To truly keep the peace, police must not overreact if Olympic protesters break the law. By Michael Byers, (via The Tyee — Brace for the Security Games)

“The authorities must not be allowed to ramp up their security machine in response to small or isolated illegalities. They need to hear — from politicians and citizens — that we expect them to exercise the utmost restraint. We castigate, with good reason, the treatment of protesters in Iran and other countries. It would be unfortunate if the activities of a few police or soldiers were to tar Canada with the same brush.

Again, protests are about far more than security. At their core, they are about the relationship between citizens and the state. Those who wish to protest peacefully must be allowed to do so, regardless of what others might do.”