Thread: G20 Survival Tips

As some of you no doubt know, Brisbane (Australia) will be hosting the G20 summit next week. There's a lot of security, some train and bus routes will be changed, lots more police and defence personnel about etc.

There's information about what you should not have in your possession in restricted areas if you don't want cavity searches done on you. Some of the things are strange (no kites, for example - I've lived here for close on 12 years now and never once seen anyone flying a kite in the city, but whatever...).

If I could I would just work from home next week and avoid it altogether, but unfortunately it is the first week of Uni exams and I have to be there every day.

So, has anyone lived and worked through a g20 summit before? Got any tips? I don't think I look like a terrorist or an assassin, but who knows? Do the police do random searches? Should I leave my copy of the Quran at home?

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I don't think I look like a terrorist or an assassin, but who knows?

I don't know... maybe not a terrorist (not sure what one looks like, but I don't think it's you), but an assassin? I could totally see you killing the President of Paraguay with a fork. (watch Grosse Pointe Blank if that one has you scratching your head )

I have never had to suffer through a G20 meeting, but from what I've hear in the wake of Toronto's experience, just stay the hell away from anything and everything that has to do with the meetings and the general area they will likely have set aside for the summit. Sure there were definitely some people there who intended to cause trouble and who were rounded up. But there were also a hell of a lot of completely innocent folks who were, by any reasonable measure, wrongfully detained and/or subject to what amounted to assault. And I say this as the son of a retired Mountie who has a ton of respect for Law Enforcement. But things get a bit wiggy at those things so I think they're best avoided if at ll possible.

Weird that there would be a Summit around a scuttle. I mean, how much can you say about one? Ladies and Gentleman, the G20 is the big brother to the G5, let's not forget that. 'If we could eliminate canned shaving foam or gel, how many long waisted scarlet fly flickers could we save?'

How well the summit goes will depend mainly on 2 things,,, how well your local government (police, military, intelligence agencies) have done their homework and the attitude of the local officials who will be will be calling the shots.
I'm sure your security Branch's have been doing their homework since the decision was first made to hold the event there. Anarchists have & are being profiled, tracked & will be targeted long before the festivities start.
These people are not members of your local community for the most part. They are in their own rights, professionals, who travel the world for these opportunities & are often well financed. They feel this makes them stronger, but it actually makes it easier to identify, track & target them.
Your security teams will be waiting for them before they arrive,, at airports, bus stations, main highways, small towns on the outskirts of the city , will be on the look-out for their arrivals & notify the security teams of the locations of where the anarchists are staying (sleeping). Many of these anarchists are already documented & their profiles will be on every security laptop/tablet. State attorneys & judges(to sign warrants) will be on speed dial. Your security teams already have the resources in place to handle anything that the anarchists bring.
How this event develops will be dependent on the attitudes of your local leaders, how far are they willing to go to prevent the worst. These events have become a battle, for lack of a nicer word. These battles are won by who strikes first & hard.
Sometimes innocents get caught up in these battles, but not as often as you see on YouTube or T.V. Don't forget who's creating the select footage. The website for your G20 gives some good advise for its citizens in the area.

1. If you are going to be in the immediate area summit, the hall, hotels housing delegates, then stay away from the controlled access routes between these places. Choose a route to the school, less traveled, this prevents you from being "channeled" with any crowd, as the crowd(protesters) will be confined to certain areas & routes. This is where the heaviest fighting/problems ocurr,, this is where the media will be camped out also. Not the place you want to be.
2. Leave early, plan for a long day, have fluids(water etc.), a couple of energy bars, medicine that must be taken at a certain time, with you, your cell charged, should you find yourself hold up in the school or some other place.
3. If stopped by authorities, follow their instructions,,, question their instructions, if you have to, at a later date.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

,,,,,,,,,,,. Some of the things are strange (no kites, for example - I've lived here for close on 12 years now and never once seen anyone flying a kite in the city, but whatever...).
,,,,,,,,

James.

Kites have been used to disperse chemical agent on crowds/the enemy for a thousand years.

Yup. hey look at the purdy kite.. . .no officer I'm just using this fork to finish my food.....

I thought this was going to be about scuttles.

Yes, the Occupy folks here in Toronto, littering huge areas, raging against the man with their iPhones and Starbucks latte's...don't think most of them really knew anything about it other that what their Twitter accounts we're trending and it was a hip place to be...up until it wasn't.

Lot's of bo-hunks getting into the cops faces, faces covered, yelling and throwing stuff at the cops, and unquestionably shocked and dismayed when they got arrested and pepper sprayed...you go looking for trouble, chances are you'll find it.

Hirlau says it very well if you have to be near the events.

My take on such:

Do what the officer says and do it quickly.

Don't fight with a cop. Officers know how to fight and are equipped to do so.

When all else fails, flop on the ground and cover your head.

$00.02

Dave

Since you can't do the only sensible thing when the G20 hit your area, leave town for the duration of their stay, you have my deepest sympathies. The alternative is to hold your nose and put up with the BS from both sides. Personally, If I never see another G20 dog and pony show hosted in Canada again it won't be soon enough for me.

Bob