Video: Quebec police use agents provocateurs at SPP demonstration
A peaceful demonstration against the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) summit in Montebello was dramatically interrupted by the appearance of three masked 'protesters' weilding rocks with which they threatened the police.

One of the organisers of the demonstration, David Coles, challenged the masked men to identify themselves and remove their masks which they refused to do. He states repeatedly that violent protesters are not welcome. The masked men do not co-operate and are accused of being agents provocateurs and members of the police.

They can be seen chatting to the officers in the police line who are in riot gear - evidently expecting violence from the mainly middle-aged demonstrators - before they are seen to be allowed to 'break through' the police line with very little effort and a token effort is made by the police to dramatise their arrest.

Mr. Coles, who is the president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada stated to a gathering of journalists that he was certain that the masked men were agents provocateurs and members of the police. It has been suggested that further proof lies in the similarity of the footwear worn by both the masked men and the police - most notably a yellow flash on the soles of the boots.

It has been suggested many times that peaceful protests have become violent due to the behaviour of suspiscious individuals and this writer has witnessed the activities of suspect agents provocateurs who have mysteriously disappeared into police custody when challenged on several occasions at first hand.

The Montbello incident can be seen in the following video.

Quebec police admit they went undercover at Montebello protest
Quebec provincial police admitted Thursday that three of their officers disguised themselves as demonstrators during the protest at the North American leaders summit in Montebello, Que. A YouTube video shows Dave Coles, president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, ordering three masked men back from a line of riot police. However, the police force denied allegations its undercover officers were there on Monday to provoke the crowd and instigate violence. 'At no time did the police of the Sûreté du Québec act as instigators or commit criminal acts,' the police force said in French in a news release. 'It is not in the police force's policies, nor in its strategies, to act in that manner. 'At all times, they responded within their mandate to keep order and security.'

NDP calls for inquiry into Montebello security allegations
New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) MPs Peter Julian (Burnaby-New Westminster) and Libby Davies (Vancouver East) are calling on the federal government to hold a public inquiry into the allegations that agent provocateurs were used during Monday’s protest in Montebello, Quebec. A letter to the Minister of Public Safety, Stockwell Day was issued earlier today.

The letter:

Hon. Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister,

As Members of Parliament we are writing you with great concern regarding the allegations of the use of agents provocateurs during the peaceful protests against the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America summit on August 20, 2007 at Montebello, Quebec.

Along with hundreds of other Canadian citizens who participated in the Monday protest, we were both alarmed at the enormous police presence. We are more shocked at the allegations that inside agents, appearing to be working with riot police, attempted to provoke a violent incident during the peaceful demonstration. Video and photograph evidence has led to many unanswered questions.
We are calling on you as Minister to order an immediate inquiry to uncover whether or not agent provocateurs were used at the peaceful protests in Montebello.

If agent provocateurs were present, the public deserves answers to valid questions, including:

• Who are the three individuals alleged to be agent provocateurs?

• Was the Government of Canada informed that such measures would be used as part of the security detail at the summit?

• Were the RCMP or other security forces at the summit, including from the US, privy to the use of such a security tactic?

• Who was responsible for providing direction to the agents? Were the agents directed to use force and/or violent means to disrupt the peaceful protest?

• Finally, if agent provocateurs were used, what was the expected outcome in deliberately trying to destabilize a democratic protest in Canada?

We believe these are critical questions that cannot go ignored - questions that concern the relationship between state security forces and the potential infringement of democratic rights to peaceful assembly protest and to freedom of expression. As Dave Coles, President of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union said “in a free and democratic society, people have the right to peacefully protest something they don't like.”

We trust as the Minister for Public Security you will uphold your responsibility to show accountability and maintain public trust.

Sincerely,

Libby Davies
MP Vancouver East

Peter Julian
MP Burnaby-New Westminster