They’ll deny it, they didn’t intend it, they probably didn’t even think about it … but Vancouver City officials, politicians and police have, in effect, given the “green” light for 2010 Olympic protesters to block at least part of the Cambie Street bridge to hold a rally.
Last Saturday, thousands of demonstrators blocked three northbound lanes of the Cambie crossing for a rally entitled Bridge to a Cool Planet, part of the International Day for Climate Action.
As a few thousand more motorists fumed, were diverted away from the bridge, had their day disrupted and sat in long lines of traffic … their vehicles spewing out EXTRA carbon emissions … the demonstrators made speeches, issued statements, sang songs and hung a banner reading Canadians Care — Climate Action Now from the bridge.
But here’s the rub: they had the co-operation of the city officials, politicians and the police to totally disrupt northbound traffic and close three lanes of the bridge as they practiced THEIR freedom of speech.
Well in the words of the grizzled old philosopher … “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.”
Freedom of speech and the right to protest or rally peacefully MUST NOT depend on whether the powers that be approve or disapprove your message. And it MUST NEVER be limited to only certain dates.
If demonstrators protesting the lack of action over climate change can disrupt Cambe Bridge traffic for several hours … so should demonstrators or protestors be able, to object to the lack of action over poverty, nuclear disarmament or whatever they want!
If city officials, police or politicans EVER get to decide which demonstrators can disrupt traffic, which causes can close a bridge, which protestors get special privileges … then we will have deteriorated to dictatorship-style rights and freedoms for the select “approved” instead of the equality for all, as GUARANTEED under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
City officials made a TERRIBLE MISTAKE in allowing these demonstrators to shut down three northbound lanes only a few months before the Olympics, creating a precedent that disrupting thousands of motorists on Cambie Bridge to make a point is ok.
I’m amazed … or maybe not … that our highly inqusitive, hard-nosed, democracy-protecting media haven’t caught on to this … or even asked about it. Perhaps I missed their stories on this angle?
The politically incorrect MUST have the very same rights as the politically correct.
Why the climate -concerned couldn’t have held their rally/demo/protest at, say, Second Beach is beyond me. After all, if the worst predictions climate change horrors DO develop, the first casualty and the frontline won’t be the Cambie Bridge, but Vancouver’s shorelines!
But they chose the bridge ..and our officials not only allowed them to do so … but assisted them as well.
A most critical point in defending free speech and democracy is that we CANNOT allow politicians and police to decide which demonstrators can close a bridge and which ones must not.
Too bad, Vancouver’s Vision council lacked the foresight to see the disasterous precedent they have just set.
Harv Oberfeld
12 responses so far ↓
1 DMJ // Oct 28, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Ha, ha, ha – so what happens if anti-Olympic protesters try to block the Cambie St. Bridge in Feb.?
I’ll tell you, mass arrests and more – but what a field day for the law profession later when lawsuits fly!
Ha, ha, ha This will cost the city tens of millions and may give an international black eye to Vancouver.
Let’s see, DET clearances, riot on the bridge and god help the city if Team Canada doesn’t win gold;(edited..h.o)
I can’t wait – I’ll try to join Berner in a flight to Venice!
(Response: Exactly! And I’d be a happy witness to defend the protestors if they are doing the exact same thing as last Saturday’s protestors …rallying peacefully for a few hours on a Saturday, hanging a banner and making speeches. How can they be denied exactly what city “fathers” and the police allowed others to do??? Real freedom of speech demands EQUAL freedom of speech. h..o)
2 Lynn // Oct 28, 2009 at 5:52 pm
B.C. (Vancouver in particular) is arse backwards and everyone is Canada knows it.
3 Mike C // Oct 28, 2009 at 9:15 pm
It’s the same thing with those bicycle morons who tie up traffic one day a month, with the co-operation of the police.
NO ONE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP should have the right to impede ordinary citizens going about their lawful business by closing streets, bridges or other structures or sidewalks.
If you want to protest, demonstrate or whatever, do it in a park or similar open area.
Some countries (such as Singapore) have designated areas where protests are held so as not to inconvenience ordinary people who don’t give a s**t about what those people want.
(Response: I’ve been in Singapore and we certainly don’t want to emulate them on free speech/protest. But I agree with you on the bike nazis ..I have actually witnessed their ride: totally self-centred, totally inconsiderate, ignoring traffic lights, blocking intersections for 15 minutes or more, as vehicle emissions spew into the air, disrupting hundreds of peole, and enjoying it all …like bullies and the mob they are … and I believe hurting the interests of courteous, law abiding bicyclists …and the only police I saw were two motorcycle officers BEHIND them, with lights flashing ..to cover their rear. But if you allow THEM to do it …you must allow others to do it too …like Olympic protestors. h.o.)
4 wstander // Oct 28, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
If you can’t get your head around the difference between a protest that blocks the streets, and a closure of a street by the city (e.g for a parade, or for this event) you simply aren’t trying.
You are equating the right to free speech to the right to falsely yell fire in a crowded theatre. There is no such protected right.
(Response: No, i never said anyone should be able to yell fire in a crowded theatre. Or block “streets”. But under what Charter of Rights clause are those who want to rally about the climate allowed to block three lanes on a bridge for a few hours, but those who want to rally about, say, transit or nuclear energy or peace denied the very SAME right? Who decides? Is that liberty or censorship? h.o.)
