Kitchener man sues Toronto police over G20 search

A Kitchener man is suing the Toronto police for detaining him and searching his bag in a public park before a G20 protest last summer in an incident that was caught on video and posted to YouTube.

Such searches were commonplace across downtown Toronto during the summit, and were widely decried by activists and civil libertarians as a violation of the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.

n the 10-minute video, Luke Stewart is stopped by three male officers as he arrives at Allan Gardens to attend an anti-poverty demonstration on Friday, June 25, the day before the principal protests against the G20. The officers insist on searching a red backpack Mr. Stewart is carrying; the 25-year-old refuses and repeatedly asks them under what law they are allowed to search his bag.

The trio are unable to provide a reason and, when Mr. Stewart refuses to turn over his bag, they call up a sergeant to deal with him. When she repeats the order that he turn over his backpack, he asks her the same questions.

Read on...

No comments: