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As with any conflict between the People and the State, we know that the police will make themselves know. And I doubt it will be the friendly face of police helping the Raging Grannies cross the street! “Point me towards the fence, young man, I’m ready to riot!”

This means there will be 5,000 Toronto police officers patrolling downtown Toronto during the Summit protests (which costs at least $80 million), plus 77 CCTV surveillance cameras. The total security costs for the Summit will be $1.1 billion.

May I remind everyone at this time the cardinal rule when dealing with the police: Never Touch A Cop! That’s looking for an Assault Police Charge.

Also, never let anything that is in your hand or mouth fly out of your hand or mouth and hit a cop! That’s also looking for a Assault Police Charge.

Keep your hands to yourselves. No hugging! No kissing! during the planned Roving Kiss-In Protest on Wednesday June 23, 2010 during the evening.

But I digress: Anyway, back to the Sound Weapon…

Police have already announced they have purchased four sound weapons or “sonic cannons” to deal with demonstrators during the Summit protests (these weapons are for the police to keep) but on Friday June 11, 2010, Police Chief Bill Blair announced that his Toronto Police won’t be using the LRAD sound cannons as weapons, but rather as Communication Tools. 

“It’s not designed to be used as a weapon,” Blair said. “We will not use it as a weapon. We will use it as a communication device.”

Not that activists believe the police [full.stop.]

So it seems civil liberty groups don’t trust the police as the Civil Liberties Union is seeking an injunction against the Toronto and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) using the sound cannon.

 Quote: “If they decided not to use it as a weapon, then they could disable the alert function as the Vancouver police did during the Olympics,” Nathalie Des Rosiers of the Canadian Civil Liberties Union said. “It would go a long way to reassure people that the most strident noises and the beam aspect of it will not be used.”

I wouldn’t trust the police, either.

They won’t even rule out using Agent Provocateurs during the Summit protests, like Quebec Provincial police did at the Montebello protests. Here’s a great article in case you’re on the fence about police collaboration.

Ten reasons not to talk — or listen — to CSIS

[Dear rabble.ca readers, you’d be right on to notice that we have published a lot of content recently concerning CSIS and the police; this is to keep the public and social justice activists informed!]

Stay safe! Stay brave!

Krystalline Kraus

krystalline kraus is an intrepid explorer and reporter from Toronto, Canada. A veteran activist and journalist for rabble.ca, she needs no aviator goggles, gas mask or red cape but proceeds fearlessly...