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ABOVE THE FOLD

BARGING IN — Premier DOUG FORD has chucked his pledge to steer clear of Toronto’s mayoral byelection out the window. Here’s what went down at Tuesday’s presser:

The headline-grabbing moment: Ford turned violence on the TTC into a wedge issue in Toronto’s mayoral byelection. “We can’t have anarchy in our cities…If there’s more than one or two candidates who support our police, then vote for them.”

Between the lines: He didn’t name names, but Ford seemed to take aim at mayoral contenders and sitting councillors BRAD BRADFORD and JOSH MATLOW, while backing MARK SAUNDERS on the down-low — the former police chief who’s supported by many in Ford Nation, including DEAN FRENCH, TONY MIELE and LARYSSA WALER.

Pressed on the fact that he waded into the electoral fray despite promising not to do so, Ford was defensive. “What are we up to now? Everyone and their cousin, their brother, their uncle and their aunt are running to be Mayor of Toronto. But there’s only maybe one or two peop…