Toronto's secret ID law used to arrest G20 protestor

Cory Doctorow 1:36 pm Fri Jun 25, 2010

Alan sez, "In Canada you're not required to show ID. Except if you're in the 'G20 Zone'. You see, the law allows an exemption to the 'show ID' principle for public works. These are usually things like power stations, dams, etc. Well, the government got clever and just declared the entire area a 'public work' so police can go around demanding ID.

The best part of this? The law that made this happen won't even be PUBLISHED until after the G20 is over. So nobody knew about it until the cops arrested someone."

And the guy they arrested? They put him in a cage.

Vasey was arrested Thursday afternoon while exploring the G20 perimeter with his friend, Cameron Fenton. He said they were just "walking around" when they were stopped by police at York St. and Bremner Blvd.

"The officer told me, 'I am going to have to place you under arrest if you don't show your identification,' and I replied 'I'm not comfortable with that.'"

Vasey said he had been provided with legal information prior to the G20 from the Toronto Community Mobilization Network, an umbrella group supporting thousands of protesters descending on the city.

Man arrested and left in wire cage under new G20 law

(Thanks, Alan!)

Brooks Brothers bankrupt

Brooks Brothers is the latest casualty of the Covid pandemic, filing for bankruptcy protection in New York today. The upscale clothiers, one of the last to make garments in the… READ THE REST
How Japanese-style business culture applies to today’s new “business normal”

I'm looking forward to interviewing Yuko Kaifu, president of JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, for a live streaming event on July 17 about virtual meetings and how the rest of the… READ THE REST
Tesla denies reports of firing workers who chose to stay at home to avoid coronavirus risk in Elon Musk's factory

On Thursday, Tesla denied media reports that it fired employees who chose to stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic, rather than expose themselves to possible infection at Elon Musk's… READ THE REST
Short Post, just one paragraph

Dessert cheesecake wafer bear claw fruitcake. Fruitcake chupa chups donut candy canes marzipan. Apple pie sweet roll tart chocolate cake macaroon marshmallow carrot cake gummi bears sweet. Pastry sugar plum… READ THE REST
Save 50% on a 1-year subscription to Dashlane's premium password manager

We all know vital information about ourselves and our private digital accounts can be compromised by cybercriminals. However, many would be frightened to know just how compromised they and their… READ THE REST
The Bite Helper removes the itch of a mosquito bite in seconds

While mosquitoes have certainly earned their title as the deadliest animal on earth, their impact on most of our lives is usually a lot less consequential. But even though they… READ THE REST