Our 2010 Games Disgrace: ‘Guerillas In Our Midst’
Some time ago, I read in the Province newspaper of how Vancouver Police Department Chief Constable Jim Chu had announced that the VPD were going to toe a soft line on protesters. I thought then, as is confirmed now, that when you make these kinds of incredibly stupid, politically-correct statements, they come back to haunt you.
Big time.
I have a couple of pretty good pals, who are VPD and they were as horrified as I was when Chief Chu made such a mindless statement.
Case in point: The utter thugs and domestic terrorists who shattered the glass at the Hudson’s Bay, turned 24 Hours newspaper boxes into sleds, defiled Canada Post mailboxes and generally acted like completely petulant asses, deserve to be locked up for the duration of the Games in cells with the Bacon Brothers. At least put the Bacon boys to good use!
These idiots from the Anti-Poverty Committee (APC)–who were showcasing their flag and other rent-a-crowd fools should be shown NO MERCY. Why are you hiding your faces in black, lads? Oh sorry, only confirming what COWARDS you are. What yellowbacks do when they commit crimes. Show your faces if you’re so proud of damaging public property and hurting innocent civilians. COWARDS, perhaps, is too good a word to describe you (or your bahavior).
Fools.
I am all for protest. PEACEFUL protest. I think you should be able to put “The 2010 Olympics SUCK!” if that’s your bloody opinion. But the hooliganism should be shut down, hard, and treated as they treat public property and, frankly, the public. UBC Professor Chris Shaw should be ashamed to be supporting such criminal behavior. I was originally supportive of his fight, but he must come out and denounce these hooligans and miscreants, at once!!
Where is police brutality when you need it?????
What happen boys? Did you lose your Tasers?
We’d give you the keys to the City…
Nail these cowardly bastards.
There is a time and a place for the jackboots. This was one of them. However, I will give you odds that Eby and his ilk will be filing complaints on some drivel. And the news media will be requesting warrants to give over the footage. My fiefdom for a truncheon…
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Yes, I know David. We’ve been out together for lunch a couple of times and exchanged emails numerous times. He is a very intelligent fellow whom I like on a personal note. But some of his positions fall into the extreme of the ‘what’s best’ category, for sure.
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I couldn’t agree with you more. It seems that ever since the VPD became the protectors of “critical mass”, their focus has been blurred.
From what I saw on television, the idiots that were doing damage were segregated from their pack and as such should have been easy pickings for a police officer or two. Jim Chu’s argument that it was hard to tell who was who because they were wearing masks is a cop out. His officers witnessed who did what and should have been able to apprehend a good number of them while they were in the throes of doing their misdeeds. When you grab an idiot in the act, it doesn’t take rocket science to figure out whether you have the right person or not.
We are spending $1 billion on security, and a handful of miscreants can basically lead the policia by the nose. What’s wrong with this picture. Heaven help us if some truly organized group has designs to create havoc or mayhem within the city. Vancouver’s vulnerability has been exposed and that does not bode well for the future.
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There is nothing I could offer to this comment other than a solid gold star.
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I agree — the Brownshirts dressed in black (see H.O.’s blog http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/the-blackshirts-are-really-brownshirts/) should be taken down by whatever means necessary, and locked up for the duration of the games, but do you really think Professor Shaw, the APC, or other legitimate and non-violent protest groups espouse hooligans and anarchists?
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Yes, I saw Harv’s excellent post and commented on it. As for Prof. Shaw, he announced the “rally” before it happened and then did NOTHING to denounce the violence after it took place. That’s a red card in my book.
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You know I’m quite sick and tired of hearing those “peaceful protesters”, always claim that “it was 10-20 people who were the radicals”, and that “they take away from the message WE were trying to convey”.
That is the biggest bullshit anyone can spew from their mouth.
If the rest of those people involved in the “peaceful protest” don’t like when these hooded and balaclava wearing vandals show up, they could simply cancel their march and reschedule it for another time.
If they show up again, cancel it and reschedule it for another time.
Eventually those assholes will get the message that they don’t belong with people who are trying to peacefully protest.
INSTEAD, what we get is the “peaceful” protesters, marching side by side with these petty, cowardly criminals, providing them cover to go about their business of violating everyone’s rights to a peace society.
The bullshit needs to stop and the people who can stop this are those that organize peaceful protests.
If you were sincere when you state violence takes away from your message, then pull your head out of your ass and take some responsibility for your own part in this crap.
ENOUGH is ENOUGH.
EVERYONE involved in protest marches needs to start taking ownership and responsibility of the situation THEY partake in.
