‘Embarrassment’ was considered a security threat at G20 summit

Government ranked it with terrorism, crime

Along with terrorism and organized crime, “embarrassment to the Canadian government” was considered one of the threats facing security forces at the 2010 G8 and G20 summit meetings in Ontario, according to newly released military records.

It’s no surprise to learn that officials were worried about potential threats from terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda, “lone wolves” not affiliated with any established terrorist group, foreign spies as well as protest groups and criminals.

But, say Canadian Forces planning documents, grouped in with such threats was “Embarrassment to the Gov’t.”

Although the documents do not detail what would be considered embarrassment, the mass arrests and police abuses from the summits held two years ago in Toronto and Huntsville, Ont., are still reverberating throughout government and police agencies.

Last month, the Office of the Independent Police Review Director released a scathing report concluding that police used “excessive force,” ignored civil rights and made “unlawful” mass arrests in cracking down on protests at the G20 summit in Toronto.

“What occurred over the course of the weekend resulted in the largest mass arrests in Canadian history,” Gerry Mcneilly, head of the police review office, said in his report. “These disturbances had a profound impact not only on the citizens of Toronto and Canada generally, but on public confidence in the police as well.”

The report stated, “some police officers ignored basic rights citizens have under the Charter and overstepped their authority when they stopped and searched people arbitrarily and without legal justification.

“Numerous police officers used excessive force when arresting individuals and seemed to send a message that violence would be met with violence,” the report added.

Some 20,000 police from across Canada were involved in security at the summits. The joint CanadaU.S. military command NORAD as well as the Canadian Forces Canada Command, Canadian special forces and U.S. Defense Department personnel provided support for security forces.

Among the terror groups listed as being a threat to the gathering of world leaders were al-qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, Tamil Tigers and Sikh extremists. “Separatists” were also listed as a threat, but the documents do not explain whether those were Quebec separatists or another such group.

The Canadian Forces planners, however, predicted “predominantly peaceful protests.”