I guess I was wrong...

I had thought this G20 weekend would have gone much better had regular citizens just been out on the street going about their daily lives. Well apparently that got you arrested this weekend.

The disturbing reports keep coming - fortunately so many journalists were caught up in it because they seem to be believed over the general public who could have ulterior motives.

You law and order types can try and excuse the police actions here, but how do you justify them arresting an entire TTC streetcar of people - including the driver? The streetcar got caught in one of these blocked off zones -blocks and blocks away from the secured zone. How do you spell police state? Heads better roll people, that's all I'm sayin'.

Okay, I'm back on Front St and inside the condo. This whole situation is still making me very tense. Of course the riot police three blocks away at Queen and Spadina doesn't help with that.

Everybody has already said everything that can be said about all this. I will only add that I lived for the better part of the year in basically the world's capital city with motorcades and nuclear summits and K9 teams where I worked, and never did I feel like this. Never did I feel like it was a police state where civil liberties were ignored and still hooligans ran rampant over the streets.

You want to search pregnant woman on their way to Starbucks? Fine, but then how is it that such destruction and chaos seemed to rule the weekend?

I am a veteran protester. I love a good protest or rally. But what cause was actually served or supported by any of this?

So that was easy...

It took all of...15 minutes to get to the island airport this morning. No traffic. No people. Hardly even any police. Front Street was a ghost town.

And so now I sit with my complimentary iced tea and cookies and internet in the lounge for two hours.

Everyone was their usual pleasant and cheerful selves in Porterworld. I even joked with security about England's chances of winning on Sunday (non-existent but we have to keep the faith!)

It's all new and bright and shiny here - my first time in their new terminal. Note to self in future allow ten more minutes just for the walk.

I feel tense. Living down here right now makes you feel tense. There are now police on every corner (fence or no!) for blocks around. There are no people. On my way home this afternoon, one cop motioned as if he was going to stop me at the corner of Spadina and Front - he didn't, his partner just waved me by. But this was 2 in the afternoon - I was just getting home to watch the Denmark/Japan soccer game (poor Denmark). I shouldn't be stopped on the street for that.

Tomorrow morning will be interesting...

And now I'm carrying a bunch of stuff to Ottawa with me that I wouldn't normally but I'm a bit concerned about this building when it's half empty as it's sure to be this weekend. These are the things we have to think about. Ridiculous.

Quake!

So I'm folding laundry (which was about as productive as I got today other than watching soccer and doing some yoga before I went out apartment hunting) and the bedroom starts to shake. Really shake. And I think, wow, that Go Train sounds really close. Then I think, "oh god, someone has run a tractor trailer into the fences or has just blown up the convention centre" but then, to my relief, I realize that it's only an earthquake.

Condo still stands. All is well.

I'm so going to end up in jail

Today's dialogue with the police:

Me, standing next to a fence in the middle of Wellington street waiting for the light.

Female Police Officer: Wait for the light please.

Me: I wasn't going anywhere.

FPO: Well some people don't realize there is traffic still on the other side of the fence.

Me: And I suppose if I were hit by a car that would distract you from your fence guarding duties....

I got this notice from the condo yesterday in response to the G20 that is slowly surrounding us:

"With the world leaders gathering nearby, traffic both pedestrian and vehicular in the area will increase significantly..... To avoid the added traffic and unnecessary inconvenience, we would recommend residents and their guests enjoy their weekend away from the city core. If you need to stay in we would highly recommend that you avoid leaving the building either on foot or by motor vehicle."

So basically LEAVE or you will be trapped inside.