To hide behind the EXCUSE that a small minority are who cause the trouble, when you could have done something to prevent that violence make ALL OF YOU just as guilty as those breaking the windows.
It’s time to put down the bong and get a life
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Superb review of the issue. Thx for chiming in!
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I hope ALL protestors will read the JP Rattele post, better still, print it and distribute it at your next gathering.
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Agreed.
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I have no tolerance for those who feel they must conceal their identities in any kind of protest, whether it be peaceful or as violently ridiculous as this incident. The protestors fully deserved to be targeted and held to the ground while the destruction was in progress. A police dog would have been an excellant method of apprehension for those miscreants.
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You mean, a whole dozen police dogs…..
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It strikes me that the VPD is soft for a reason…a self-serving reason. We yell when they taser someone, or make an error in judgement and recognition…sooo…they’re going to take it to the other extreme “to see how we like it.” Make us yell a little louder for “law and order”…so they can hand it to us on a silver platter.
It’s working like a charm.
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You know, I thought about this, but wasn’t sure… Perhaps you’re right. But they needed a firmer hand in this case for certain. Much appreciation for your comment.
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Leah,
Proving a “negative” is pretty much a mug’s game.
I doubt any action from the VPD would make you happy. I applaud their discretion up to this point.
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Disgusted, you don’t know me well enough to assume you have a notion of what makes me happy, or not.
When it comes to the VPD, for the most part I think the RCMP would do well to take lessons from them when it comes to dealing with people, and admitting/rectifying mistakes when they’re made.
In this case though, I stand by what I said earlier. It is what I think is happening.
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David Eby has a lot to answer for on this one.
Apparently, to the BC Civil Liberties Union, some citizens are more worthy of protection (balaclava-ed assholes) than others.
Eby keeps proving, time and again, just how how biased he is.
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I know David fairly well. But he really needs to distance himself from this kind of hooliganism. Frankly, it’s not part of his personal constitution to support this. If he does I’ll be surprised. He’s actually a very kind fellow.
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Kind he may be. Using his noodle, and parking his lack of objectivity in this matter is another.
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I won’t disagree. I just find it incredible that anyone could approve of what those thugs did.
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I think that would be called “an error of ommission” in the legal trade, Alex
He doesn’t need to say he supports it.
He speaks volumes when he doesn’t condemn it.
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True enough.
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JP Ratelle, you are quite right.
In fact, the fine folks at ORN (Olympic Resistance Network) who were trying to sign up businesses on the Drive to join them in the torch blockade, specifically asked people to sign off and follow their 25 “rules”, which included not ratting out ANY participants in their marches.
Not even tacit support for the brownshirts—outright, misplaced “solidarity” with people who travel the world throwing stuff at innocents. Media people from the international community have recognized some of the “usual suspects”.
Is there anyone at ORN who has a soupcon of sense? Not when there is so much useless/empty rhetoric to bandy around, apparently…
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Excellent comment. Thank you!
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Apparently the B.C. civis rights folks almost alway’s show up at these protests. The film these demonstrations looking for the police to do something that they can scream police brutality at.
In this case there was no filming. The protesters requested prior to the demonstration (riot) that the no film this one. To the BCCLA complied.
Any guess which side they were on?
By the way, how can a small riot go from Granville and Georgia all the way down to Cardero, almost a mile, and the police do screw all? With all that high price security they did squat. Should have call up the JT2 boy’s. That thing wouldn’t have made it to Howe Street.
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And everyone missed the beating by the three masked bastards of the McDonald’s employee walking to work in uniform. Unbelievable.
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I didn’t hear about that. Why didn’t I? That should have been headlined.
I still say “shame on the V.P.D. This farce should have been busted up where it started.
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Yes, I got that little tidbit from someone who appeared thinking there was going to be a reasonable protest. As soon as he saw what was happening, he started to document what was transpiring. Shocking stuff. And, yes, I agree Jim Chu screwed this up royally. No more soft line. The cops should know when the go hard on criminals and when not. It seems completely absurd that this would end up the way it did. Police brutality? I’m all for it when it comes to some violent little thug committing to what they did the other day. What a disgrace…
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OMG! No report on that!???
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I know darling, I know, not good. But what can one say? I think the police were so timid and the media were so busy on the police… It was just a farce all the way around.
