The Waterloo Region Peoples’ Investigation into G20 Policing Actions - Call Out for Statements, Photographs, and Videos

The Waterloo Region Peoples’ Investigation (WRPI) is collecting statements, interviews, photos, and videos from those citizens from Waterloo Region who were in Toronto during the G20 from 21-27 June 2010. We will be using these experiences to document and provide:

1. police accountability for their actions at the G20 and justice for those impacted by police misconduct.
2. build a community of citizens committed to justice and community healing.
3. an avenue for participatory and direct democracy.
4. a history of events and experiences of the G20.

We will be holding our first interview:
Date: Saturday, 14 August 2010
Time: 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Location: Kitchener Waterloo Community Centre for Social Justice (KWCCSJ) 63 Courtland Ave., E. (Downtown Kitchener at Benton and Courtland)

This first interview will be specifically for people who want their experience recorded with a voice recorder and made public in the WPRI report. You will have the ability to remain anonymous or to be identified (See confidentiality and privacy below).

The Waterloo Region Peoples’ Investigation is being organized by those citizens from Waterloo Region who were at the G20 and faced police repression, violence, and intimidation. We feel that in the spirit of direct democracy and community building this is a way we can present our story to the public and demand accountability. There was a clear and targeted attack on the citizens of Waterloo Region for their political beliefs and the week saw police harassment, illegal searches and illegal property seizures. Moreover, women were sexually harassed and assaulted, blatant racial profiling was used, the police used excessive force in quelling dissent, and conditions in the makeshift Film Studio detention camp for protestors were horrendous by any standard of treatment of prisoners. Amnesty International and Canadian Civil Liberties Association have voiced their concerns with the actions taken at the G20 and are calling for an independent public inquiry.

The Results:

We feel our own investigation will offer a form of community empowerment an independent inquiry cannot provide. Therefore we will:

1. Present our findings to the Toronto Community Mobilization Network Peoples’ Investigation. See http://g20.torontomobilize.org/PeoplesInvestigation for more information.
2. Provide copies to Amnesty International and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.
3. Present our findings to the general public in Waterloo Region.
4. 4 .Hold community debriefs and forums in the Fall 2010.
5. Possibly make a documentary about the K-W experience at the G20.
6. Empower those who participate in the WRPI.

Confidentiality and Privacy:

While we are hoping that your participation will act as a form of empowerment as well as a further way to build a community in Waterloo Region based on redistributive social, political, cultural, and economic justice, we are also aware your participation may put you at risk or that it will trigger some unpleasant memories, therefore you will have the option to:

1. Allow yourself to be identified, and your statements to be a part of the WRPI.
2. Decline to be identified, but allow your statements to be part of the WRPI as “anonymous.”
3. Decline to be identified, and decline to be part of the WRPI report, however, accept to be part of the healing and building process.
4. To pause and take a break at any moment during the interview.

In order to ensure your safety, we will have a peer support counselor on hand to help during any situations during your interview where a troubling experience is relived.
If you have any questions/concerns or if you are interested in setting up an interview, submitting a statement, photography,

or video, please contact:

Luke Stewart
kwantitorturecoalition@gmail.com