Gonzo
The Living Force
One thing that I think is important to notice is how the chief started justifying arbitrary arrests and detentions of obviously innocent civilians. This tact might be a hint of a future police state method.
On at least two occasions during media interviews, I heard chief Blair say that the criminals' method of blending in with peaceful protesters meant that the peaceful protesters, unknowingly harboured the criminals and facilitated their evading capture. It was therefore necessary to arrest all of them to keep the peace.
This is an age old "guilty by association" tactic with a new twist. He was well briefed by their legal department to use certain weasel words and legalese to cover up the obvious violation of both our constitution and charter of rights and freedoms.
I am not convinced there were agent provocateurs inciting violence based on footwear alone. When I think about skinheads and other groups, such footwear is common.
The Montreal Police were caught using agent provocateurs but I am not convinced these tactics are to incite overall violence or to force the hands of those within the group who were there with the specific plan of violence to become identified.
There is a possibility such agent provocateurs are a naïve attempt at infiltrating criminal groups and inciting them specifically to violence, thereby showing their hand and making them easier to identify.
Having participated in my share of angry protests, there are many who are so enraged by a situation that protest is their only avenue but when things turn violent, some of them snap and join in. That is certainly not the same as premeditated planning of violence and whatever this tactic is supposed to achieve, it is time for the citizenry to demand its practice be illegal.
Gonzo
On at least two occasions during media interviews, I heard chief Blair say that the criminals' method of blending in with peaceful protesters meant that the peaceful protesters, unknowingly harboured the criminals and facilitated their evading capture. It was therefore necessary to arrest all of them to keep the peace.
This is an age old "guilty by association" tactic with a new twist. He was well briefed by their legal department to use certain weasel words and legalese to cover up the obvious violation of both our constitution and charter of rights and freedoms.
I am not convinced there were agent provocateurs inciting violence based on footwear alone. When I think about skinheads and other groups, such footwear is common.
The Montreal Police were caught using agent provocateurs but I am not convinced these tactics are to incite overall violence or to force the hands of those within the group who were there with the specific plan of violence to become identified.
There is a possibility such agent provocateurs are a naïve attempt at infiltrating criminal groups and inciting them specifically to violence, thereby showing their hand and making them easier to identify.
Having participated in my share of angry protests, there are many who are so enraged by a situation that protest is their only avenue but when things turn violent, some of them snap and join in. That is certainly not the same as premeditated planning of violence and whatever this tactic is supposed to achieve, it is time for the citizenry to demand its practice be illegal.
Gonzo
