YouTube clip reveals undercover police officers joined protest demonstration
A video clip posted on the social-networking site, YouTube, which has been viewed 190,000 times, shows three undercover police officers caught posing as protesters at the North American Leader’s Summit in Montebello, Quebec.
According to London Free Press, the video clip shows union leader, Dave Coles, confronting three apparent protesters, accusing them of being police officers attempting to incite violence at an otherwise peaceful demonstration. The clip also shows a fist-sized rock in the hand of one undercover officer.
Quebec’s provincial police initially denied the three were police officers. However, after days of denial, the clip may force them to admit that the three were in fact police officers but not provocateurs.
Inspector Marcel Savard also acknowledged that one of the officers was given a rock by extremists to throw at police, but said he did not use it.
Savard said they will conduct an internal investigation to review their practices.
“If there are methods or procedures that need to be changed or adjusted, you can be reassured that will be done,” Savard told London Free Press.
However, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said that because of Quebec’s provincial police direct involvement, it has lost its credibility to conduct an investigation.
The union also pushed for an independent public inquiry on the matter, specifically to determine whether the government recognize and protect their rights to demonstrate peacefully.
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August 27th, 2007
Canadian police have a long history of this kind of action. For us older folk, this is hardly news. I’m glad Youtube is there to show this sort of thing so younger people, and those who haven’t experienced this kind of situation yet, can see what is happening. The internet can really help educate people.