Investigate role of police at summit

re. Day rejects call for probe of summit allegations

Now that the police have admitted that they did have agents in the crowd, a public inquiry must be launched. The public needs to know why these officers were masked and in combat garb, and why one of them was carrying a large rock.

I can understand the police seeing a need to have agents keeping an eye on a protest from the inside. After all, when a large crowd gathers, things can get out of hand quickly. But the way the agents were dressed, with their faces covered and carrying rocks, is not how I would imagine one should discretely monitor a crowd.

The only reasonable explanation is the one already given. The officers were clearly sent to provoke an incident. The question, which can only be answered by a full public inquiry, is who gave them their orders.

Sadly, the most we are likely to get is some minor intermediary falling on his sword to protect his superiors.

Still, something has to come from this. By making them appear to be a private service willing to operate outside the law to serve political ends, this incident has tarnished the reputations of police forces across Canada. At the very least, the Minister in charge of security should resign.

Gary Dale