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I yield to no one in my contempt for the self righteous hooligans of the “Black Bloc”, and have made it clear elsewhere when they show up. But .. I picked this comment out of an article in the Tyee. I’ve posted it elsewhere but I hope, Alex, you won’t mind my putting it here too;
“It is unfortunate that things have come to this. I am a disabled father of a ten year old son. i live on a provincial P.W.D. disability benifiy. I receive $375 for shelter per month I live in B.C. Housing and my rent has just gone from $362/month to $510/month a whooping $148/ month over my shelter cost. The reason has been explained by B.C. Housing as being they no longer go by a assistance persons income but, their size of family unit. As of April 1st I along with my son will be homeless. No one is willing to step up and help us either. we get “oh that’s not right”, or “they can’t do that” but Pivot will not help nor will anyone else. When you live in a society and you are treated this way by the government and the society they represent, it becomes quite easy to realize that the only voice that is heard today is the extreme voice. Protestors are laughed at as the majority of society do not yet realize that they too are on the verge of marginalization. Ghandi said poverty is the worst form of violence yet when those forced into poverty due to circumstances beyond their control resort to violence to at least get a bit of publicity they are shunned, but which form of violence do you see as being the most evil. Soon a disabled man and his son will be thrown out into the street while the wealthy party on in Whistler. I for one am really starting to see the point of the terrorist in our society. They are the only ones capable of getting attention shed on what should really be imporatant. Do I agree with breaking windows just for fun? No, But then again what other voice do I have when no one will help a disabled man and his son fight agaqinst homelessness just to pay for some fireworks and a party for the wealthy. Even the NDP will not make this an issue because in my riding a BCLiberal won so I guess we are not worthy of help just to punish all of us for voting in a man who has done more to hurt the disabled and their families than anyone I have ever come across. If i can’t be with my son i don’t see much point of being here.”
There is nothing I can add
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Honestly, it just breaks my heart that more of this is not in the public eye. But what do you expect?? The mainstream media are bought and paid for by free Olympics tickets (many of them) and then there are the otherwise lazy. Wish I knew who the guy was…I’d be happy to try and put a few people together to help them out. Thank you so much for sharing this.
There is nothing any one of us can add, David. Tragic…
Thank you for your always valuable contributions here. Much appreciated.
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That personal letter does more to point out the problem than any “direct action” or over-wrought media release from black-hooded brats. Thank you for sending it.
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Well, after a couple of overnight emails with my friend David Eby, here is a link that he sent. You be the judge. Did he go far enough? I’m not sure. But much further than I expected him to go. Let’s face it, it’s terribly difficult to not condemn violence as protest. Only a fool wouldn’t–and David, think of him what you will, is hardly a fool.
Comments welcome.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ghlo4_vA-JSqcZFHIH1tojCnpbKw
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Thank you for the compliment. Here is a quote from another post by this man that backs up your opinion;
“….I have tried..to get The Tyee interested in my story…I never even got a return e-mail… Same for Michael Smith of The Province.”
And worse;
“My MLA is Shirley Bond. When I brought this situation to her attention last year I asked her assistant what she would do if she were in my shoes. She replied that if she was disabled she would have the common sense not to have a child.”
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If you can get me the information, I can get help on the way–and quickly.
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Does make you wonder about one thing:
If these protestors are so adamant about the plight of the homeless and the conditions in the downtown east side, why doesn’t the ORN
provide a more positive touch and actually help the homeless? Provide an actual means to help the homeless for example.
Done right several months before the Olympics, they could have
showcased workable solutions to the world.
The protestors could if they wanted, shame the drug dealers in the downtown east side and flush them out.
If those protestors took their frustrations out on the drug dealing
that takes place in the downtown east side by shaming them, then
perhaps some credibility might be there.
Also intersting that one of the protestors charged was from Shoreline near Seattle.
Alex, those Legal Observers that Eby has set are a sham. They’re
only interested in perceived wrongs committed by the VPD and other
security forces. They wouldn’t be interested (and has been seen), to be interested in wrongs committed by the protestors.
In think Eby should be hauled in front of the media along with Shaw
to explain why they haven’t denounced the actions of these protestors
and explain themslves.
There’s been many comments about the BC Liberals not doing anything about the homeless.
Well, dear boy, the NDP didn’t do much when they were in power, and consider that the NDP had abolition of poverty resolutions on their
NDP Convention Policy Books for conventions for years. It is essentially the Left’s file, and obviously they either can’t or simply
don’t want to handle it right.
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Can’t argue with anything here. I’m very disappointed in David Eby. He should have denounced this nonsense immediately. But he didn’t. Perhaps I call him or send him a note and get back to all of you. In fact, I will do that right now. Thx so much Seymour. Pithy comments always welcome.
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AGT – There is an item in the Tyee that Eby would want to continue the Legal Observers after the Olympics, for other demonstrations such as the 420.
Worthy of asking him, would these Legal Observers be taking notes and passing them on to police if the protestors stepped out of line, or is this just a Police Watch (if done within reasonable limits and not get to the silly levels, there might be merit).
