The day after the initial rally and parade in Vancouver, BC against the Olympics, masked thugs (which have now identified themselves as the Black Bloc) ran amok in downtown Vancouver causing havoc, smashing windows of the Hudson's Bay Company and threatening peaceful protestors who tried to stop them. These were the same thugs that attempted to cause violence on the Friday evening.
The police intervened and some media reports spoke of "violent police arrests…"
I was so disgusted with this sensationalized form of reporting that I sat down and wrote a letter to the Vancouver City Police Department thanking the officers that had shown such incredible restrained the previous night. Despite intense provocation, being screamed at, spat upon and verbally and physically attacked, their behaviour was absolutely amazing, and in protecting my right to remain on the front line to protest, they went well and beyond the call of duty.
I was asked, and gladly gave permission, for my letter to be passed on to the media. This resulted in articles being published in most major newspapers Canada wide. Here's an example of one of the best:
www.theprovince.com/Ethan+Baron+Protester.../story.html
I was also interviewed by the Vancouver Island TV A Channel. Here is the clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgTFXPaGJu8
(Please note that most of the scenes portrayed in the clip are from the Saturday violent protests and not the Friday evening protest.)
Tony and I wrote the report "Take back our Streets – Take back our City" with the intention of setting the record straight and bringing it to the attention of as many people as we could. I wrote the thank you letter to the police, pure and simple, from my heart, for no other reason than I wanted to. But in the way of things, without any effort on my part, the thank you letter got country-wide attention. From the overwhelming response from people all over who have personally thanked me for doing this, I know that when we speak our truth from the core of who we are, we always make a difference.
Monday, March 1, 2010
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