Amnesty International will help monitor police and protesters during the G-8 summit here next week to ensure human rights aren't violated.
The organization will be sending a representative to join a monitoring group being welcomed with open arms by city police doing security during the summit.
Amnesty International Canada spokesman John Tackaberry said the group will be represented in the monitoring team being put in place by the Alberta Civil Liberties Association to watch to make sure both sides don't get out of line.
"If people are peacefully demonstrating we're out to make sure force used to restrain them aren't excessive," said Tackaberry.
But the observers are also there to watch for those people who slip in among the peaceful protesters, intent on causing harm or damage.
"The trouble in the past has been these escalate rapidly from peaceful demonstrations to violent conflicts," Tackaberry said.
Tackaberry said the co-operation the internationally-experienced observers are receiving from the protest groups and police is critical.
"We have nothing to conceal," said Insp. Al Redford of the Calgary Police Service's G-8 security office.
The details of how the monitoring group will be accommodated are still being worked out, he said, but the idea is being welcomed by cops.
"We're in favour of the observer program," said Redford.
"It has the potential to put an unbiased eye on the street, basically an independent body that looks at what's going on."
Force was too excessive in the Quebec City Summit of the Americas last year, Tackaberry said, noting tear gas and rubber bullets were used, people were held too long and denied speedy access to lawyers.
"People involved in a peaceful demonstration who are caught in the haze of tear gas were shocked," said Tackaberry.
Since then, Amnesty International has lobbied for clear rules on how and when tear gas should be used. But Redford said police in Calgary are committed to not responding excessively to any peaceful demonstration.
"Our major objective is public safety," said Redford. "We've planned all along to be responsive to what's occurring -- that's measured and balanced."
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