Ottawa protest organizer refuses to condemn use of violence

BY MITCHELL GRAY

CALGARY - The tactics employed by G8 protesters will depend on the circumstances, says a well-known Canadian activist, who refused to condemn the use of violence.

"If a building is burning down and there's a small child inside, it's acceptable to break a window and take out that child" said Jaggi Singh, one of the organizers of Take the Capital!, a G8 summit protest to be held June 26 and 27 in Ottawa.

"Depending on the situation, there's a variety of tactics that are acceptable and appropriate and effective," Mr. Singh said. He was speaking from Ottawa on Global TV's Global Sunday public affairs program. The panel debated whether "radical protesters" are a help or a hindrance to democracy.

One panellist asked Mr. Singh for his opinion on violent protest "Do you support what's called a diversity of tactics, which is the euphemism for all kinds of violence in the streets?" asked Brian Kappler, editorials editor for the Montreal Gazette.

"I'm fundamentally opposed to violence," Mr. Singh replied. "That's why I oppose the G8." Mr. Singh's answers seemed to frustrate the other panellists and moderator Charles Adler, who repeatedly asked Mr. Singh for more specific answers.

"You talk about direct action, but you won't give me a direct answer," said Mr. Adler. Mr. Kappler said Mr. Singh's "ranting" is the equivalent of "riots on the street."

Mr. Adler asked Mr. Singh what country provides a model of a society being run fairly and effectively, a society that would not require radical protest.

"There's nothing that fully adheres to the model," said Mr. Singh. "There are people within countries all over the world fighting for true democracy. The fact that there's no state in the world that fully lives up to what we want doesn't mean we shouldn't fight for it."

The true violence associated with the summit will be caused by participants, not protesters, said Mr. Singh.

"There will be violent people coming ... this June," he said. "They're going to be organized and motivated and they're the leaders of the G8 countries."

Special to the Citizen

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