Evidence of Deployment of Provocateurs Mounts

KS, 22.08.2007 01:05

Did the various military and police forces in charge of “security” for the SPP Summit in Montebello this past weekend deploy agents provocateurs in order to instigate violence? There is mounting evidence that this is the case.

Do SQ and anarchists frequent the same shoe stores?

Evidence of deployment of provocateurs mounts

Did the various military and police forces in charge of “security” for the SPP Summit in Montebello this past weekend deploy agents provocateurs in order to instigate violence?

There is mounting evidence that this is the case. Many people have already seen powerful video evidence posted to the YouTube website by independent journalist Paul Manly. The five-minute clip shows a remarkable scene near one of the green zone police lines, where a set of three “provocateurs”, dressed as protesters and wielding rocks, are confronted by a group of trade unionists and young protesters, who suspect them of being police agents. That video is here:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St1-WTc1kow

There are several very suggestive elements in that video, notably the fact that when challenged by the crowd, the obviously uncomfortable trio do not deny they are police or otherwise identify themselves and instead move slowly to the safety of the line of riot cops. Once there, and briefly exposed, there are several seconds where it is very clear that the individual closest to the SQ riot cop speaks quietly and calmly to him, out of earshot of the others. Shortly afterward, all three move past the same officer, and are then taken to ground, handcuffed, and “arrested”. At no point do they identify themselves, or deny being police.

New photo evidence

A new and potentially important set of photos have now become available, posted to the CUPE website at:

 http://www.cupe.ca/gallery/montebello-monday?page=4

In two of the photos, the soles of the boots of the three individuals (two of them viewable at photo #31, and the other at #32) all show identical yellow oval markers in the centre, and these markers just happen to be identical to those on the soles of the SQ riot cops.

Considering the combination of the Paul Manly (YouTube) video and these photos, and adding this to the fact that the police appear to be denying that these three individuals were even arrested, the evidence that this trio were paid provocateurs certainly appears overwhelming.

Following the posting of the Manly video, a reporter with the Canadian Press quickly picked up on this story, and filed an early wire story, an expanded version of which was posted to the website of the Toronto Star several hours ago:

