A protest many feared would wreak havoc on downtown traffic quickly marched by yesterday with minimal fuss.
"I thought it would be a lot bigger," David Boyle, an employee of the French Baker, said while watching about 100 protesters walk by. "With all the fuss and buildup I was expecting a lot more."
But yesterday's march should not be considered an indicator of what's to come.
The peaceful protest against the G8 was hastily organized by members of Global Democracy Ottawa about two weeks ago. A much bigger, and by all indications, rowdier protest is expected Wednesday and Thursday.
Protesters from eastern Canada and the northern U.S. are slated to converge on the capital to send a clear message to members of the G8 as they meet in Alberta.
"We expect a lot more people during the week," said Neil Wallace, an Ottawa resident who marched along the downtown core yesterday to "show solidarity to people in Third World countries."
'BEFORE THE CIRCUS STARTS'
Jamie Kneen, a spokesman for Global Democracy Ottawa, said yesterday's rally was organized prior to the G8 meeting to offer protesters a more peaceful option.
"We're here because this is our opportunity to say something to Jean Chretien and other politicians before the circus starts," Kneen explained, adding it was also an opportunity for people who had work commitments to protest.
But only about 100 people showed up for the event.
And true to their word, protesters marched through the downtown streets with little disruption to traffic.
They even commended police on their efforts.
"Police have been pretty friendly," Kneen said, adding that their Open Lines meetings with the public likely contributed to that effect.
Ottawa Police Sgt. Claude Parent described the protest as peaceful and protesters as co-operative.
"It's a good example of activists and police working hand in hand," he said. "We want to resolve any issues as they may arise."
Demonstrators assembled yesterday to denounce current trends in globalization, particularly economic policies that continue to increase wealthy nations' resources at the expense of Third World countries.
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