With just eight days until the G-8 summit in Kananaskis, scenes out of Halifax on the weekend should give Calgarians pause.
A party atmosphere among peaceful protesters to the G-7 finance ministers meeting there turned nasty in a matter of moments. Members of the 300-strong crowd turned on a group of journalists when photographers started filming the burning of a U.S. flag. Before long, the mob was ramming police barricades and rampaging through a downtown mall. After being pushed and pelted with glass bottles, officers pulled out the tear gas and stun guns. One protester was injured, 31 arrested and five face criminal charges.
Predictably, both sides blame the other for overreacting.
It's a good lesson for Calgarians, especially those who plan to take part in G-8 demonstrations next week. Peaceful crowds can turn violent with only a modicum of urging. Once the fuse is lit, control is lost. Police have no choice but to respond.
We all hope Halifax has not set the tone for next week's summit. But it has served as a warning of what can happen even with the best of intentions.
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