Protest behaviour

A reader has asked me about an upcoming protest rally where there is expected to be major police presence. How should people behave?

At the outset, the right of peaceful protest is fundamental to democracy. Canadians have the right to assemble and protest and petition the government. But note the term peaceful in the last sentence. Similarly, protest must be lawful -- by which I mean trespass to private property can and will lead to arrest and detention.

So, the best approach is to rally, speak and behave as responsible citizens making a point. Violence or lawless behaviour is totally inappropriate. Remember when Gandi protested and used civil disobedience (where a critical element is the intention to be arrested) the protests were peaceful -- that's why Gandi remains a hero.

But what if police behave badly? The answer is to obey the police and complain later -- if you are told to "move along" and you think there is no reason to move along, do so and complain later -- that's why we have courts and complaints commissioners. Moreover, you may be wrong and the police may indeed have a good reason for you to move along -- submit now and review later.

Now all this sounds scary -- and it is -- but speaking out is a key part of the political process.