 http://www.thestar.com/News/article/248608

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Safeguarding Protests From Provocateurs 22.08.2007 - 12:11 Is there a way for us to demand that a law be passed, making it illegal for people to wear face masks at protest demonstrations, and that those who do so should be arrested immediately? This way, provocateurs cannot hide. Also, I would like to suggest that protesters obtain hand cuffs and cuff each others’ hands behind their backs, so that there can be no excuses for attacking a completely physically disarmed multitude. We could also designate numbers of people to stand back, away from the body of protesters, with video cameras. This way the police cannot say that they felt endangered, nor present what looks like evidence of danger. Please put the idea out there that we will create a think tank to overcome the dirty tricks that dictatorships use to make protesters out to be vigilantes. yezbok drahcir> Wrong conclusion 22.08.2007 - 13:40 Actually, if you watch the video, you will notice that a masked individual evidently part of a blocked-up affinity group points out to the CEP President that the three individuals are cops. This occurs early on in the video, and is repeated several times (although the union people don't seem to understand French). It sure seems to take awhile for the union guys to figure out what's going on compared to the people in masks, eh? Ever hear of affinity groups? John> who cares 22.08.2007 - 14:08 Does anyone care about any of this? What a profoundly boring and irrelevant mess. ahmed> Provocateurs? They're Doing Their Job. 22.08.2007 - 18:57 It's a mob of people who, at events like this in the past, almost always become violent. Whether it's vandalism, assault or property destruction some of these jerks are always there to cause trouble. You don't bring molotov cocktails to a PEACEFUL protest. Why doesn't anyone ever ask them why they bring baseball bats, rocks and homemade gas bombs to a PEACEFUL demonstration? Of course the police were there! They should be there. If I'm a business owner in danger of having thousands of dollars of property damage done to my shop I would DEMAND they be there. But no the conspiracy nuts would have us believe the cops are provoking a confrontation...to what end? What could they possibly have to gain besides putting their health and maybe life on the line, creating more work for themselves, risking their jobs and destroying their personal reputations. Police Officers aren't shadowy spys lurking in the darkness waiting to torture people for the pleasure of it, for the most part they're regular well educated people. I seriously doubt you could find many cops willing to incite a riot just for the hell of it. Why would they do it? That's the most important question. Why? Nevermind the idiocy surrounding this video. Hey those guys have boots similar to those guys...well that's it they're obviously guilty. Corey> Violence? 22.08.2007 - 19:13 Gas bombs? The only gas bombs I've ever seen thrown by protestors were tear gas canisters being THROWN BACK at the cops. People have this ideas that protests are these violent, dangerous events because they see these 2-second clips of some guy smashing a window played over and over again in the mainstream media. Obviously this time the police were going the extra mile to make sure that perception was reinforced. That way, they can make sure fewer people show up at the next protest. Rob> Corey, you're ignorant. 22.08.2007 - 20:08 And, really, there is not much else to say. BUT, I'll support my statement nonetheless. As per police officers being "well-educated", for the most part your plumber has more education. A three year community college course shouldn't be all that's required to have the power to destroy people's lives physically; emotionally, legally and financially. And you BEST believe that all four have happened and continue to happen. Cops lie, and lie, and lie and lie. And our society has made it so that the better part of their day is now spent lying. And we are simply accepting it. And by blindly accepting it, and making ill-informed, supportive comments such as yours (I mean, really, when was the last time you had any real contact with a police officer outside of a routine traffic situation), you are encouraging it. WAKE UP. But you won't, will you? You just blindly believe, for no reason whatsoever, that those cops would just stand around and do nothing in that crowd, rather than perhaps lob a rock over the police line in order to justify the police launching some projectiles at some people whose faces they don't like...and then using their college courses, and a few well-built lies, to destroy someone--and ensure that they never bother the boys in blue again.... uiligh> Corey, you missed the point 22.08.2007 - 22:36 Corey, of course cops are at big protests. the point was, these cops were there to INCITE violence. big difference. It's happened before too, helps cloud the message. Aaron> why would police incite violence? 23.08.2007 - 12:31 for the same reason a bully wants a conflict to turn physical. that's where he'll win. it also makes for easy denunciation of the demos and for a de-politicizing of the situation. it's easier for mass media to ignore the question "why are people so upset" when there's a riot. of course they'll be lazy about such questions anyway. my paper featured a CP story that dismissed the multitude of messages throughout the crowds as incompetence and lack of coherency instead of asking various issues link to SPP and Canada-US integration. but i digress... i think the police interest in inciting violence should tell us something about the police assessment of tactical advantage, and so our choice about tactics. they seemed to think they had an interest in turning things violent. andrew> Reply to Corey's comment 23.08.2007 - 12:57 Corey: A brief answer to your question of Why? inciting violence helps to: a) justify the use of force on the part of the police against the group of (mainly peaceful) protestors b) discredit the group of protestors, and make them look like a bunch of crazy, radical, left-wing loonies. Jessica> Vibram Brand Soles on Boots 23.08.2007 - 15:00 I believe the three individuals were police based on their behavior, NOT based on their boots. Any backpacker or experienced hiker has worn a variety of boots with "Vibram" brand rubber soles. Vibram has a distinctive sole pattern and a yellow trademark in the middle of the sole. What you see in the photos are simply a common brand of boot sole, one used by many different manufacturers of boots. There is no direct correllation here based on such common boot soles. The behavior of the police in crude disguise, as you see in the videos, and the fact that these individuals were clearly not really arrested, is the best lesson for spotting provocateurs. A protest participant, confronted, legitimately or not, by a "Peace Nazi" is more likely to melt back into the mass of protesters, NOT move to the Police lines seeking refuge. PS, I don't much care for inappropriate violence or grandstanding "Peace Nazis" either. Solidatity Sludge Sludge> La SQ passe aux aveux 23.08.2007 - 19:26 La SQ passe aux aveux  http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/ottawa/2007/08/23/007-SQ-reax-youtube_n.shtml Et voici, pour le big mensonge:  http://www.suretequebec.gouv.qc.ca/accueil/communiques/2007/20070823_02.html La Sûreté du Québec précise certains faits concernant le Sommet de Montebello 23 août 2007 "À la suite de la diffusion d’un extrait vidéo sur le site Internet Youtube.com, impliquant possiblement des membres de la Sûreté du Québec lors du Sommet de Montebello, cette dernière aimerait apporter certaines précisions. Après avoir analysé son contenu, en plus de prendre connaissance des vidéos enregistrées