TORONTO - A group of 303 people charged with G20-related offences was whittled down Monday as many of the accused that flooded a Toronto courthouse had their charges withdrawn.

A crush of accused and their family members descended on the west-end courthouse almost two months after a small but violent group of people dressed in black broke free of a peaceful summit protest, setting police cars ablaze and vandalizing banks.

The majority of people who appeared Monday were arrested June 26 at a protest at the Ontario legislature, several blocks from the chaotic scenes that unfolded just hours earlier in downtown Toronto, police said.

Monday's proceedings were believed to be one of the largest mass court appearances the city has ever seen.

Despite the volume of cases, most had wrapped up by 3 p.m.

While reports suggested dozens of people saw their charges withdrawn, a spokesman for the Attorney General's office said those numbers would not be available until Tuesday.

The hundreds of accused were spread over three small courtrooms, where they crammed onto the few benches. There were long lineups snaking through the hallways as people waited to be called.

Once people were before the court their cases were dealt with briskly in one courtroom, but some dragged on for almost an hour in another. Many were adjourned to dates in September and October, and other appearances were quickly over with one word from the Crown attorney: "withdrawn."

Others were offered a "diversion" deal which means the charges were dropped in exchange for a donation to charity.

Marc Laramee, one of the accused whose cases was put over until October, said he was offered the deal but refused.

"I have to pay a fee of $25, but by doing so it's like saying that I am guilty of something," Laramee said.

"I'm not, so I want to continue my fighting over here because I want to clear my name 100 per cent."

Robert Gamble, who had his disturbing the peace charge dropped, said he shouldn't have been charged at all.

Gamble said he was arrested June 27 outside a friend's house in downtown Toronto after yelling, "Arrest the war criminals. Investigate 9/11," at a group of passing police officers.

"I'm upset that it was laid in the first place," Gamble said. "I don't feel like justice has been done still."

John Norris, a lawyer representing two National Post photographers who had their charges of obstructing a peace officer and unlawful assembly withdrawn, said he's pleased, but said the charges shouldn't have been laid in the first place.

"(The Crowns) clearly have decided that for many, many of the charges it is not in the public interest to proceed," he said outside court.

"They're also saying of course that the police had grounds to lay the charges. They kind of have to say that. People can reach their own conclusions about that."

Lawyer Peter Rosenthal said he would like to hear from the Crown as to why more than 300 people were scheduled to appear on the same date. He represents Montreal-based activist Jaggi Singh, one of 17 people charged with conspiracy to commit mischief, obstruct police and assault police.

Rosenthal said it makes sense for that group to appear at the same time, but not everyone else.

"There's no reason that all of the others have to be the same day and create such a big kerfuffle here in court."

A spokesman for the Ministry of the Attorney General said it was decided that having all the appearances at once would be the easiest route.

"In consultation with the judiciary, who have sole responsibility for case scheduling, it was determined that it would be more efficient to have the majority of matters returned on the same day," Brendan Crawley said in an email.

Activists outside the court called for all the charges to be withdrawn.

"The ongoing criminal proceedings are expensive, unnecessary, and flawed," Jessica Denyer said during a media conference.

"What is most infuriating about these charges is they are mostly random, except for when they're targeted against outspoken critics of the G20."

Though many charges were dropped in one courtroom, down the hall in another conducted mainly in French, several of the accused from the Montreal area were ordered to return in October.

Outside the courthouse many complained that driving about 550 kilometres to Toronto for several court appearances is difficult.

"I find it sucks because it's about eight hours in (a) car," said Marc-Antoine Baker who was arrested in a nighttime raid at a residence at the University of Toronto.

Those appearing Monday were charged with a variety of offences leading up to and during the June 26-27 summit.

Police said the group also includes about 20 others arrested after police released photos of their "most wanted" suspects.