Protest and Resistance in the News

Today's broadcast of Democracy Now! featured two headlines related to protest and resistance. Here they are:

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Canadian Police Admit Using Undercover Officers at Protest
In Canada, police in Quebec have admitted they used undercover police officers disguised as demonstrators during the recent protests against the North American leaders summit in Montebello Quebec. Police were forced to make the admission after a video posted on YouTube showed three masked men apparently trying to provoke the crowd and instigate violence. One of the masked men was carrying a rock. The masked men were caught on tape near a line of riot police during a non-violent protest led by union workers. Shortly after one of the union leaders accused the masked men of being police officers and provocateurs, the men pushed their way into a line of riot police. While the riot police handcuffed them, protesters noticed the men were wearing the identical boots as the riot police officers. On Tuesday, union leader David Coles first accused the masked men of being undercover police officers.

• David Coles, union leader: We’ve got some peaceful protesters down there we’ve got to protect.

• Unidentified woman: Not those people. They’re back in there. They crossed back into the police line.

• David Coles: They’re trying to create a riot so that they can suck us all in to get beat up.

• Unidentified man: And how do you know it’s a [inaudible] --

• David Coles: He stopped us. I looked him in his eye and said, “You’re a cop, aren’t ya?” And his eyes just glazed right up. And I tried to take his mask off. We took it off. We got pictures. They’re provocateurs!

The police in Quebec defended their actions saying the undercover officers were not acting as instigators and did not commit any criminal acts.

White House Manual Advised How to Prevent Anti-Bush Protests
It has been revealed that the White House published a manual in 2002 detailing how to deter protests at President Bush's public appearances. The manual urged rally organizers to take a number of the following steps: Tightly control who gets tickets to the event. Screen everyone entering to search for secret political signs. Station so-called 'rally squads' at strategic locations inside the event to shout down any anti-Bush demonstrators who manages to get inside. And if that does not work, remove protesters from the event. The manual also directs the White House advance staff to ask local police to designate a so-called protest area where demonstrators can be placed, preferably not in the view of the event site or motorcade route. The manual was released under subpoena as part of a lawsuit filed on behalf of Jeffery and Nicole Rank who were arrested in 2004 for refusing to cover their anti-Bush T-shirts at a Fourth of July speech at the West Virginia State Capitol. Last week the federal government settled the First Amendment case for $80,000, but with no admission of wrongdoing.

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