OTTAWA (CP) - The G-8 protests got off to a low-key start Saturday when about 100 demonstrators took to the streets of the capital. Described as a family-friendly event, the initial group of about 60 gathered at noon near the National Art Gallery on Sussex Drive to march through the city's downtown core.
Global Democracy Ottawa, the group that organized the event, wants G-8 leaders to stop promoting privatization and corporate control in Africa and focus on the continent's working poor.
"We're just trying to provide people with a safe place . . . not just to protest, but to talk about the issues," said Jamie Kneen, one of the organizers.
Kneen said police behaviour at other protests, such as the teargas used on demonstrators at the G-7 finance ministers summit in Halifax last week, made his group more careful in staging the rally.
Demonstrator Jared O'Neill said the group wanted to create a festive atmosphere, but added he was also on hand to protest the "state crackdown on peaceful dissent." He said he was beaten by police in Toronto at a protest outside this spring's provincial Progressive Conservative leadership convention.
"Today, our main objective is to reach out, so we're not too interested in causing a lot of disruption," he said. "What we want to do is look as positive as we possibly can in order to just show what the alternative is to the G-8's policies - and that is, you know, freedom."
The event was a taste of things to come for both police and peace groups. The RCMP estimates 2,500 protesters will demonstrate in Ottawa next week during the G-8 summit in Kananaskis, Alta., and created a special liason group with city police to better communicate with the participants.
"It's basically created for the G-8 but it will used in future," said RCMP Const. Mike Mongeon, sporting the white polo shirt uniform of the liason group.
"It's sort of a beginning right now and we're hoping to use this at all major events from now on."
A small group of observers also joined the demonstrators Saturday to keep an eye on police activity.
Aileen Leo, spokeswoman for Protect the Right to Protest, said the group decided to observe all the Ottawa G-8 protests because they were concerned about "aggressive and intimidating" police behaviour at the G-20 summit in the city last fall.
"A lot of people were arrested and held without charge, people were not allowed to see the lawyer that they wanted, or were let go at 4:30 in the morning, things like that," she said.
The rally wound down at Confederation Park, where various political, religious and university organizations had set up information tables. The festivities included a picnic, speeches, music, crafts and even a tent for children.
Police described the event as peaceful and a perfect example of a "team approach" by both protesters and police.
"This is what co-operation, negotiation, working together as a team does," said police spokeswoman Sgt. Monique Ackland. "As you can see, it went very well."
But police were still tight-lipped about earlier reports that a makeshift jail had been set up in the city to house an overflow of protesters in anticipation of potentially violent G-8 demonstrations.
Ackland said police were just "planning" for the events.
"They are called the overflow detention facilities and (with) any large event, we'll have some in case something does happen," she said. "But these are all precautionary measures."
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