The Hamilton Board is hoping to prevent a repeat of the policing breakdown that occurred during the Toronto 2010 G20 summit when the Toronto Police Service ran amok over civil liberties.
TPS declared “Charter-free zones”, arresting over 1000 people and illegally detained hundreds more in “kettles“, in what became the largest mass arrests in Canada’s peacetime history
Ombudsman Andre Marin wrote a report on the widespread abuses of power, and was very critical of the Toronto Police Services Board for failing to exercise oversight prior to and during the event.
With Pan Am soccer expected to be one of the largest gatherings of people in Canada during 2015, and a potential target for crime and terrorist due to its high international profile, Hamilton’s Police Services Board wants to hear from Marin about lessons learned from the G20 fiasco.
The invitation is being recommended by the Police Services Board’s Governance Committee and will be voted upon at the next Police Services Board meeting on July 21st.