A security clampdown like the city has never seen may make Calgarians feel safer, but it has nervous protesters shaking their heads.
Sarah Dover, a native Calgarian and volunteer legal representative for the G-8 activists, said the perception of protesters as anarchists bent on destruction generally couldn't be farther from the truth.
"It has been our direct experience that police act against protests where there is no or little provocation," Dover said.
"It is my personal experience of being pepper sprayed, tear gassed, shot at, detained and intimidated for providing absolutely no provocation.
"We are aware of these risks, but it fortifies our commitment to our need to stand up and be counted."
Dover also said while Calgary's World Petroleum Congress protests two years ago ended without incident, she fears police and military have more resources than they know what to do with this time around.
"I think WPC was an important trial run for the Calgary police, but they haven't yet had an opportunity to test their behaviour under a unified command and with a great deal more protesters and with far greater police resources," she said.
"The G-8 security effort is already different than the WPC with a public relations campaign trying to convince Calgarians and global citizens that protesters are bent on violence against the police -- that is an egregious lie."
Like many other activists, Dover says she is outraged over the sheer volume of security devoted just to protesters this week.
"What we experience here as a security clampdown -- in Calgary they have done everything short of imposing a curfew," Dover said.
"It's never been more important for us to exercise those rights and freedoms that we identify with as Canadians and as citizens in free democracies."
However, Dover also said protesters are taking comfort in the hospitality of Calgarians, many of whom have approached activist groups with offers of support.
"In some, we feel very welcome and very supported," Dover said.
"I'm personally moved by calls from cab drivers, restaurants and community businesses that are offering us support and coming to our aid."
FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. NoNonsense English offers this material non-commercially for research and educational purposes. I believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, i.e. the media service or newspaper which first published the article online and which is indicated at the top of the article unless otherwise specified.