WITNESS GROUP TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS AT DEMONSTRATIONS

Ottawa, June 22:  Members from churches, unions, human rights and community groups have announced the formation of Witness Teams for the demonstrations in Ottawa against the policies of the G-8.

The new group has decided to send teams to demonstrations in Ottawa starting June 22, after its founding meeting on June 12th at the Friends Meeting House on Fourth Avenue.

"We seek to protect demonstrators by witnessing and reporting on actions of the police, monitoring their adherence to the standards of human rights in a democratic society," said Bob Thomson, a spokesperson for the group. "There will be many others who will be watching the demonstrators. We hope to even the odds."

Team members in purple T-shirts will be present at the demonstrations, and will record the times, actions and sequence of events and provide an accurate summary account to corporate, alternative and independent media.

"The actions of some of the police on November 16 and 17 during the G-20 demonstrations were deplorable," Thomson said. "The police have indicated that this time, they will follow their own standards for the use of dogs and the Public Order Unit, and will have all officers, including those coming from out of town, identified by name or number. We welcome these promises and the improved dialogue with the police. The Witnesses will be monitoring their actions with the hope that our rights to lawful demonstration will be respected and that the trust damaged in November might eventually be restored.", he added.