Nice MRAD you have there...sure glad the Vancouver police wouldn't think of using this hi-tech weapon as a, you know, weapon.
What's next, guys...a tactical nuke?
Let's review, shall we?
Item: The infamous sadist "Sergeant Pepper" has been dragged out of retirement to run VANOC security.*
Item: Olympics critics have been subject to unrelenting police harassment for months.
Item: The BC government has been attempting to outlaw anti-Olympics signs--even in one's own home.
Rafe Mair has had a change of heart. Now he realizes that civil liberties are in serious jeopardy: he's apologized unreservedly to activist Chris Shaw, a victim of on-going police stalking.
Remember when we looked down our noses at China for its Olympic security measures? Can't happen here, eh?
Guess again.
[H/t reader Gord Campbell, b/c]
*UPDATE/CORRECTION: it seems that my information on this point is badly out of date. Reader Chris Selley notes: "Stewart hasn't been involved with Olympic security since 2006. The guy actually in charge of Olympic security merely took orders from Stewart to discharge the pepper spray at APEC. Feel better?"
UPDATE: (November 19) A small victory in the on-going Olympic skirmishes: the Vancouver police have disabled their device:
"The tone capability of our LRAD will be disabled, and if there are any alternate uses for the device in the future, other than a public address system, we would certainly develop appropriate policy and training, and that would go before the Vancouver police board for approval," said [a police spokesperson].
[H/t reader Gord Campbell, b/c]
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