EYE ON A CRAZY PLANET
Pages
▼
Monday, June 28, 2010
Can Toronto's Chief of Police Bill Blair Explain This??
The right to free speech and peaceful protest is essential, but the issues the protesters profess to be concerned about got lost in a cacophony of violence and noise.
But free speech and peaceful protest are elements of a free society upon which the state authorities have no right to infringe.
Which brings the conduct and decision making abilities of Toronto's Chief of Police Bill Blair into question.
On Saturday, violent protesters were allowed to rampage in the city, unabated by police, while the next day, peaceful protesters were attacked by police without provocation.
Early Sunday morning raids that arrested a number of protesters believed to be members of the violent "Black Bloc" may have contributed to the quiet Sunday. That is to be commended. But what possible excuse can Blair provide for allowing violent protests, such as these, to go on without police intervention and what possible explanation can he provide for the peaceful protesters singing the national anthem being attacked by police, as you can see in the video above.
UPDATE: Same incident photographed from a rooftop:
Can he explain it? Surely, yes.
ReplyDeleteWill he explain it? Surely, no ... except when placed under oath at an independent heading.
If he can't, I assume he will explain that in his resignation letter - "I have no idea what the forces under my control were doing".
Oh my god. that gave me a knot in my stomach.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this. Keep up the good fight, as I will.
Sherri
I hope we can make those responsible for all the bad decisions the cops made on Saturday and Sunday pay for their actions, but I am not hopeful.
ReplyDeleteI see lots of strong typing, but no real action.
Is anyone calling for a protest in a park to keep up the pressure in the next few weeks? Or will this turn out to be just a tempest in a blog-pot?