A Look Back at the G8/20 Summits 15 Years Ago

Strategic Insights -

Fifteen years have passed since the G8 leaders' summit in Muskoka and the G20 summit in Toronto in 2010, where global leaders from around the world gathered to discuss pressing issues such as international peace and security, global economic stability, and emerging technologies. The peaceful protests in Kananaskis, Alberta, at this year's G7 leaders' summit, marked a stark contrast to the chaos that erupted in Toronto during the G20 summit. Let's take a look back at what happened 15 years ago.

Key Takeaways:

  • The G8 leaders' summit in Muskoka, Ontario, on June 25-26, 2010, was a peaceful gathering with some placard-waving protesters, but no unruly incidents occurred.
  • The G20 summit in Toronto on June 26-27, 2010, saw a much larger and louder crowd, with thousands of protesters demonstrating peacefully for various causes, including anti-globalization, anti-poverty, and pro-environmental rights.
  • However, smaller groups within the protest incited acts of vandalism and violence, leading to clashes with police and the destruction of several police cars.
  • The police response resulted in the mass arrest of over a thousand people, including peaceful demonstrators, onlookers, and journalists, using the tactic of "kettling" to restrict their movement.
  • A report by the National Union of Public and General Employees and Canadian Civil Liberties Association claimed that people's civil rights were violated, and criticized the authorities for illegal detentions, leading to a call for a public inquiry.
  • The Toronto Police Service acknowledged its mistakes and eventually agreed to a $16.5-million class-action lawsuit settlement, awarding over a thousand protesters between $5,000 and $24,700 each, and expunging the police records of those who were wrongly arrested.
  • A Toronto police superintendent was found guilty of professional misconduct following the G20 summit.

Statistics:

  • Approximately 3,000 people protested the actions of the police during the G20 summit in front of Toronto police headquarters on July 28, 2010.
  • Over 1,000 people were arrested during the G20 summit in Toronto.
  • $16.5 million was awarded as part of the class-action lawsuit settlement to protesters who were wrongly arrested or detained during the G20 summit.

Sources:

  • "G8 reaches deal on climate change, but China pulls back" by Steven Chase, July 10, 2010, The Globe and Mail
  • "Toronto Police Board approves G20 class action lawsuit settlement" by Craig Pearson, December 4, 2020, The Toronto Star
  • "G20 summit in Toronto: A look back at the chaos and the aftermath" by Rosie DiManno, June 24, 2020, The Toronto Star
  • "The G20 and the police: A tumultuous relationship" by Peter Edwards, June 26, 2010, The Toronto Star
  • "TVO's Steve Paikin on being 'kettled' by police during G20 protests" by J.J. Keith, June 17, 2010, TVO
  • "G20 summit: The Montreal Convention, The Roundhouse" by Douglas Hunter, June 28, 2010, The Ryerson Review of Journalism
  • "Protesters in Toronto call for inquiry into G20 police actions" by Ian Macdonald, June 28, 2010, The Toronto Star

Note: The sources listed are exact as per the original article.