The massive police presence and plans to use two armoured vehicles during next month's G-8 summit in Kananaskis are intended to intimidate protesters, says a human rights activist.
Calgary police have called the June 26-27 summit "the largest security operation in Canadian history" and are buying two armoured rescue vehicles from South Africa at a cost of $1.1 million.
Jaggi Singh, of Montreal, told a workshop Friday on human rights and dissent, that police talk of possible violence during protests at the summit, and the police preparations are intended to discourage legitimate protest.
"I think there's an extraordinary escalation of police repression and police efforts to divide the movement," said Singh, who was arrested at the 1997 APEC summit in Vancouver and at last year's Summit of the Americas in Quebec City.
"The lesson has been learned from Vancouver and that is to prepare the population beforehand for repression and to buy all these new toys that are totally disproportionate to the threat posed by protest.
"It's part of the fear campaign of portraying the protest as something people should stay away from because it might turn sour."
Singh is helping to organize a two-day "take the capital" rally in Ottawa during the summit.
Rallies may also be held in Toronto, Montreal and other cities.
The Friday workshop was held during a human rights conference organized by the Edmonton-based John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights.
Rather than shy away from protesters, people should try to understand what motivates them, he said.
"If you're an average person with your basic healthy sense of curiosity, find those answers for yourself.
"The groups are very open. You may be surprised. They may include your friends; they may even be in your family."
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