par les corps policiers, elle est maintenant en mesure de confirmer que ces individus sont des policiers de la Sûreté du Québec. Ces derniers avaient le mandat de repérer et d’identifier les manifestants non pacifiques pour ainsi éviter les débordements. Les policiers ont été repérés par les manifestants au moment où ils ont refusé de lancer des projectiles. En aucun temps, les policiers de la Sûreté du Québec ont agi comme agents provocateurs ou commis des actes criminels. De plus, ce n’est pas dans les politiques du service de police ni dans ses stratégies d’agir de cette manière. À tout moment, ils ont répondu à leur mandat de maintenir l’ordre et la sécurité." Stéphane Thellen> They admitted it 23.08.2007 - 23:15 Quebec police admit they went undercover at Montebello protest:  http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/08/23/police-montebello.html The official spin is that the cops were recognized when they refused to throw projectiles. So the cop only had the rock in his hand because he hadn't thrown it like all the other protesters had. Right..... Piper> Good article 24.08.2007 - 00:31 I'm wondering if these 'provocateurs' are put there by the police themselves to have an excuse to break heads with their toys, or if there is something much more sinister--that using provocateurs is part of secret government policy to discredit all opposition. Richard Nixon once remarked that every time a protester threw a rock at him in anger that it would give him an additional 10,000 votes. Nietzsche said it best: "The easiest way to destroy a cause is by becoming it's most enthusiastic advocate". The "closed doors" aspects of SPP are a great concern to me. The political and business elites are implementing it without any legitimacy through the democratic process. Everyone who questions these backdoor dealings are dismissed as conspiracy nutjobs. Cador> CBC reports on the Agent Provacateurs 24.08.2007 - 09:46 Check it out:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnMBgydcrVo&mode=related&search= Johnson> well 24.08.2007 - 15:23 Life is not a peaceful love in where just asking or standing with a sign will get you what you want. The only thing wrong with Agent Provectaurs is that they get people injured who didn't ask to be in the street fight. Only a fucking jackass or a narc would start an altercation in the context that this happened. However, banning masks and all this is a croc of shit, you want a government that is underhanded enough (to start the spp) in the first place to have more power and advantage over you? Police are a force organized for violence, that's what they do. They are a paramilitary force, plain and simple. All this money is spent to arm them for events such as this to repress and cause pain towards people who are criticizing or in some form or another dangerous to the stability of commerce and conservatism. Police commit violence against people daily, that's in large part why people were there. Police and other officals are the arms and legs of the disgusting and contemptable policies enacted by the cowards and snivelling little pigs in government who think they have a right to govern others. Alex> Provo cop 30.08.2007 - 08:56 We are a group of filmmakers in Philadelphia, u.s.a producing a weekly newsshow. Our latest episode is about the use of provocateurs at the SPP demonstration. You can watch our show on www.collateral.blip.tv P.S. We have no budget, receive no money and do not belong to any network. If you find our show worthy please pass it on. Michael Hilger> e-mail:: collaterlinfo@gmail.com Homepage:: http://collateral.blip.tv Montebello agents provocateurs 12.09.2007 - 08:49 Of course agents provocateurs, entrapment, set ups are common police practice. What do you expect of any organization with no oversight or public control? View the National Film Board of Canada release on the Quebec City protests "View from the Summit"paying attention to the scene where riot police are training to protect themselves from rock throwing protesters and the later scene where it's played for real. Watch the body postures & throwing actions of the young cops playing the part of the protesters and compare it to the actual 'riot' later in the film where the Black Block (Bloq Noir) confront police. Consider that the rock throwers were allowed to disperse before the cops advanced on the peaceful protesters remaining. Manipulating public opinion is an easy thing for police to do and they do it regularly ... in spite of claiming to be apolitical. Keith Detloff Toronto Keith Detloff> e-mail:: kdetloff@sympatico.ca Nothing new,one of the oldest tricks in their 09.11.2007 - 06:29 all been done before in many locations Warren Miller> Globe Editorial Exposes Bias 31.12.2007 - 16:47 Big ups to Neo-Conservative Alliance member Stockwell Day, for not pursuing an investigation. Wouldn't want to start something you know would only lead back to yourself! CORRUPTION Responding to revelations that police at the SPP Summit in Montebello had planted Agents Provocateurs at the protest, the Globe & Mail’s Editors began “In years past, it would have been dismissed as the sort of conspiracy theory that professional protestors are fond of" (Blown Cover, August 24). Dismissed by whom? By editors of corporate “news" outlets, of course, who increasingly seem to think that investigative journalism is something to be found only in history books, not a central concept to be practiced. This statement, as well as the implied suggestion that “professional protestors" are some sort of irrational reactionaries, are very enlightening, and a great example of the well-documented (1) and consistent mistreatment of protest movements by the media. The timing of this Disinformation (2) was rather ironic because, on the same day the video came to light, the Italian media was reporting on an investigation into police misconduct at the 2001 G8 Summit in Genoa (3). Italian Police raided a school housing protest organizers, alleging that protestors were making Molotov cocktails for use against the police. The report states that police had actually planted several petrol bombs in the school after the raid was completed, and used this “evidence" to justify their detainment of 93 prominent activists. It also found that police used brutal measures against protestors throughout the summit, and a reported knifing, used to paint a picture of protest-created chaos in the streets, simply never happened. One activist was shot in the head, and then backed over by an armoured vehicle. The police later justified this by citing the “widespread violence" of the protestors, but it now appears to have been the sad result of a corrupt process. This, coupled with the Montebello revelations and reports of police misconduct (the most common are of illegal mass arrests, used to clear the streets) at other such summits, presents a clear pattern of repression at events where politicians meet behind closed doors to negotiate questionable policy agreements, collectively referred to as “Globalization". Honest leaders, who respect the democratic process, do not act in such a manner. I hope that these revelations will cause the media to begin investigating and acknowledging this pattern, and take protestors’ (whether “professional" or not) concerns more seriously in the future. But if the Globe’s editorial is any indication, I guess it would be unhealthy for me to hold my breath. Here's the Globe & Mail's editorial: Blown cover 1) See: "Inventing Reality: The Politics of the Mass Media" by Michael Parenti 2) 25 Tactics for Truth Suppression Tactics used by Disinformation Agents  http://alaskafreepress.com/msgboard/disinfo/index.html 3) Genoa Police 'Admit Fabrication'  http://winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?5981S Jordan Thornton> e-mail:: pilgrim112@hotmail.com