"But what is a policeman with a rock in his hand and a scarf over his face, if not provocation?" - Francis Dupuis-Déri.Hat tip to Sketchy Thoughts.
A year and a half ago the Sûreté du Québec police force were caught blatantly infiltrating the ranks of protesters at the Montebello Summit with thuggish masked goons carrying rocks. The Sûreté were forced, finally, to admit that the men caught on video were undercover police officers but staunchly denied they were provocateurs, claiming they were carrying the rocks so they would blend in.
Which was hard with all the protesters shouting "Drop the rock, cop!" at them.
Now Quebec activist and Poli-Sci Professor Francis Dupuis-Déri has used access to information requests to acquire police records of the operation. Records that, among other things, reveal that at least three of the undercover officers in the unit were listed as 'Provocateurs'.
Remember this the next time any kind of violence happens at a protest.
2 comments:
I would strongly recommend anyone with a video camera bring it to demos and film any violent acts as a means to expose provocateurs. I also suggest that knowledge of this tactic be wide spread as to make it less likely that the cops will use provocateurs as they will be exposed so easily.
It probably won't be this easy next time - the records indicate the Sûreté are well aware of how botched an operation Montebello was and are looking for smaller, less blatant steroid munchers, maybe even some females for this work next time.
None of their internal material released to the Professor indicates any self awareness about this kind of infiltration being a bad idea from the start - its all about 'how do we get away with it next time?'
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