Thousands of cops were brought in from around the country, a new law was secretly enacted to give police more power, millions spent for security and even Mother Nature cooperated by raining on the parade, but still a committed group of protesters managed to make Toronto burn.

So what happened?

Toronto police Chief Bill Blair asked Saturday night for the public’s “patience and support.”

“It is very regrettable that such vandalism and violence could not be prevented,” Blair told reporters at a news conference. “But I want to assure you that the persons responsible will be held accountable.”

Mayor David Miller warned people to stay out of the downtown core until it is deemed safe.

He wouldn’t say whether he thought police lost control of the protesters, saying it was unfair to “second guess what they’re doing in the heat of the moment.”

The heat began just before 4 p.m. Saturday when an abandoned police cruiser was set on fire at King and Bay Sts., in the heart of Toronto’s financial district.

As the cruiser burned and sent sparks and huge black clouds into the air, further west, near Queen St. and Spadina Ave., police abandoned two more police cars as protesters enveloped them.

North on College St. near University Ave. police closed in on demonstraters, forcing many to flee. Those who refused, and sat on the grassy median, were pepper sprayed and struck with batons.

“Why are you doing this?” shouted a weeping Alison Blais. The journalism student said she was trying to leave when the cops came at her. “They just attacked. They came on like crazy,” the bleary-eyed 24-year-old said.

It was this picture of chaos, fire and the lines of beefy riot cops beamed around the world and had fingers pointing at police to explain what happened to Toronto the Good – especially after taxpayers had forfeited millions for security.

But Michele Paradis of the Integrated Security Unit responsible for G20 Summit safety cautioned that the violence had to be put into perspective.

“Yes there are broken windows, yes there is graffiti and yes there are burned cars,” she said Saturday.

She said police showed a remarkable amount of restraint and professionalism.

“Our officers did not engage. There were times when they were hit and they stood their ground. We have always said we will take a balanced and measured approach and I think you saw that today.”

For much of the day that seemed true. Police effectively moved protesters from one street to another as the group of thousands marched south from Queen’s Park. The first line of police defence was often the bicycle cops or uniformed officers standing shoulder to shoulder. Behind them one street south was an impenetrable line of riot cops and others on horseback.

If an intersection got rowdy, busloads of riot cops were brought to the site and marched two-by-two behind the lines as they banged their batons against shields. Tucked away in back alleys were Toronto’s elite Emergency Task Force.

Police did manage to keep protesters well north of the security zone known as “the cage” where international leaders met.

And this was the main goal, Chief Blair told reporters at the news conference. Perhaps it was one that police had learned from past protests.

During the 2001 Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, the security fence became the flashpoint for protesters and led to violent clashes with police. Tear gas was also fired far into the crowds, reaching not just the groups bent on anarchy but igniting panic as peaceful protesters were left gasping.

Although tear gas was used Saturday it was done sparingly during “muzzle blasts” rather than the overpowering canisters of tear gas, Toronto police spokesperson Const. Wendy Drummond said.

Chief Blair disputed claims that rubber bullets had been used and said somewhat testily that he was aware that had been “twittered” by a number of people.

“That, like much of the information put out by these anarchists, was misinformation in order to mislead the public and the media.”

However, Const. Tim Garland confirmed early Sunday that plastic bullets, pepper spray guns and ARWEN launchers, which shoot a special kind of bean bag or plastic projectiles, have been deployed against protesters.

In many ways Saturday was a battle of strategy between the violent protesters and police. Some felt police tactics were too harsh, and questioned how police appeared to lose control. Others believe after a week of expecting the worst, the violence was not as bad as expected.

As clashes continued Saturday night, the second battle for public opinion will continue Sunday between those who are asking police what went wrong, and those pointing out what went right.

With files from Fabiola Carletti, Jennifer Yang, Jim Rankin, Robyn Doolittle, Raveena Aulakh and David Rider