G20 Concerns of mine

They're referring to the upcoming G20 in the heart of Toronto as a "medium" security threat.

My concerns stretch far beyond the scope of protesters and sound cannons.
I feel my concerns are more than justified, unfortunately, there's really no-where to go with them... so I'm laying them out here.

Issue : Location
1: The G20 meetings are supposed to take place in the Metro Convention Center. A multi-story facility, partially above-ground located almost within throwing distance of the main water-transit hub for the city itself.

2: The aforementioned Metro Convention Center physically straddles the main rail transit hub.
Rail traffic has not been closed during the G20... cargo and passenger trains will still be flowing through the very area that will house 20 of the worlds most powerful leaders.

3: Metro Convention Center is located within the very core of Toronto, Canada's largest city, at the base of the CN Tower... Canada's largest building. The potential for catastrophic numbers of civilian casualties in the worst case scenario is staggering.

Issue : Theater
1: We are well aware in recent years that there are a number of groups/organizations who would foam at the mouth for a chance to attack the G20 leaders, especially all in one go.

2: The worlds focus will be on this event. Meaning, if an attack were pulled off, the world would be watching.

3: Over a dozen Toronto Police uniforms have gone missing or stolen Today.



The worlds most powerful leaders all convening in the center of Canada's largest city, in the densest part of that city, right on top of major transport hubs, all of which except for the highways will still be operating, police uniforms in the hands of whomever...

This G20 meeting is hitting new levels of stupid dangerous.

They are effectively painting a giant target on high value politicians, Canada's largest city, Canada's most notorious landmark, and Toronto's citizens in one go.


I'm not going to go into theories of who would want to perform a disgusting act like attacking such a target... I'm simply stating my concerns that this G20 meeting is WAY more dangerous than it should be.

A simple assassination of one leader started WW1.
Imagine how screwed up 20 would make the world.

It feels like they're just asking to be attacked.
These meetings should be held away from dense population centers, both for the sake of the civilians and for the sake of maintaining security.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by johnsky]

[edit on 16-6-2010 by johnsky]

What date is G20 on? Usually I keep up with this...

My iPod has a Live Cams app of a few places in Toronto, so I may want to watch this. My iPod also has a list of police scanners I can listen to, and Toronto is one of them.

reply to post by Phlynx


The main meeting takes place on the 26th.
No information on the actual time of day of events.

I'm keeping away from Toronto on this day.

Regardless of whether anything destructive might be pulled off, the entire downtown core will effectively be in a state of Martial Law during this time... sound cannons are being deployed... and basically, your ability to move about the city or even get the provisions you need for the day will be practically null and void.

Normally I love a good protest.
But I know better than to stand under a giant target.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by johnsky]

Originally posted by johnsky
reply to post by Phlynx

 

The main meeting takes place on the 26th.
No information on the actual time of day of events.

I'm keeping away from Toronto on this day.

Regardless of whether anything destructive might be pulled off, the entire downtown core will effectively be in a state of Martial Law during this time... sound cannons are being deployed... and basically, your ability to move about the city or even get the provisions you need for the day will be practically null and void.

Normally I love a good protest.
But I know better than to stand under a giant target.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by johnsky]

Well I can take screen-shots on my iPod, so I will get some pictures from the live video cameras. I can also record the scanner. If I get anything good I will try to get it up here on ATS.

reply to post by Phlynx


With the worlds eyes on Toronto on that day. Anything worth recording will most certainly be in everyones faces on television screens worldwide.

Originally posted by johnsky
reply to post by Phlynx

 

With the worlds eyes on Toronto on that day. Anything worth recording will most certainly be in everyones faces on television screens worldwide.

Do you have any ideas on what major highways I should be looking at? I have street cams too.

reply to post by Phlynx


As stated, most of the highways (Gardiner, QEW) will be pretty much shut down. 401 is expected to be un-usable due to redirected traffic. And a large section of the downtown core is being fenced off, and other minor streets near the core will be unusable.

Traffic monitoring aircraft will not be permitted to fly either. So basically, if you plan to go to work that day in the core of the city... don't bother.

[EDIT]

Scratch that. I just noticed they've changed the decision to close the major adjacent highways. The Gardiner and all 400 series highways will be open.

... ?

Ungh... tack another security threat onto the list.

This makes the G20 hosted in the midst of major Rail, Port, and Road hubs.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by johnsky]

Here, I found you guys a map.



Source : www.thestar.com...

Note the line under the Metro Center is the main rail line.
CN tower is right there too.
Gardiner expressway below that.
Major port on the shore.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by johnsky]

It certainly does have the potential to be a disaster. Why in the hell does it have take place in the biggest city in the country?! Have it in some small town or on an air craft carrier and save a whole bunch of money with reduced risk.

