Over 50 protesters met at Cornwallis Park in Halifax on Monday morning and marched along Marginal Rd toward Pier 21 where development ministers of G8 countries were meeting ahead of the G8 and G20 meetings in Toronto.

Protesters were intercepted by police along the way and asked to free the road for incoming traffic. The protesters complied and continued to chant along the sidewalk. From the curb, Toni MacAfee (Education and Organization Officer for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers) was pulled away from the picket line, taken to the ground by three police officers, and taken away under arrest.

Shortly after, another labour organizer (also on the curb) had his banner pulled away from him by a police officer in what again seemed to be unprovoked circumstances.

Despite this, protesters continued to chant peacefully along the sidewalk until they later returned to Cornwallis Park where food was provided by members of Food Not Bombs and Campus Action on Food (NSPIRG-Dal). It was later learned that Toni MacAfee was charged with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

For more photos from the picket click here. 

For an interview with an eyewitness of the arrest, click here.