I’d say the ratio was about 400 police to 100 protesters.
The largest protest of the weekend was in between lounge sessions by anti capitalist climate change advocates at a park close to the Quebec City congress centre. More than likely a great photo opportunity for the mainstream media to help justify the $400 million dollar price tag on security.
Most of the protests were deemed illegal by police, and A total of 14 protesters were arrested.
None of the protests turned violent, sure some flags were burned, a flare was torched and a couch was lit on fire to block the highway, but for the most part a majority sat peacefully reading their Karl Marx literature while eating cous cous.
So I guess the message that the Canadian government wants to portray here is, more police equals more security. Which is not necessarily true. Monitoring citizen’s behaviour and putting more police on the streets is a bit draconian and orwellian.
Unruly protests or terrorist concerns have often been a pre-text to implementing more surveillance laws and more police for your safety. Using freedom as the exception and fear as the rule.
How much of your civil liberty are you willing to give up for more security?
Leave your answer in the comment section below!