5 Stuart S. // Oct 30, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Harvey, I think we should change the name of B.C. to Bizarro world. SInce the last election it gets weirder by the day.
6 Lynn // Oct 31, 2009 at 7:10 pm
I was watching the banana republic news last night and was left wondering about the militant flaming olympic protesters. You know, the ones who are so ashamed that they have to cover their faces. My question is, are they registered voters and do they exercise their right to vote?
Or are they the flaming protesters that meander through life dedicated to finding a protest to participate in?
Why aren’t they protesting the drug dealers, crackheads, and hookers being moved into bedroom communities throughout the lower mainland? Why aren’t they protesting about the lack of funding for education and health care-which was being cut long before the flame was awarded to Vancouver.
(Response: Because the issues you refer too are local, unsensational , require too much hard work and won’t get you featured on the “news” nationally and even internationally, if you really act up. h.o)
7 Henri Paul // Oct 31, 2009 at 11:00 pm
Lynn // Oct 31, 2009 at 7:10 pm
I was watching the banana republic news last night and was left wondering about the militant flaming Olympic protesters.
the ones who are so ashamed that they have to cover their faces
——————————————
What station is it you speak about,The only protesters I saw were some (mature) women dressed up in early 20 century costumes protesting on the sidelines, and some jerk off torch bearer trying to incite them into an argument,big brave torch bearer surround by a bunch of dicks Hope some body has his name and post-es it.I wonder if it was a Cant west guy.
8 thecossack // Nov 1, 2009 at 12:46 am
You can have free speech if you rally in area A or area B but only from 9 to 3 on alternate Wednesdays under a full moon.
Unfortunately, that could be free speech with limits as proscribed by the Charter, “…subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.”
Your duly elected officials acting on your behalf attempt to exercise that authority you gave them while trying to maintain the above.
Quit whining on both sides. You cannot please everybody in this sort of situation. Never could, never will.
(Response; The problem with the Charter protections is that they allow politicians and police to move in first, stifle your rights and then ..years later and millions of dollars later, you MIGHT get an “Ooops .. we’re sorry” from them. But in the meantime they got rid of the problem ..ie free speech they disagreed with …at the time they wanted to trample it. h.o
9 Lynn // Nov 1, 2009 at 11:11 am
Henri Paul,
Glad to see you are felling better!
I tape CTV (ch. 9) news as I work the graveyard shift. Thought I was going to get the news. Instead the entire hour was dedicated to the torch swimming ashore, back slapping and the militant protesters. There were some raging grannies there-not sure if that is whom you are referring to.
My thought is, if you are firm in your belief why hide?
10 Henri Paul // Nov 1, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Lynn // Nov 1, 2009 at 11:11 am
Henri Paul,
Glad to see you are felling better!
———————————–
Yes feeling much better, thank you.
I got a glimpse of those protesters yesterday on the news which, I believe you were referring to.
In regards to your quote “My thought is, if you are firm in your belief why hide?”
I understand what your alluding to,first off the mark their not hiding ,they are there out in the open. The coverings are in preparation for pepper spray or and or tear gas.
I should mention, a lack of face coverings never helped Kevin St. Arnaud, Ian Bush, Robert Dziekanski did it.
These protesters are dealing with a formidable , ruthless”force” and, in the eyes of this force the protesters are an enemy to be disposed of at what ever cost, and means. For proof ,look at all the money that has been poured into security for these events, along with new designer laws .
I never sympathised much with the protesters until I viewed how the RCMP treated the protesters ( our fellow citizens) at the Apex Summit, you recall the famous quote by Chretien “DA pepper is Da pepper for pudding on da plate”
What the Mounties did to the protesters there was barbaric.
I read a comment on the CBC site yesterday by 71 year old gentleman who is so incensed by the actions of the Government, RCMP and the Olympic organizers that he himself is preparing to join on with the protesters.I predict there will be many more doing this.
I hope the night shift is more agreeable with you than it was for me, I hated it,but we tolerate it.
Remember ,the protesters do the night shift to, and they don’t get paid for it, their all volunteers doing what they feel is correct.
11 Lynn // Nov 1, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Henri Paul,
I understand your point a little better.
My night shift is public transportation. I love my shift. Not as boring as the day shift. I hold a deep appreciation for the quirky and to borrow a line from Showcase, it is television without borders (or commercials)!
Now getting back to the mask crusaders, wouldn’t the strategy be better paid if the gov’t saw the majority of protesters are taxpayers and, for the lack of a better term, have a great deal of credibility than those who are clearly angry roving mercenary protesters?
12 Henri Paul // Nov 2, 2009 at 2:40 am
Lynn // Nov 1, 2009 at 9:44 pm
I understand your point a little better.
————————————————-
Ill settle for your “little better” thank you.
Tonight on an Alberta station , there were people (taxpayers) protesting about a power transmission line going through their community, it was mentioned to a spokesperson there representing the protesters, in regards to circulating a petition, in short she said petitions are a waste of time as they do not influence government any longer.
I ask you, what means are at peoples disposal when it comes to showing displeasure at their government actions?
The way it appears to many of the citizenry is that the government or courts no longer function in a free and democratic way towards the average citizen. Hence, we now have as you put it mercenary protesters. Can you truthfully see it going any other way? I think not.
Leave a Comment
CAPTCHA Code is needed.