Reply #3: G8/G20 Communique: Report from the courts: Monday August 23, 2010

[JohnyCanuck]

Three courtrooms at the fortified 2201 Finch Avenue court house were dedicated exclusively to handling the 303 G20 arrestees who arrived early for their set date hearings on Monday August 23 2010; where heavily armed Emergency Task Force officers patrolled the hallways.

The G20 arrestees were divided up into groups loosely based on the location of their arrest and processed through the system; sometimes only spending a few minutes in front of the judge before hearing that their charges had been dropped.

All 17 community organizers accused of being "ringleaders" to the G20 Summit protests -- thus given a variety of conspiracy based charges - had their hearings put over to September 27, 2010.

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The sheer number of charges dropped -- coupled with the number of activists and bystanders who were arrested/detained during the G20 Summit weekend only to be released hours later without charge -- has bolstered calls for an inquiry.

Of the 1,090 people picked up during the G20 Summit, only 303 were charged and told to appear in court on August 23, 2010. Of the 303 charged (by rough estimate; the Attorney General said official stats were forthcoming, 100 people (nearly a third) had their charges dropped or diverted if they agreed to contribute to a charity, do community service or sign a peace bond.

http://www.rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/statica/2010/08/g8g20-communiqu%C3%A9-report-courts-monday-august-23-2010