Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Local protesters mark oppostion to G20 arrests with rally

Local protesters mark oppostion to G20 arrests with rally

“I was concerned about what happened during the G20,” said Christine Leclerc, calling the arrests “arbitrary.” “It’s unconstitutional.”
... except that it isn't arbitrary or unconstitutional. What it comes down to is one thing - a lot of people in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Some might say that I'm saying that the protesters shouldn't be there, and I would reply that they are absolutely right. But here's my reasoning:

In April, a group of "anarchists" attacked (read: firebombed) an RBC branch in Ottawa and promised that more damage would happen at the G8/G20 summits. The Federal government, naturally, increased security (costing the earth in the process). So on comes the G20 and what happens? These "anarchists" show up to cause damage, but they do it in such a way that they can blend into the crowd after their acts of violence and vandalism. The police, being quite anxious to disperse the crowds and possibly apprehend those who committed vandalous and violent acts, arrested about 1100 people over 2 days, after a day of rolling over and playing dead mind you, and releasing all but a handful of those vandals - the ones that are actually going to get charged with something.

But here's where my rationale comes in... Everybody KNEW that there would be people trying to do vandalous acts during the protests. Everybody KNEW that these people would commit their acts and then blend in with the crowd. So if you knew those two things, WHY WOULD YOU BRING YOUR GROUP TO PROTEST??? Why wouldn't you issue a press release during the week leading up to the festival stating that your group would NOT be protesting, here's why, and by the way, this is why we oppose the G20. Why would you provide cover for the idiots that decided that breaking windows and burning police cars "anonymously"?

The fact that these groups witnessed and provided cover for these idiots means that they are not only culpable, but complicit in the acts themselves. For that reason, I would submit that all of the arrests were legal and constitutional. Good luck to those trying to prove otherwise though.

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