Originally posted by Sasky
It certainly does have the potential to be a disaster. Why in the hell does it have take place in the biggest city in the country?! Have it in some small town or on an air craft carrier and save a whole bunch of money with reduced risk.

You have no idea how many people have said "It should be on an aircraft carrier".
You're absolutely right. An aircraft carrier secure, it's not on anyones land, it's not endangering anyone, and it's not shutting down businesses.

Hosting it in the heart of Toronto has too much potential to be a disaster, this is the point I'm driving at. I don't like it at all.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by johnsky]

Originally posted by johnsky

Originally posted by Sasky
It certainly does have the potential to be a disaster. Why in the hell does it have take place in the biggest city in the country?! Have it in some small town or on an air craft carrier and save a whole bunch of money with reduced risk.

You have no idea how many people have said "It should be on an aircraft carrier".
You're absolutely right. An aircraft carrier secure, it's not on anyones land, it's not endangering anyone, and it's not shutting down businesses.

Hosting it in the heart of Toronto has too much potential to be a disaster, this is the point I'm driving at. I don't like it at all.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by johnsky]

Granted that Canada doesn't have an air craft carrier but it does have thousands of miles of wilderness that would be very easy to secure.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by Sasky]

US is just to our south, and a member of the G20.
With more Aircraft Carriers than they know what to do with.
I'm sure they can spare one for the occasion.

I'm sure the other 19 members would be willing to share the bill for it's use.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by johnsky]

Originally posted by johnsky
US is just to our south, and a member of the G20.
With more Aircraft Carriers than they know what to do with.
I'm sure they can spare one for the occasion.

I'm sure the other 19 members would be willing to share the bill for it's use.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by johnsky]

Good Idea. Share the bill between all member countries for each meeting and have it on an aircraft carrier. Its so simple! But no Canada would prefer to spend a billion.

Well, at least they've taken the time to BAN (as in make illegal) such horrible security threats as "kite-flying", "sight-seeing" ... and "saplings" (young trees).

I'm not joking.

I wish I were.

But I'm not.


Look it up.
Meanwhile, the large number of passenger and freight rail lines that literally runs under part of the Convention Center... is to proceed as normal.

Is it just me that's going mad here?

[edit on 16-6-2010 by johnsky]

Btw, they said on the news that this event will cost 1,000,000,000 CAD in security cost.

That is a loooooot of money for one event. I think it's the most expensive G8-G20 so far.

So I would not worry. Unless they have a major flaw in their plan... Or it's just a justifiable way to spend our taxes money.

EDIT: @Sasky sorry I read your post fast, you already mentioned it will cost 1 billion.

[edit on 16-6-2010 by Daivuk]

I went downtown Toronto today, and decided to head toward the security restriction zone to check it out.

Pleasing to the eyes (lol), the fences/walls are most certainly adequate to fend off rioters... even resourceful ones.
However, my fears regarding the transit systems straddling the conference hall are still ever-present.
The area was absolutely packed with police with their riot gear ready... and the summit is still 4 days away!

Oh, and some of you will take interest in this...
If you want to see black helicopters flying incredibly low, the Security zone was abuzz with a couple of them. Yes, the boys you didn't see were up and about patrolling the area at what seemed to be less than 100 meters above the ground, passing between buildings. Crazy bastards, lol.
They looked to be CH-146's, same as I've seen on base back when I lived on it, only, they were mat-black with no numbers, lettering, or symbols visible.

Even some of the police stopped to watch as they passed overhead.
Seems they get to see that just about as often as the rest of us have.

Sorry, didn't have time to pull out the camera-phone to get a snapshot.

[edit on 22-6-2010 by johnsky]

Well protests have already begun. Protesters took a gas station hostage yesterday. I can defintely see SHTF already. The worst part is I'll be right in the middle of it.

OP, you forgot to mention CBC (the government media station) is across the street from the Metro Convention Station, as well as PATH (or underground walkways) that line up the entire downtown core right under these buildings.

I haven't heard of the uniforms being stolen. If that's the case, can you post a link.

Fortress Toronto seems to be well protected but the possibilities should scare every Torontonian right now.

reply to post by johnsky


Btw, every subway station I've visited has cops outside with riot gear and gas masks. Defintely extraordinary considering how lax things usually are.

reply to post by Portugoal


Yeah. I originally heard it while listening to the radio.

www.680news.com...

Looks like I heard it the day after it happened. It was the 15th it happened on, not the 16th.

However, according to this article, the police say the uniforms are missing... yet the dry cleaners say it's false.


To me this sounds like someone out there has uniforms they shouldn't have, the police know this, and are looking for a scapegoat to blame for the uniforms being in the wrong hands.

[edit on 23-6-2010 by johnsky]

They already made their first arrest for a possible threat at the meetings.

I just started a thread about it in the breaking news forum.

www.abovetopsecret.com...