One Ottawa business leader says he hopes the negative publicity surrounding last November's G20 protests doesn't discourage police from doing their job during this week's demonstrations.
Gerry LePage, executive director of the Bank St. Business Improvement Area, says protesters are aware police were criticized for being too aggressive during G20 protests. He says that was probably a factor in their decision to hold a big demonstration in Ottawa to protest a G8 meeting that's taking place in Kananaskis, Alta., on Wednesday and Thursday.
"The citizens' eyes are on the police with regard to their conduct during these conferences," he says. "If I were a protester, would that enter into my realm of strategy and tactics? No question that would. I'm going to go to a city that demonstrates the greatest amount of tolerance."
Despite political sensitivity, LePage says police should focus on their duties, which are to keep the peace and enforce the law.
LePage says he doesn't have an opinion on whether police used excessive force last November. He adds police should not take decisions on using force lightly and doesn't think it helps matters if they come out in riot gear, swinging bats before violence even happens.
However, he supports the police in using "reasonable and considerable" actions -- meaning an appropriate use of force -- for the purpose of protecting themselves or the public.
LePage says he supports protesters' rights to express themselves, and there is some merit to what they're saying.
But there are other rights that must be respected, some of which get trampled when overzealous protesters exercise what they believe are their rights, he says.
This includes a person's right to wander downtown, possibly with children. And it includes the right of shops and restaurants, many of which are part of LePage's association, to conduct business.
MOSTLY PEACEFUL
"There are two sides to the issue and, ostensively, we've dealt with one side and we haven't spent a lot of time, adulation or resources looking at the other side," he says.
LePage says most protesters are peaceful, but he's disappointed they haven't made more of an effort to distance themselves from the violent protesters, or apply more pressure on the rowdy minority to act within the law.
"If you've gone to five of these protests as a peaceful demonstrator and all five have had violence, at what point do you become part of the problem rather than the solution?"
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