High-ranking Toronto officer appealing G20 misconduct conviction

Seven years after chaos and violence surroundedthe 2010 G20 summit in Toronto,the ongoing saga over the actions of a high-ranking police officer continuedthis week.

The appeal hearing forSupt.MarkFentonstarted on Tuesdayin front of the Ontario Civilian Police Commission the same independent oversight agency that convicted him of unnecessary and unlawful use of authority in the arrest or detention of roughly 1,100 people on June 26 and 27 in2010.

• G20 officer Mark Fenton appeals his conduct conviction

Fenton was sentenced in 2016 to a reprimand and the loss of 30 paid vacation days in the wake ofhis 2015 conviction. He wasToronto'sonlyhigh-ranking police officersanctioned followingthe international forum.

Fentondidn't appear for the hearing on Tuesday morning, buthis lawyer Michael Lacy portrayedhim as a police officer who had real concernabout a breach of the peace during the G20 summit and one who walked into a"perfect storm of circumstances."

The superintendent believes he was unfairly convictedand, through the appeal,he hopes to be found not guilty on all counts since his conduct was backed byhis superiors in the police service, his lawyer said.

Meanwhile, public complainantswho werearrested and detained during the summitare seeking Fenton'sfull dismissal from theforcethrough a cross-appealanother layer in the ongoing, years-long clash of perspectives over how the G20 violence was handled by police.

Fenton "violated his oath of office" and "brought international disgrace upon the Toronto Police Service and the city is it supposed to serve," reads a statement of factsfromcomplainants Shervin Akhaviand Jonathan Deshman.

Around 1,100 detained, arrested during G20 violence

During the Tuesday hearing, Lacystressed thaton June 26, 2010,Fentonwas "tasked by his superiors to take back the city."

During the violence and vandalism of the summit in which store windows were smashed andmultiple vehicles were set ablaze around 1,100 people were detained or arrested by police.

Fenton was in charge when oneround of mass arrests happened outside theNovotelHotel on The Esplanadeand anotheratQueen Street WestandSpadinaAvenue.

Most of the people detained were passersby or peaceful protesters, with many held in deplorable conditionsat a makeshift detention centre. Almost all of them were released without charge within 24 hours.

The appeal, Lacy said during the hearing, is not about "systemic or institutional failings" of the police, but rather about the actions of a particular officer under particular circumstances.

"This is not a situation where Fenton had in front of him a blueprint," he said.

• Senior officer was 'motivated by fear,' judge rules

AtFenton'ssentencing, retired justice John Hamilton acknowledgedFenton'smisconduct had been "condoned by his superiors," who should havestopped him.

Hamilton also said the superintendentwas "motivated by fear" butthat fear didn'tjustifyhis actions.

The appeal hearing continues tomorrow.