Toronto Mayor David Miller joined national and civic officials in condemning Saturday's violent protests at the G20 summit, saying the anarchists that clashed with police were nothing more than "thugs" and "criminals."
Toronto officials say they have made more than 400 arrests, after peaceful protests turned violent on the streets just blocks from where global leaders gathered to discuss a variety of key issues.
"A number of people intent on committing violent acts did exactly that in downtown Toronto. On the behalf of the people of Toronto, I want to express my anger and my outrage at those acts but also my sadness that they happened in the city of Toronto," he said at the G20 media center Saturday night, even as police outside attempted tame the protesters.
"I will not dignify their activity by calling them protesters, because they are not. They are not welcome in this city," Miller said, suggesting that the activists were not from Toronto.
Two police cruisers were burned and numerous storefronts were damaged as anarchists splintered from other groups, including a planned labor union protest, to rampage through the city's financial district.
Asked if he had a message for the anarchists, Mayor Miller told RTTNews that those who broke the peace in Toronto should "surrender themselves or go home."
"These are people who came here deliberately to cause violence," he added.
Later, Toronto Police Sgt. Tim Burrows said a total of 412 people were arrested in association with Saturday's destruction.
The level of violence seen yesterday was not unusual for global summit of this magnitude, and was expected by Toronto officials, who warned peaceful protesters not to bring children to the marches, as union groups had planned.
Toronto authorities had come under fire earlier in the week for assuming broader powers of arrest near the city's heavily fortified Convention Centre, where President Barack Obama and his counterparts will meet today.
Heavy protests accompanied the previous two G20 summits, in London and Pittsburgh, as world leaders attempted to restore order to the global financial system by shoring up large banks and agreeing to massive government spending.
Still, the mayor appeared at times angry at a press conference at the International Media Centre, insisting that violent outsiders should not give the world the impression of Toronto as a violent city.
Dimitri Soudas, spokesperson for Prime Minister Steven Harper, also had strong words for the groups that were responsible for any damage to Toronto's image.
"Free speech is a principle of our democracy, but the thugs that prompted violence earlier today represent in no way, shape or form the Canadian way of life," spokesman Dimitri Soudas of the Prime Minister's office said in a statement.
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com