indeed. They used to accuse activists of hiding our faces behind black kerchiefs and balaclavas—now they're the ones hiding behind walls.

Wow. Thank you.

[sabotabby]

You're most welcome.

[ltmurnau.livejournal.com]

I know there are so many other mockworthy things in this boondoggle, but for me it was the Lake of Fake.

[sabotabby]

Yeah, the Lake of Fake is kind of Great.

[sqrt-joy.livejournal.com]

Except it's not! Have you seen the pictures? It looks like a grade8 design and tech. project.

[sabotabby]

I've seen the artist's concept drawings, and extrapolated from those based in the difference between the concept drawings for the Crystal Tumour and the actual ROM extension.

[amazon-syren.livejournal.com]

I don't understand why they felt a need to make a fake lake. Isn't Lake Ontario, like, right there???

Seriously. It makes no sense. :-(

[joxn.livejournal.com]

Lake Ontario is so big they have to share it with the proles.

[ironphoenix.livejournal.com]

Let's get down to business, yep indeedy.

Excellent post!

[sabotabby]

Why thank you!

[misslynx.livejournal.com]

A lot of good insight there...

Although I have to admit, at risk of losing any shreds of Serious Activist cred I may somehow have left, that I found that fashion article in the Star hilarious. I may have startled the dog with my too-loud laughter.

[sabotabby]

I have been known to make Protest Fashion posts myself, and there was one demo in particular where I felt that everyone was abominably dressed and that the 60s needed to have a silver stake slathered in garlic and holy water (yes, I am mixing my monster tropes here) rammed through its heart. However, that particular article missed the mark for me.

[lokilokust.livejournal.com]

i miss toronto.
(it's my second favourite large city, right after berlin!)

[sabotabby]

Come visit!

(Though we are a distant second to Berlin, if so. Berlin is so much better than everything.)

[lokilokust.livejournal.com]

i'm hoping that the j. and i can get up there before the fall semester starts, now that her green card stuff is aces.

[ghostwes.livejournal.com]

I remember thinking during the Quebec City protests way back, at what point does a walled fortress become a walled prison?

[sabotabby]

When we don't let the fuckers back out?

[jsburbidge.livejournal.com]

This is a good question. The Yippies would probably be holding a street party to celebrate the G20 leaders being kept away from the rest of us, and instead of agitating to get in, agitating not to let them out.

[terry-terrible.livejournal.com]

Whenever I prepare to slip off into pure apathy, you come along and post something like this.

Thank you.

[sabotabby]

You're welcome.

[esizzle.livejournal.com]

soo true !!

as for the mocking.. i think it's these ridiculous things that give toronto it's character.. g20.. garbage strikes... i dunno for a really alienating city like toronto, i think this is the few kind of stuff/experiences that we end up experiencing as a collective!

[esizzle.livejournal.com]

also if u are gonna check out any of this stuff going on can u let me know cuz i don't know anybody who wants to be anywhere near it!

[sabotabby]

I'm going Saturday and maybe Friday. Wanna come? I need to get a hold of some friends and figure out what they're doing.

[pofflewomp.livejournal.com]

You've lost me completely. What the hell is going on in Toronto? I heard about huge numbers of homeless people in Vancouver. The Tories keep claiming Canada as they're role-model in making evil cuts.

What is the wall?

I applaud your patriotism, matriitism, for your home city. I too London.

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

I have to be a contrarian here :)

Shutting down the financial district is not a big loss for our Toronto. The disruption affects the tourism industry (i.e. lame King St. musicals) more than Life in the City... Oh, maybe some of the lame bar district too. I mean when was the last time you hung out in the area that closed off? I don't think it even impacts McVeighs, which is pretty close. I work in the area and it's irritating to see so many cops, and glares get double returns. So far, my commute through Union station has not even been affected. The area is already a ghost town on weekends. I don't think that there is much economic disruption of the financial industry, as lots of places have set up alternate offices and people are used to "telecommute" anyway. I've certainly been invite to use either option although I've opted to go to the office anwyay. (What would I have to fear from activists?) So as a Torontonian, I don't feel they're doing very much to the city that hurts me.

Now as for the rest, the billion dollar bill, the walling off of the summit leaders, etc. I agree...

[ironed_orchid]

Nor do we need to shame them. They have transformed a bustling, prosperous city into a microcosm of the world they wish to create. Governed by martial law, cordoned off, leaders isolated from the people they claim to represent. This is what democracy looks like, indeed. They used to accuse activists of hiding our faces behind black kerchiefs and balaclavas—now they're the ones hiding behind walls.

You are brilliant and smart and right.

[pofflewomp.livejournal.com]

oh - I didn't know there was a G20 thingy going on! not watched/heard news for ages. It's beyond my brain anyway. Not worked out what it's about, G20.

[ltmurnau.livejournal.com]

I've noticed something about the arrests and near-arrests they've made so far: everyone nabbed so far is old. Or, at least "older".

- The guy with the chainsaw, crossbow and arrows, and Molotov makin's had his age reported as 53.
- Kristen Peterson and Byron Sonne are both 37. (nice house, too.)
- the people arrested in connection with the RBC firebombing in Ottawa in May that was supposed to be related to G8/G20 were 58, 50, and "early 30s".

I know the roster will change in the next few days, but it's an interesting trend.

[sabotabby]

I'm one degree of separation away from Byron Sonne. I am convinced that while he and Peterson may have been foolish, neither are criminals or terrorists.

[ltmurnau.livejournal.com]

Oh, agreed (the "possession of explosives" charge was probably a bundle of firecrackers, or a volleyball painted black with a shoelace fuse and the word BOMB on it), but I was just commenting on the Radical Geezers (relatively speaking) getting arrested.

Certainly in the next few days the police will arrest as many people as they want to, so these will fadce into the statistical background....

[kellista.livejournal.com]

really great writing. a much more nuanced response than my own introspective Spider Jerusalem-esque "fuck the fucking fuckers grumble mumble chainsmoke" strategy.

[freetobeme.livejournal.com]

I was at the G20 last year and yeah.

Yeah.


PS. Toronto is my favorite city.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Hello, you probably don't know me, but I am one of Marna's partners. I lost the window I had my tabs open on the protests/arrests/violence, which included your photos.

I was going to use them in an analysis of what the RCMP, etc. did wrong; structurally/tactically, which pretty much guaranteed their would be violence when they actually tried to do anything other than watch.

I've been the recipient of some of the best actual crowd control anti-riot training I know of (US Army National Guard, as taught by the Los Angeles Police Dept.) I know it sounds odd, but it's good at keeping peaceful demonstrations from going toxic.

What I saw in those photos was training/equipment which can't help but the opposite... peaceful demonstrations turning to violence.

If you could get me the CBC links,and some of your photos, I'd appreciate it.

[sabotabby]

Hi there!

I'm running around like a crazy person all weekend, but all of my entries marked g8/g20 have photos and links.