Seems to me that these Legal Observers and Eby are protecting the rights of protestors while not doing anything to ensure non participating citizens and property around these protests are left untouched.
and why a Cop Watch in the Downtown East side. The larger problem is the rampant drug dealing. Why not have these Legal Observers
focus on that? Seems that there is a need for extra eyes, but those
eyes are on the guys and gals in blue holding a radio, rather the the guys holding a bag of coke to sell,.
The Tyee item:
http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Rights-Justice/2010/02/17/LegalObservers/
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No question, the BCCLA have always had a political agenda, far beyond being a simple “rights” group. I’ve asked David questions similar to these before and he simply responds by saying that they are about right not being violated and not a police assistance lobby… I know, a tad weak, but I’ll try and get a better answer and get back to you.
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The BCCLA has become a major part of the problem. Whatever legitimacy they once had is long gone and isn’t about to return anytime soon. Eby is a jerk, just like the clowns he goes out of his way to protect.
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Hi Herb:
I won’t disagree, in general terms, although I’ve spent a great deal of time speaking with David and he makes a few good points (like on the suppression of anti-Olympic expression–not protest–he means the signs in UBC dorm room windows–and I agree there). He does, I will readily admit, not particularly go out of his way to be overly critical of the louts in his movement. And I do think he sometimes “targets” criticism of the police. There are times to be critical, but they also have the most difficult job in our world today. The BCCLA has long ago been politicized. similarly to the ACLU to the South. That presents a huge problem for me.
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You have to recognize that the Olympics protesters do not actually want to help poor struggling people – who are just cannon fodder for their anti-human campaign.
Several quotes come to mind that apply to the Vancouver protesters, and anyone who defends them such as the many politicians who do:
“We shall proclaim destruction – why? why? because the idea is so fascinating! But – we must get a little excercise. We’ll have a few fires – we’ll spread a few legends…..And the whole earth will resound with the cry ‘A new and righteous law is coming.’ ”
- Dostoevsky in The Devils, (as quoted in Destructive Generation: second thoughts about the sixties, by Peter Collier and David Horowitz)
“Honest men are scrupulously conscientious in striving to be moral. A villain must deceive them into believing that he is, too. In the face of opposition, an evil man pours out an endless litany of grievances, complaints and injustices perpetrated against him, protestations of the righteousness of his course, etc. He seeks to disarm his victims of their moral certainty, he seeks to undermine their belief in the justice of their fight. He seeks to appropriate the moral high ground.” – Andrew Bernstein in his essay “Villainy: An Analysis of the Nature of Evil”
“A society too squeamish to call evil by its right name has destroyed its first, best line of defense against cut-throats. Our best line of defense against crime is to hate it.” – a survivor of the Unabomber’s mail-bombs, quoted by psychologist Michael Hurd in his Living Resources newsletter
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Comments:
- from statements herein I comment that it seems that Vancouver police were amazingly slow to take action on the principle that I understood their chief to have enunciated: violence by protesters is not acceptable.
- I’m concerned about use of the term “jackboot” in urging stronger police action. The proper behaviour of police is to firmly and effectively stop the aggression of the mob, with reasonable level of risk to themselves and bystanders. Police have many weapons at their disposal, such as beanbag shotguns and tasers, and general strength from numbers if properly prepared, but ultimately may have to shoot bullets. The mob’s aggression included assault on police officers, which I understand is in itself legally defined as a more severe crime than assault on non-police persons. Squirting vinegar in their eyes is assault.
- The term “jackboot” can be applied to the type of police person who would get drunk and beat an innocent person on the street in Vancouver – they proved themselves not morally fit for duty.
- A major problem is that the police work for politicians, who are Neville Chamberlains or worse. (MP Denise Savoie is worse, having made a falacious complaint about “excessive use of force” about a police operation that removed persons who initiated force against innocents, threatened workers, and broke the law – and did so without anyone getting hurt. Tellingly she copied the complaint letter to two ringleaders of that mob.
It is up to voters to change politicians.
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Denise Savoie is a contemptible harridan, who I have never liked. There is nothing to admire about her. She lives in the fool’s paradise that is the far-left of the NDP. Her actions, as you correctly describe them, are unsurprisingly pathetic. I wish the Tories would find a good labour candidate for that riding.
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Perhaps someone could organize a “watch their six” program for police.
That was a loose effort to defend US soldiers when leftist/ML activists/politicans were making much trouble for individual soldiers over their efforts to eliminate the Islamo-Fascist aggression against honest Iraqis.
(“Six” coming from aviation lingo, broadened to mean “watch their back” – it being difficult to watch your own back (the “six o’clock” direction.)
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