G8 and G20

The G8 and G20 have definately played havoc on Toronto - shut it down more likely.

The hype started a week ago with fences going up and high police presence - in full riot gear no less. It really was looking as though they were looking for a fight. You could see them getting all hyped up. There had to be at least 100 around the Royal Bank building at Front and Bay Streets. People started staying home from work or working from home - going on vacation, anything to get out of the city.

Yesterday I went to City Hall at Queen and Bay around 4 pm on a business errand. It was busy with shoppers and people at the Jazz Festival at Nathan Philips Square. Took the Bay bus down to King Street for the streetcar and all seemed quiet. However one block from home I had an email from the TTC saying the King streetcars were no longer running due to increase police activity. I thought wow - what's happening. It turns out that 2000 protestors were coming down University Avenue and there was a clash - I must have been looking south on University when we went by as I only live 10 minutes from University Ave.

The news was showing huge clashes between police and protestors - actually as I think of it there were at least a dozen mounted police officers waiting at Bay and Temperance (interesting place for them to meet as they were showing little temperance).