G20 Police Attacking Journalists

(11AM EST – promoted by Nightprowlkitty)

The Real News Network’s Jesse Freeston and other journalists attacked by police during what began as peaceful street demonstrations at the G20 Summit in Toronto…

Daniel Tencer of RawStory has more of the story here:

TORONTO — More than 500 people have been arrested in Toronto after a night of rioting that saw police cars burned in the financial district and storefront windows broken as leaders of the world’s largest economies gathered in the city for the G20 summit.

As clashes between police and protesters moved into their second day, there were more reports of journalists and peaceful protesters being arrested. The National Post reported that two of its photographers were arrested, and a Post blogger says a cyclist was arrested after accidentally bumping into a police officer.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Guardian confirmed earlier reports that one of its freelance journalists, Jesse Rosenfeld, was beaten and arrested at a protest Saturday night (see below).

The arrested protesters are being held in cages at a converted film studio on the city’s downtown east side. News reports indicate that, so far, none of the arrested have been let go. The Globe and Mail reports that about 100 peaceful protesters converged on the facility Sunday, chanting “let them go.”

As they stood outside the gate to the facility, at least two vans pulled up. Officers in plain clothes jumped out of the van and arrested a few protesters. Others began fighting back. A tense stand-off ensued as a bus with officers in riot gear pulled up to the scene.

Police grabbed some protesters out of the crowd, throwing them to the ground and dragging them away. Others streamed away from the area, crying. Three stood nearby consoling each other and hugging.

A woman who said she was arrested while peacefully protesting yesterday described the conditions inside the detention facility to CTV. She said protesters were housed in cages, some without benches.

more here…