Kevin Libin: It's Ann Coulter! Don't call the police! (Details difficulties of protection in Canada)

The National Post (Canada) ^ | April 9, 2010 | Kevin Libin

[Stoat]

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Because the number of individuals planning on attending the event had skyrocketed from 450 registrants to 900 and knowing full well that the event had the potential to "go wrong", the next obvious line of questioning asked by us was regarding the "screening process" for entrants coming into the hall. What did they have in place? Would they be conducting bag searches, pat downs, wanding the individuals for weapons search? We were looked at with incredulous faces and received the answer “no” to every question asked.  We were told that actions such as these would infringe upon the attendees rights (mostly students of the University), and certainly also go against the grain of privacy laws; therefore we were informed that no screening would take place at all. 
Even after a careful explanation of our concerns for the safety of the people we were there to protect, they would not be swayed in the decision. They absolutely would not interfere with the rights of their students attending the event.  What about the safety of the others who would be attending the event? What about the rights of those who didn’t plan on inciting violent behaviour? Wouldn’t a proactive approach be much better than a reactive one?  To make matters worse were told that if any of our people laid a hand on anyone at the event, for any reason, we would be charged and face criminal prosecution. 

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[SKyShipRegal]

Calgarians get riled up (like on the red mile), but not violent. I did not see the video coverage of the Ottawa event, but I did see many of the protestors for the event with my own eyes. They all seemed rather friendly.

Canada does not get as vicious or excited about politics as the States does.

I would like to also point out that Calgary has handled events such as the G8 (in Banff), and the bicycle security presence worked fantastically well. In fact, there are usually at least some small riots for G8, but none in Calgary.

[SKyShipRegal]

Well said.

Let the people protest. So long as you do not surround them with riot gear, things are likely to peaceful. The protestors are happy that they get to say what they want to say. Most protestors that I saw in Calgary did not even have signs saying that Coulter should not speak, only that they disagreed with what she said.

Of course that being said, Calgary police have been known to keep the riot gear around the corner and out of sight on the odd chance something does happen.

[buccaneer81]

Canada does not get as vicious or excited about politics as the States does.

Really? Google "Pierre LaPorte, Montreal, 1970."