Insecurity set for anti-Olympic protets

Security set to deal with Oly protests
Cops say they will 'ramp up' forces if necessary

Damian Inwood, The Province, Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Olympic security police say they won't hesitate to "ramp up" their forces at a moment's notice to deal with illegal protests when an anti-Games rally heads for B.C. Place Stadium on Friday.

"We're not going to stand by and wait until things get out of hand," said Staff-Sgt. Mike Cote, spokesman for the RCMP's Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit. "We'll have to wait and see what we're confronted with."

Protesters plan to rally at 3 p.m. at the Vancouver Art Gallery before heading to B.C. Place, where the Olympic opening ceremonies begin at 6 p.m. If protesters try to block intersections, as they did in Victoria in October, at the start of the relay, a decision will be made how to deal with them, he said.

"It will be up to the security commander on the ground to decide whether to stop or divert the ultimate route [of the protest march]," said Cote. "We're confident things will go well, but we're prepared to deal with them if they don't."

By some estimates, between 1,000 and 1,500 protesters may take part in the rally.

Police refused to say whether officers will be wearing riot gear or if riot police will be mustered nearby for deployment if the protest gets out of control.

At 2 p.m., an hour before the protest rally starts, the torch-relay flame will disappear from sight in a miner's lamp.

It will be lit from the last relay community cauldron at the Four First Nations pavilion at Hamilton and Georgia streets.

"That will be the final time the Olympic flame will be in public view before the opening ceremonies," said Suzanne Reeves, torch-relay communication director.

Reeves said it will next be seen inside B.C. Place, which will be protected by heavy security, and that no torch runner would actually carry the torch into the building.

Vancouver 2010 CEO John Furlong said he's not worried about disruptions on the final days of the torch relay or the opening ceremonies.

"Obviously, we hope for a fantastic closing celebration [for the torch relay]," he said. "We've had great success along the route. If people make it to the side of the road to express their view, we trust they'll do it in a traditional, Canadian way -- respectfully."

As to the protest rally to B.C. Place, he said police "will do what's necessary to make sure people can get to the stadium to enjoy the experience that they've waited over a decade for."

"I know that people that are working to secure the Games will make sure it will all happen the way it should," Furlong added. "We expect Friday to go off well and, if we have a few challenges, they'll be managed professionally and the best way that we can."

dinwood@theprovince.com

Mounties vow 'measured response'
to Olympic protesters
Steven Chase, The Globe and Mail, Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The second-in-command at the RCMP says Canada is ready for any security threat at the Vancouver Winter Olympics but will take special care not to overreact if protestors break the law when demonstrating at the event.

“In terms of the Olympic Games, it will be a measured response,” Bill Sweeney, deputy commissioner of the RCMP, told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday.

“We’re not going to do anything, or we’re not going to deliberately do anything that’s going to aggravate or exacerbate the problem.”

The RCMP have taken heavy criticism for overreacting in the past, whether it was using pepper spray against protestors at the 1997 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vancouver or the fatal 2007 tasering of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski.

Deputy commissioner Sweeney's comment followed a tour by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and two cabinet ministers of military command headquarters in Ottawa, offices that will oversee the Canadian Forces' role in Olympic security efforts.

The Mounties are the lead agency responsible for security at the Olympics – which begin Friday – but the Canadian military has a major supporting role in patrolling the air and sea, and providing soldiers ready to respond to any threats.

Deputy commissioner Sweeney boasted that organizers have mapped out plans for any and all security threats to the Games.

“Your imagination is your only limitation with respect to planning,” he said. “We’ve taken into account all contingencies and we believe we are well prepared to respond to them.”

The senior Royal Canadian Mounted Police official said authorities are watching for signs that organized crime is attempting to exploit the lucrative Games.

"Organized crime basically is a capitalist enterprise. And any opportunity to make money brings people that would try to exploit those opportunities, whether it's bogus tickets or whether it’s capitalizing on getting into people's computer systems," deputy commissioner Sweeney said

“Obviously in the news there’s been some speculation about human trafficking and exploiting women for prostitution may be problematic,” he said. “We are keeping our eye on all of those issues. At this stage it hasn’t become problematic but that doesn't mean we shouldn’t remain vigilant.”