I've lived in Toronto for over 10 years. This guy is an aberration. Toronto Police officers are really friendly and polite. Reeeeeaaaalllllly. That's why this guy went viral.
The original confrontation occurred at Queen St W and Noble in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood at Parkdale Legal Community Services Centre. It was called the "Convergence Centre" where protesters from out of town could meet, share food, get some rest and organize their peaceful marches etc. They were not affiliated with
anyone participating in or condoning "Black Bloc" techniques.
Bubble Girl, (Ms. Winkels), was at the Convergence Centre on the Sunday afternoon when the area was swarmed by police in riot gear who boxed off the area and refused to allow people to leave. The neighbourhood where this happened is approximately 4.1kms (2.5miles) away from the Summit site. It is a high-density residential area in the western side of downtown. Ms. Winkels had been working as a street medic over the course of the weekend. She was not a violent protester.
What you don't see in the original video is - Officer Bubbles injected himself into a conversation between the female officer and Ms. Winkels. He had been 7 metres (20feet) away and chose to confront a situation that was calm and under control. Infer what you will of his character from that. Also, Ms. Winkels was asked to stop blowing bubbles by the Officer and she did cease doing so - the video shows this.
This scene was not a rowdy crowd protesting at a Summit site. Riot squads descended on a residential neighbourhood, blocked off a main street and kettled people walking their dogs or getting coffee and detained them as a bus was searched. A bus filled with Montrealers returning home on the Sunday afternoon because the Summit was over.
After the confrontation with Officer Bubbles, Ms. Winkels was treated with suspicion for having a lawyer's phone number written on her arm and charged with possession of weapons dangerous for having eyewash in her backpack (despite being able to prove her position as a street medic) and arrested.
The lawsuit Officer Bubbles has launched does not take issue with the original video, which you have seen. It is not mentioned in any part of his Statement of Claim. Clearly, he is comfortable or at least aware that there is nothing he can do or say to defend his words, actions or demeanour. His Statement of Claim encompasses the Officer Bubbles cartoons and the possible slanderous nature of those. He also claims that threats have been made to the safety of his family and children.
If someone had made a credible threat to the safety of his family and children, then I feel some sympathy for them. That crosses a line for me.
But a grown man who chose to behave in a completely overbearing and unnecessary manner does not.
As Cst. Josephs so succinctly put it, my heart bleeds.
Slashdot Mirror
I've lived in Toronto for over 10 years. This guy is an aberration. Toronto Police officers are really friendly and polite. Reeeeeaaaalllllly. That's why this guy went viral.
Here are some facts:
The original confrontation occurred at Queen St W and Noble in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood at Parkdale Legal Community Services Centre. It was called the "Convergence Centre" where protesters from out of town could meet, share food, get some rest and organize their peaceful marches etc. They were not affiliated with anyone participating in or condoning "Black Bloc" techniques.
Bubble Girl, (Ms. Winkels), was at the Convergence Centre on the Sunday afternoon when the area was swarmed by police in riot gear who boxed off the area and refused to allow people to leave. The neighbourhood where this happened is approximately 4.1kms (2.5miles) away from the Summit site. It is a high-density residential area in the western side of downtown. Ms. Winkels had been working as a street medic over the course of the weekend. She was not a violent protester.
What you don't see in the original video is - Officer Bubbles injected himself into a conversation between the female officer and Ms. Winkels. He had been 7 metres (20feet) away and chose to confront a situation that was calm and under control. Infer what you will of his character from that. Also, Ms. Winkels was asked to stop blowing bubbles by the Officer and she did cease doing so - the video shows this.
This scene was not a rowdy crowd protesting at a Summit site. Riot squads descended on a residential neighbourhood, blocked off a main street and kettled people walking their dogs or getting coffee and detained them as a bus was searched. A bus filled with Montrealers returning home on the Sunday afternoon because the Summit was over.
After the confrontation with Officer Bubbles, Ms. Winkels was treated with suspicion for having a lawyer's phone number written on her arm and charged with possession of weapons dangerous for having eyewash in her backpack (despite being able to prove her position as a street medic) and arrested.
The lawsuit Officer Bubbles has launched does not take issue with the original video, which you have seen. It is not mentioned in any part of his Statement of Claim. Clearly, he is comfortable or at least aware that there is nothing he can do or say to defend his words, actions or demeanour. His Statement of Claim encompasses the Officer Bubbles cartoons and the possible slanderous nature of those. He also claims that threats have been made to the safety of his family and children.
If someone had made a credible threat to the safety of his family and children, then I feel some sympathy for them. That crosses a line for me.
But a grown man who chose to behave in a completely overbearing and unnecessary manner does not. As Cst. Josephs so succinctly put it, my heart bleeds.