Taylor Swift” motorcade from airport was courtesy of Toronto taxpayers

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“They needed to shut down downtown Toronto to make means for Taylor Swift’s motorcade,” posted X star Ian Miles Cheong. “She’s extra essential than all these Canadian peasants. Starvation Video games vibes, anybody?”

Oil London TV posted: “This isn’t a motorcade for a world chief. This isn’t a motorcade for a president or prime minister. It is a motorcade for a singer. Taylor Swift obtained a large Canadian police motorcade as she arrived in Toronto, whereas shutting down visitors.”

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It certain has raised plenty of eyebrows and was everywhere in the morning speak exhibits. Greg Brady on Toronto640, John Moore on Newstalk 1010 and Marc Patrone on Sauga 960 have been all taking calls on it Friday.

All have been asking the identical query: Who paid for this?

Properly, Toronto Police say, you the taxpayers did.

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“Taylor Swift attracts a big following which can be very actively engaged, and for public security causes, we’re facilitating her actions within the metropolis,” mentioned Toronto Police spokesperson Nadine Ramadan, who added “to be clear, we supplemented with some scout automobiles and bikes, however the remainder belonged to her personal safety crew.

“For operational safety functions, I can’t share the precise quantity.”

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It was sufficient to close down the motion of three highways and two metropolis roads.

And people police bikes, automobiles and blocking visitors move on Freeway 427, the QEW, Gardiner Expressway and “Taylor Swift Means” for a music artist was on the monetary expense of Torontonians who’re already complaining about gridlock visitors and the gradual or no response from police once they name 911.

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Cynically, the joke is that if Taylor wants the cops they’re there in the identical numbers wanted to close down Adamson Barbecue through the pandemic. And like there, the Mounted Unit was out in full drive outdoors the Rogers Centre the place there was no Dangerous Blood from Swifties telling critics to Shake it Off any Bother and reminding Swift She Belongs to them.

“Even our horses are Swifties,” joked Chief Myron Demkiw on X, posting an image of police horses decked out in friendship bracelets.

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However from a safety standpoint the police know that one Swift live performance was cancelled in August on account of a terrorism risk in Vienna, Austria and the star has had security issues together with a current arrest of an alleged stalker.

And contemporary off the Queen Avenue West and Sudbury Avenue music studio Dodge Metropolis-style shootout with 54 photographs fired and 50 unspent rounds that police prevented from being fired, it’s not an overreaction to verify Swift will get to this venue and to her lodge in a protected method. Toronto has had a minimum of  407 shootings in 2024 — some 116 greater than right now final 12 months.

The motorcade, in a means, is an indictment of the truth that Toronto will not be at all times protected. Additionally, the police definitely don’t need something to occur to a rich billionaire like Swift and understand they’d be held accountable if something ever did.

Nonetheless, for those who can’t get a police automobile to swing by your broken-into home or for a carjacking, it’s comprehensible folks could be shaking their head at seeing all this {hardware} out there for a visiting celeb.

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In fact, the gifted, Grammy Award-winning Swift and her wonderful followers from the GTA and everywhere in the world are dropping $275 million-plus of latest {dollars} into the Toronto economic system and the singer and her followers’ safety is essential and a value funding.

So, has this been accomplished for an leisure star earlier than?

Sure. The Beatles. In truth, again 60 years in the past Toronto Police led an identical motorcade from the airport in what was then referred to as Malton and took it down the very same route.

On the Trendy Mississauga web site they quote then Toronto cop Martin Bridgeman’s chaotic expertise of being on a motorbike with the followers attempting to catch as much as them and in addition shared drummer Ringo Starr’s response of the motorcade by Toronto Police being “excellent, probably the greatest really” whereas including, “It was well-organized with the police escort.”

This one for Taylor Swift was even slicker.

Movies of this element present she had the roadway to herself and there have been no bumper-to-bumper worries for the songstress.

In truth, through the subsequent week or so, you may even see this motorcade once more.

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So is that this setting a precedent? Will Beyonce, Oasis or the visiting worldwide World Cup soccer golf equipment get such an entourage and taxpayer-funded manpower?

Maybe, say Toronto Police, who don’t rule it out.

“Each state of affairs is evaluated on a case-by-case foundation,” mentioned Ramadan.

So it seems if Taylor Swift wants a police officer’s help there isn’t a drawback getting one to reply. Or dozens. And there’s no ready for 34 minutes on 911 both. Or sitting in Toronto visitors.

Nonetheless, that’s a greater headline to complain on social media about than one thing dreadful occurring to her.

jwarmington@postmedia.com

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