As Canada's Democracy Trembles, a New Global Architecture Emerges
Anthony Fenton
EXCERPTS
SUBWAY SYSTEM SHUT DOWN - NEARLY 600 ARRESTED
TORONTO, 28 Jun (IPS) -
The stealthy side of this process revealed itself on Thursday, when police arrested an individual under the 'Public Works Act', a provision passed in secret by Ontario cabinet officials earlier this month that allowed police to question, search and potentially detain anyone within five metres of the G20 security fence.
In the weeks months leading up to the summit, protesters were under surveillance by the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS). One of those protesters targeted by CSIS, Stefan Christoff, called this part of a broader "chill effect" and "culture of fear" that the security forces were allegedly seeking to foster in advance of the largest, most expensive, and most heavily secured meeting of global leaders in history.
Arbitrary and sometimes preemptive arrests became the norm as the weekend progressed, drawing denunciations from several prominent human rights organisations. Amnesty International decried the "curtailment of civil liberties" that accompanied "high fences, new weaponry, massive surveillance, and the intimidating impact of the overwhelming police presence".
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association, some of whose members were swept up in the arrests, decried police tactics, and expressed concern about the conditions of those being detained. "It would appear that the presumption of innocence has been suspended during the G20," they said in a statement.
More . . .
http://ipsnorthamerica.net/news.php?idnews=3160------------------
I'd suggest that when elites meet, democracy is under threat --
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