DON’T MESS WITH THE PARADE
It was bad enough when anarchists bent on clashing with police used peacefully demonstrating students as a shield for their vandalism during the Printemps érable of 2012. Now, organizers of the annual anti- police brutality march, which usually ends with shattered glass and mass arrests, are planning to crash the annual St. Patrick’s parade on March 22. Oh, come on. Is nothing sacred? This fun family event has been uniting Montrealers of different ages, linguistic groups and backgrounds for years at one happy street party where everyone is Irish, at least for the day. Established in 1824, it has become an annual rite of spring in a city that loves a parade.
Anarchists goading police into kettling and cuffing demonstrators in a contrived effort to prove authorities are heavy- handed has also become an annual tradition, though a most unwelcome one.
There is no reason these two events need to take place on the same day, let alone in the same location. The anti- police brutality march organizers seem to be planning to hold the United Irish Societies of Montreal and the public at large hostage, endangering children in the process ( or disappointing them, if their parents, fearing turmoil, decide to give the parade a miss this year).
It is not unreasonable to think that the anarchist marchers, whose meeting spot is to be near the parade route, might be planning to mix with parade- watchers and aiming to provoke police into a forceful reaction against the entire crowd; similar tactics were used during the 2012 student demonstrations. The organizers’ suggestion that any confrontations that may occur will be the sole fault of police is a lame one.
Police brutality is a legitimate issue worthy of social concern, but those who choose to denounce it by doing their best to provoke it only undermine an important cause.
Montrealers can only hope that in a spirit of community- mindedness, protesters don’t infiltrate the crowds of green- clad revellers to commit malfeasance or foster confrontation, but rather join the St. Patrick’s festivities. Or else stay away.