so @johntory says there aren't enough cops to patrol the city? at yesterday's board meeting, at least a dozen armed police were prowling outside the meeting room like wolves
they don't care that this contradicts the argument about being under-resourced. it's a show of force
when the cops saw us taking their picture, they all turned and left. they weren't needed on the streets yesterday, they were needed to intimidate members of the public who came to criticize them
they already have too much, and do too much harm. we need to dismantle the police
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the meeting is live, let's get caught up. after recent concerns about violence in TDSB schools, we've been hearing that certain trustees want to bring police back to TDSB schools
Wendy Mesley is really trying this "I'm angry at myself for hurting people" bit?
this "I wanna be judged for my whole career, but not for two moments" bit?
Mesley's history is more than two "moments", but people don't want to risk their careers at CBC to give more details
I've heard many more stories about Mesley's behaviour at CBC towards Black people and other POC. if she's so clueless that she didn't know it was wrong to say "nigger", which is pretty obvious, she must not have any clue about the many other racist things she's said and done
how can someone so clueless can now opine on the struggle of Black and indigenous journalists? it's also really annoying that Mesley is deflecting blame on CBC for mishandling her racism. she kept using Black journalists to promote herself even as she was being investigated
the police have always maintained that their stops are never "random". when they say "we won't do random stops," they're saying every time they stop someone, it will be for a good reason
the word "random" is not in the government order. this isn't the victory people think it is
the police literally create and dictate the law when they engage people. they decide what is a "random" stop and what is a necessary one, not us. cops can say "we will not engage in illegal activity" cause THEY don't deem their own behaviour to be illegal, ever.
police play games with words. they didn't like the word "carding" because it suggested illegal activity. so they created the term "street checks". you know, just checking on you, with my gun. but words don't change their actual behaviour in the streets
today @johntory and @tpsboard will meet to do what they always do: give the police more money and power. the proposals they'll pass today don't even pretend to address police killings, assaults, surveillance, and harassment. the best example? mandatory anti-racism training
the proposal for annual anti-racism training shifts the focus away from systemic police power to kill and harm us with impunity, and falsely re-frames police racism as an individual failing, as personal responsibility
it's not about who they are, it's about the power they use
the problem is not the police's skill set or knowledge in dealing with black folks and others they terrorize. the problem is that all their violence is protected by law and culture. the most effective thing police boards can do is disarm cops, which is why the never propose it
former toronto police chief and super-creep julian fantino has written a piece today saying we should bring back police carding in ontario. I just wanna make sure everyone who follows me understands clearly that carding has never gone away—be wary of anyone who says otherwise
I’m sorry but who actually believes the police in toronto, or across ontario, have stopped approaching black folks, indigenous folks, and other people of colour without probable cause??? who could even entertain that? only those who don't know our lives and/or don't care
in 2017 the province made a regulation to make carding less arbitrary, especially the taking of our personal info. police have responded by continuing to stop and profile people but not document it in the same way. the biggest change has been public awareness, not police conduct