Toronto problem-free despite there being 800,000 pilgrims on move

By WALLACE IMMEN, The Globe and Mail
Monday, July 29, 2002

About 200,000 people attending World Youth Day were joined by hundreds of thousands more who came to Downsview Park to attend the mass with Pope John Paul.

But police said the crowd was remarkably orderly and emergency teams said medical treatments were mostly for twisted ankles, blisters and dehydration.

Ask Toronto's Police Service what it was like to handle as many as 800,000 people yesterday, and the answer is "miraculous."

"We couldn't have expected anything better," said Toronto Police spokesman Jim Muscat. "For the sizes of the crowds, they were incredibly peaceful, and there was hardly any need for a police response. We were there merely for controlling and monitoring safety."

Officers from Durham and York Regions joined Toronto Police, the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police units from as far away as Thunder Bay to direct the crowds.

At the park gates, people were scanned with metal detectors and warned that no weapons, glass bottles or alcoholic beverages were permitted.

One troubling incident occurred on Saturday night. Three boys rifled the backpacks brought by 43 people from St. Vincent Catholic Church in Madison Heights, Mich., who were camping in the park.

Mike Novack, the group's youth minister, said he caught them. "They said, 'No speak English,' and ran away."

A police officer promised to keep an eye on their equipment.

Mr. Novack said he was impressed. "We have yet to run into a helper, policeman or organizer who wasn't friendly as heck."

Despite the weekend closings of large portions of several major routes through north Toronto, there were few traffic delays.

Most people going to the events took the subway and buses. The Toronto Transit Commission had geared up to handle the crush.

Still, there were times after the papal mass when the crowd trying to get into Downsview station had to be stopped at the door. Those queued up inside often had to wait while several trains passed before they could squeeze into a car while lugging flags, folding chairs, picnic coolers and huge bedrolls.

But "things were in great shape by midafternoon," said Mike DeToma, spokesman for the TTC. Dozens of extra buses were pressed into service.

Because most people used transit passes, it will be difficult to know how many people used the system, Mr. DeToma said.