Many people are now familiar with the story of Adam Nobody - a Toronto resident who ventured downtown during the G20 meetings and got to see a dark side of the Toronto Police Services that many of us thankfully do not ever encounter.
On the morning of June 26, the Saturday of the G20 summit, Mr. Nobody heard about the protests but wasn’t much interested. Eventually, he wandered over to the designated protest area at Queen’s Park to see what was going on. Bored, he went to buy some beer and a poster board to make his own protest sign. When he returned to Queen’s Park he busied himself with his sign, a joking homage to an episode of Beverly Hills 90210, which read “Let Donna Graduate.”
As he finished writing, a line of police approached from behind. He started to back away, and then an officer charged at him. Mr. Nobody said he turned and ran. He threw away his bag, and then the officer dove and tackled him. This is the sequence that can be seen on the YouTube video.
What Mr. Nobody says happened next wasn’t caught on tape. He said that after being led behind a police wagon shielded from public view, another officer asked him his name. “Adam,” he replied. He was again face down, an officer’s boot resting on his head.
“Adam what?” the officer asked, according to Mr. Nobody’s recollection.
“Adam Nobody,” he said.
He said the officer lifted his boot and kicked him in the face. He kicked him again. And again. “Stop being a smartass,” the officer said.
Mr. Nobody ended up with a shattered cheekbone, and a broken nose. Blood poured from his head. His eye was swollen shut. Mr. Nobody spent 31 hours in jail. He spent three days in hospital. He went through several hours of surgery to repair his broken nose.
One of the key questions is who arrested Mr. Nobody. The officer listed on the arrest record provided a badge number that doesn’t correspond to anyone on the Toronto force, according to the SIU, or to any officer believed to have worked in G20 policing.
He was charged with assaulting a police officer, and obstruction of a police officer but all charges were eventually dropped.
Instead of providing an apology, Police Chief Bill Blair took issue with the use of the video in the investigation, saying that a police examination of it had shown it had been edited and did not provide enough context to show why police used force. He also suggested that Adam Nobody was armed and violent when arrested by police. He later had to apologize on both issues.
Chief Blair who has done a great job since he took over running the Police Services has had a rough time with this case. The SUI has reopened the case but no officer at the scene is stepping forward to identify those involved. It seems that police officers are much like the rest of society and have difficulty with accepting responsibility for their actions.
The cost of the G20 may have been close to $1 billion but now add to the costs, the lost trust of our police through excessive use of force, detaining innocent civilians, and avoiding identification by not wearing their badges.
Is this really Canada?
5 comments:
What a pile of jackass...once again oh and let me post anonymous as the one with the god like powers do
Excuse me but the facts are not being disputed by anyone. No police officer has come forward with a different version. There were hundreds of witnesses as well photos and videos. I am very supportive of our police but they are also not above the law. Violent and distructive protesters should be held accoutable. But so should police officers who cross the line. If we ignore instances when the police break the law we undermines our democracy and civil liberties. But I thank you for your anonymous comments. Perhaps you might want to practive what you preach.
Just read a headline in the Star about the June 2010 police brutality during the G20 and have a question for you. As an American not familiar with things Canadian (surprised! I fit the stereotype!), I'd like to know if this name "Adam Nobody" is a joke. Or is it a Canadian way of concealing a victim's identity? I know some countries protect privacy of very young victims or assault victims this way.
It reminds me some of Canadian own comedy sketches: SCTV and The Kids in the Hall.
Thanks!
Adam Nobody is his legal name. He did change it a number of years ago perhaps to make a statement. I think part of his problem is that its hard to take someone seriously with that name.
Thanks for your prompt answer! Learned something new today.
Feel sorry for the guy that he got beaten up and that no one took him seriously because of his name.
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