If this is happening in Canada, imagine what our demonstrators are being
subjected to here in the United State.

 

Published on Thursday, August 23, 2007 by The Globe
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070823.PROTESTERS23/TPSt
ory/National> & Mail (Canada) 


Police Planted Provocateurs, Protesters Say


by Joan Bryden

OTTAWA — The Mounties and Quebec provincial police deny using agent
provocateurs at this week’s Montebello summit, despite incriminating video
evidence that suggests undercover cops tried to incite violence. The denials
yesterday did nothing to quell mounting outrage over police tactics.
Anti-globalization and union activists joined with opposition politicians to
demand an independent investigation.

They also questioned whether police were acting on orders from the Prime
Minister’s Office and called on both Stephen Harper and Quebec Premier Jean
Charest to denounce such tactics.

Watch the Video Here: http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/23/3368/ 

“In a free and democratic society, people have the right to peacefully
protest something they don’t like,” said union leader Dave Coles, who
confronted the alleged undercover officers outside the summit site Monday.

Are Canadian citizens going to have to face these kinds of provocateurs just
because Stephen Harper seems to think we’re some sort of loony-left group?

“Quite frankly, that’s insulting and we don’t accept it and we want answers
from him.”

The three alleged provocateurs were caught on camera — with bandanas masking
their faces and at least one carrying a rock in his hand — approaching a
line of Sûreté du Québec officers in full riot garb. They refused to back
away, despite the insistence of Mr. Coles and other protest organizers that
they leave the area.

As protesters surrounded the men and tried to snatch off their masks, one of
the three spoke to an SQ officer. The trio got through the police line, were
forced to the ground and handcuffed.

Photos of the men lying on the ground show the three were wearing combat
boots with identical markings to the ones worn by an SQ officer kneeling
beside them.

Video also shows the three eventually being led quietly away to police vans.
By contrast, Mr. Coles said four legitimate protesters — whom police say
were the only people arrested and charged at the summit — were “roughed up
pretty good and dragged away.”

A spokesman for Mr. Harper denied any role by the Prime Minister in the
affair, saying “the PMO is not involved in security for events.” Public
Safety Minister Stockwell Day’s office referred all questions to the RCMP.

The Mounties and the SQ, the two police forces involved in summit security,
continued to refuse specific comment.

But they denied using agents to provoke violence.

“I confirm [to] you that there are no agents provocateurs in the Sûreté du
Québec,” Constable Melanie Larouche said.

© 2007 Globe & Mail

Recommended Resources

 <http://www.kpfk.org/> http://www.kpfk.org/  

 <http://www.commondreams.org/> http://www.commondreams.org/ 

Ara

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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