Majority of 1,105 arrested during G20 released without charges

[Newsjock]

Source: The Globe and Mail

Nearly a year after police undertook the largest mass arrests in Canadian history at the G20 summit, only a small fraction of those arrested have pleaded guilty, new numbers released Monday show.

The vast majority of the 1,105 people rounded up on June 26 and 27 were released without charge or had their charges dropped. Twenty-four have pleaded guilty and 56 are still before the courts.

... Toronto police said they had reasons to arrest people, whether or not the charges held up in court.

... “The number of convictions after trial – zero – and the small number of guilty pleas – only 24 – give a clear indication of the repressive focus of the police response to legitimate political protest and dissent,” said Mike Leitold, a criminal lawyer and member of the Movement Defence Committee, a group that provided legal assistance to G20 protesters. “These arrests were unfounded in the first place, and only served to prevent further demonstrations that weekend.”

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/majority-of-1105-arrested-during-g20-released-without-charges/article2067962/

[defendandprotect]

1. kr

[Downtown Hound]

2. Hey look, protesters were blowing bubbles!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGMTm3QRwEc

If ever somebody deserved to be arrested, she did. Bubbles are very dangerous.