This Is What Democracy Looks Like

It’s been a week of beautiful activism and courageous resistance. As a counterforce to media images of supposed violent protest, here are some pictures of folks of all ages and sexual orientations demonstrating against the G20 and then, after the largest single mass arrest in Canadian history, protesting police brutality.

An image of innocence, before the police violence that swept the city. Could a garage sale be advertised like this now?

There were young activists everywhere at the peaceful G20 protests, like these two, with their earnest expressions and homemade signs.

A marching band from Montreal had us dancing in the streets – while the cops amassed further up the block.

I wonder if these two got arrested….

Flash-forward three days: 900 people (like the ones you see pictured above) are in jail without charges, have endured taunting, inadequare food and water, and have been denied access to legal support. Mayor David Miller, after condoning this flagrant abuse of civil liberties at an early morning press conference, appears at a Pride flagraising talking about the city’s diversity and tolerance. Pinkwash! Notice the protest signs in the background.

The Lesbian Billionaires appear at the queer flagraising to cheer on police brutality and corporate domination.

More pinkwashing: The next day, a cop guards Toronto’s queer community centre from queer protesters while the Chief of Police is feted by wealthy gays and lesbians inside.

Queers, shut out of the cops’ cocktail party, get into the centre through a side door, shouting “Shame” and “This is What Hypocrisy Looks Like.”

The next day, this protest was on the front page of the Toronto Star.

The Chief of Police cancelled his plans to appear at the Pride Parade.

This is what democracy looks like, these days.