The days of burning bras and draft cards might be history, but the protest movement is enjoying a resurgence in Canada, as can be witnessed this week when thousands of anti-globalization demonstrators take to Parliament Hill.
Public protests, so prominent in the '60s, have again become a popular way of trying to effect meaningful social change, said Matthew Sorley, a psychology instructor at Carleton University.
"I'd certainly say it's becoming increasingly common. I think we're seeing a bit of a shift, like a pendulum that swings back and forth. We seem to be in a period of increasing expression through protest," he said.
Heightened awareness of economic, social and political issues is also helping to fuel the movement, according to Sorley.
"Since Sept. 11, people are talking more about the impact of policies and paying more attention to what's going on in the world and how we affect others by the decisions we make."
Protesters are doing a better job of mobilizing themselves, even hiring professional organizers who are, perhaps, less interested in the group's message and more concerned with the logistics of the event, he said.
Local citizens got a taste of the anti-globalization movement last fall when Ottawa police resorted to tear gas, rubber bullets, attack dogs and water hoses to keep demonstrators under control during the G20 summit.
This week, the city is bracing for more violence as protesters plan to "Take The Capital" and liberate it from capitalism as the G8 leaders kick off meetings in Kananaskis, Alta., Wednesday and Thursday.
Protesters from across Ontario and Quebec are expected to descend on Ottawa because, they say, offices that write and enforce capitalist policies are here.
GENERAL DISRUPTION
The group is planning gatherings, snake marches and general disruption in the city. Organizers have refused to condemn violence or co-operate with police.
But protests in Canada are generally peaceful compared with those in other countries, where crowds can become destructive and dangerous, Sorley said.
Last July, Carlo Giuliani, a 23-year-old Italian, became the first person killed by police during a protest since the anti-globalization movement began in 1999. Giuliani was shot as he and dozens of others tried to rush a police Jeep during a G8 summit in Genoa.
It's these ugly moments rather than the demonstrators' message that often grab media attention.
"You have a whole lot of people packed into a very small space," said Sorely. "It's very loud. It's unpredictable. Passions run very high. You throw all these things into the mix and it can be a recipe for violence."
While the majority of protesters conduct themselves in a lawful manner, there's certain to be some "wild cards" in every bunch, Sorely said. "You're never really sure what they're going to do."
Psychologists point to a popular social-impact theory, known as diffusion of responsibility, to explain mob mentality.
Individuals behave differently in a crowd because they don't see themselves as responsible for what's going on around them.
"For some individuals, they can become truly lost in the crowd," Sorley said.
And that's why police presence has become a fixture at rallies. An estimated $1.5 million was spent keeping anti-globalization activists under control during the G20 summit by stocking up on gas masks and other materials, and by arranging to have their 1,050 sworn members on duty or on call, along with another 450 civilian staff.
Their job -- to protect demonstrators, bystanders, public and private property and themselves -- requires officers to be highly co-ordinated and trained, and to possess self-control, said Sorely.
"In no other domain of social activity are you allowed to spit on police officers or swear at them," he said. "They have to have tremendous discipline not to overreact because it's almost like spark to a flame."
Some police forces, including Ottawa's, try to establish a dialogue with the protest leaders beforehand to determine the group's intentions. Officers have also become better trained in manipulating crowds and in dealing with mob psychology, said Sorely.
For example, a protest that has a leadership presence near the front of a march will likely be less violent than if it were in the rear.
"Police will be looking for that when they're trying to predict what the crowd is going to do," said Sorely.
PREPARATION KEY
"If they need to disperse the crowds they don't want them to feel trapped. If they need to make apprehensions they can do it in a lower-density environment.
"The real key is in the preparation," said Sorely, who watched Ottawa police in action last fall.
"They were coming along and they were in their riot gear and they were bashing their batons against their shields," he said. "You could hear it echoing through all the downtown buildings, basically letting everyone know: 'We're coming and we're a cohesive unit and we're serious about what we're doing.' "
Sorley said he was fascinated by the experience because "it really isn't something we traditionally associate with the city and yet it's becoming a part of our social landscape."
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