EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Protect the Right to Protest / Protégeons le droit de manifester

Ottawa Witness Group / Le Groupe témoin d'Ottawa

Press Release One Step Forward, One Step Back

Ottawa Witness Group releases annual report on the policing of major events, including results of questionnaire to municipal election candidates concerning policing

Ottawa, November 6, 2003 - The Ottawa Witness Group (OWG), a local volunteer organization concerned with protecting the right to protest, released its annual report on the policing of major events today in Ottawa.

The Group was founded in June 2002 and issued its first report in July 2002 on the policing of G-8 protests in Ottawa. Group members attend demonstrations as observers to monitor the adherence of police to human rights. They have attended numerous demonstrations and engaged in many activities, including: meetings with the Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) and police liaison personnel, demonstrators, the media and those interested in policing in the community; sponsoring a public teach-in on the policing of major events at Saint Paul's University; and a questionnaire to 2003 municipal election candidates.

The report has the following objectives:

To report on the performance of the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) concerning the policing of major events since July 2002, indicating improvements as well as concerns in this respect.
To release the results of the September 2003 questionnaire sent to all candidates in the municipal election concerning the policing of major events in Ottawa.
To discuss the Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) and concerns about its role as a civilian overseer of the police.

"The policing of anti-war demonstrations from November 2002 to March 2003 reflected a more co-operative and less confrontational approach by police toward protesters. In general, the comportment of officers in these demonstrations was professional, courteous, co-operative and helpful. This approach should form the basis of policing demonstrations in Ottawa," stated OWG spokesperson Aileen Leo.

"Unfortunately, this progress has been marred because of policing choices concerning demonstrations that have been employed since April 2003, including the apparent targeted arrests of activist leaders and the use of tasers against peaceful protesters." Such actions should not be employed again due to their negative effect on the relationship between police and demonstrators," Ms. Leo added.

Twenty percent of candidates responded to the Ottawa Witness Group municipal election questionnaire. Highlights of a survey of responses included the following findings:

The majority would support efforts to establish a more independent and objective complaints process. They would urge the provincial government to change the legislation mandating the process.
The majority would like to see third-party complaints of police misconduct being allowed in Ontario.
In the interests of transparency, the majority (75%) would make public the guidelines for the use of pepper spray and tasers, but would not ban the use of these weapons by police unless better alternatives are found.

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The full OWG report as well as candidates' responses to the questionnaire and analysis are available on the OWG website at: http://members.rogers.com/witnessgroup. Hardcopies of the report are also available. The full report is available in English only;

An Executive Summary is available in French.

For further details or to arrange an interview, contact: Paul Durber, (613) 237-5337; pdurber@rogers.com