Toronto: Canadian Police used tear gas to disperse protesters during a massive and violent anti-G20 protest march that saw at least two police vehicles set ablaze, and store and bank windows damaged.
Demonstrators broke the windows of several business establishments, including a Scotia bank, CIBC and a Starbucks.
Protesters also threw bricks at a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) van, breaking its windows.
Toronto Transit Corporation (TTC) streetcars were abandoned on Queen Street. Two were spray painted with anti-summit graffiti and anarchy symbols. Protests were otherwise peaceful.
Police with shields and clubs pushed back a small group of protesters who tried to head toward the security fence around the site of the G-20 summit. Some demonstrators hurled bottles at police.
About an hour later the group, dressed all in black, smashed the windows of a bank, a coffee shop and some stores. Police maintained tight security around the summit site, but largely did not intervene as marchers destroyed property.
"We have an enormous amount of resources at our hands," Constable Wendy Drummond who characterised the police response as "measured" said.
The dynamic in the crowd changed around 3 pm as police donned gas masks.
Some parts of the riot line are as many as three officers deep as the crowd chanted: "Let us through!" Several protesters were being treated for injuries by fellow demonstrators amid reports that paramedics faced delays in
getting to the area.
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