Article content

Protesters who get within five metres of the G20 security fence and refuse to provide ID, or leave could get arrested according to new powers granted by Queen’s Park to police for the duration of the G20 summit.

Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair insisted that the regulations were meant to stop those who might want to penetrate the fence and also tried to deflect criticism that the rules were enacted in secret.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or G20: Toronto police clarify new arrest powers Back to video

“So far, no one has come down to attempt to breach this fence. We are now a few days away from the summit in Toronto and that information is quite public, I’m here explaining it to people,” he said. “We haven’t changed the rules. We have put up a fence. We have told people very very clearly that we will not be allowing the public access into that area. Now people have asked, where is your authority? Our authority comes primarily comes from common law, but also by the regulation that has been passed by the province of Ontario,” he said to reporters at a press conference on Friday.

