Having watched the burning of police cars, the smashing of  store windows, and the police attempts at crowd control at the demonstrations surrounding the G20 summit in Toronto, I have to ask myself “What is the greatest threat to our liberties and freedom to come out of this protest?”

I conclude that the actions of the Black Bloc and other hooligans who infiltrate legitimate and peaceful protests are the real threat to our freedoms and liberty. Having tasted freedom, most people can only be driven into the hands of a dictator if their personal safety and the safety of their family is so threatened that they are willing to see their liberties and rights to peaceful protest curtailed in exchange for safety. Furthermore by infiltrating legitimate and peaceful public demonstrations, the hooligans undermine the message of the protest as well.

What about the police, did they react too aggressively or not aggressively enough? By the very fact that I’m hearing both charges simultaneously – that the police have been too aggressive and not aggressive enough – indicates to me that the police were in an impossible situation and probably responded about as well as one could under the circumstances.

If we really care about freedom and liberty, we need to prevent this hooliganism and protest organizers need to take steps to inhibit the hijacking of their movements by vandals. After all both society in general and these protest movements in particular suffer if all these protests end up doing is driving us into the hands of a tyrant who promises us safety in exchange for our liberties.

Thanks for reading,

Peter