Pubdate: Sun, 10 May 2009
Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2009 The Calgary Sun
Contact:  http://www.calgarysun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67
Author: Reginald Caruthers
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor.

DEMO GOES TO POT

In over 300 cities worldwide, peaceful demonstrators congregated on 
May 2 to protest marijuana laws. Police across the country 
participated to ensure an orderly march, and for that they should be 
congratulated. There was a difference though, in the attitude of the 
officers in Calgary. The parade felt more like a show of police 
force, intrusive intelligence gathering and an opportunity to make 
arrests than them doing their civic duty for an orderly parade. 
Multiple officers were armed with a variety of surveillance 
equipment, including high-definition cameras capable of interfacing 
with face-recognition software, in addition to video surveillance. 
Unlike many protests across Canada, users were targeted by police 
where confiscations, and presumably arrests took place. Many officers 
harassed protesters, staring them down and projecting an air of 
intimidation and menace, while the police helicopter needlessly 
circled overhead every 10 to 15 minutes. I am outraged by the 
officers' outlandish, confrontational attitude towards a peaceful and 
generally co-operative protest.

Reginald Caruthers

(Are you sure you're not just being a bit paranoid?)
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom