I attended the G-20 protests today mainly because I’ve never experienced one before.  It started at Queen’s Park around 12pm and was an amalgamation of different groups representing countless issues.  

Unfortunately, I had to work at 4pm so I had to leave early.  Apparently I missed quite the show.  It is unfortunate that violence ensued and ruined what was a very peaceful and powerful march.  As I said before, the $1Billion spent on security was provocative and I think both sides tend to feed off each other.  Stephen Harper will be quietly pleased.  The violence justifies, at least in some small way, the ridiculous cost of the Summit.  

However, from what I witnessed, and you shall see, it was a peaceful protest for the most part.  There were many people who were there to represent very legitimate issues and I hope the violence does not drowned out their voices. 

I found this man’s sign interesting.  You probably can’t really make it out, but it says: “Everything is O.K.”  

Other groups began to come together at Queen’s Park.

The Executive Director of Greenpeace, Kumi Naidoo from South Africa

Labour leader, Sid Ryan

This man was protesting the government’s response to Swine Flu.  From what I could gather, he lost a member or more of his family to the disease.

The march begins.  

You hear from a lot of people that protesters are a bunch of young mis-fits on welfare and no will to work.  From these images you can see quite the opposite: they are a diverse group representing every age and socioeconomic background imaginable.

This women had an interesting, yet bizarre, approach.  She was sitting in the middle of University Avenue just eating this massive cake.  I didn’t really understand what she was trying to say or what her cause was - something about greed or indulgence I imagine.

This man created a bit of excitement.  The only real confrontation I was able to capture.  He started off by blocking the police bike lines and then jumped over the fence near the American Consulate only to be jumped by several police officers.  It prompted a gang of riot police to make their first appearance.

Who know’s what this guy was thinking…

The guy in blue comes out of no where and moons the riot squads.  You can see him unzipping his pants in the first one, and pulling them up again in the second.  Of course I looked away at the vital moment - which is why I’ll never be a photojournalist.

So I ended my day at Queen and Spadina about 10 seconds before the first windows were smashed.  At least these pictures prove that there were peaceful G-20 protests in Toronto this weekend.  Unfortunately, the destruction of the Black Block will drown them out and most people will go on believing that protesters are just a bunch of unemployed thugs.