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Bill C-309 would create a separate offence criminalizing the use of a mask while participating in such an action.
Those who embolden themselves by masking or hiding their identity while participating in a riot or unlawful assembly have a tremendous impact on the safety of those who exercise their right to protest peacefully and lawfully in this country. A right the CACP supports and defends. They also make investigations of these crimes much more difficult.”
Those who incite a riot while wearing a mask face an indictable offence up to 10 years. Those who participate in such an unlawful assembly while wearing a mask could face up to six months in jail or fines up to $5,000
Originally posted by TFCJay
CBC article is over a year old.
Currently there is no federal law banning masks at demonstrations. The criminal code does state that if a person is convicted of committing a crime while wearing a mask they would get an increased penalty.
The proposed law would impose heavy penalties for anyone wearing a disguise while participating in a protest that became “an unlawful assembly” or riot. It would mean, for example, that someone wearing a mask at the head of a long protest march could be charged if something illegal happened at the end of the parade.
Originally posted by anon4m05
Article Title; 3 things to know about the proposed mask law
CBC Article
According to this article,
Bill C-309 would create a separate offence criminalizing the use of a mask while participating in such an action.
Those who embolden themselves by masking or hiding their identity while participating in a riot or unlawful assembly have a tremendous impact on the safety of those who exercise their right to protest peacefully and lawfully in this country. A right the CACP supports and defends. They also make investigations of these crimes much more difficult.”
Those who incite a riot while wearing a mask face an indictable offence up to 10 years. Those who participate in such an unlawful assembly while wearing a mask could face up to six months in jail or fines up to $5,000
Am I the only one who has a major problem with this?? What happens in the event riot police use tear gas? You can't cover your face?
What about at G20 where the riot police removed any identification / badges and were fully decked out in riot gear? Why can they hide their faces?
What if there is a "lawful" protest wherein everyone (or a lot of people) is/are wearing masks, and the police send in a provaucature to incite a riot? Are they all now subject to the 6 months in jail??
THIS IS ABSURD!!!
Edit; I am fine with this, so long as the police involved at such demonstrations have their Badge # and ID plasterd on their riot shields or other visible areas. It's a two way street and protesters are not the only ones capable of unecessary violenceedit on 6-6-2013 by anon4m05 because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by ballymoney50
Suppose there's one way of getting around this and that's by not rioting!!
Originally posted by ballymoney50
Suppose there's one way of getting around this and that's by not rioting!!
Let me ask you this: What about peaceful protesters wearing guy fawkes masks? Should that be punishable with 6 months in prison?
Originally posted by intrepid
The thread title is very misleading. Canadians can still wear masks. Halloween isn't going to be cancelled. You face 10 years if you are wearing a mask and INCITE a riot. 6 months if you participate in a riot with a mask on. I personally favor this and it's probably only the 2nd thing I've agreed on that the Harper government has done.
Originally posted by intrepid
reply to post by anon4m05
From my point of view if someone instigates a riot and I lose property or means of living I damn well want those responsible to answer for it. I didn't bring these problems about.
Originally posted by DeadSeraph
Originally posted by ballymoney50
Suppose there's one way of getting around this and that's by not rioting!!
Nice logic. Why is it that people can't seem to grasp that infringements on civil liberties are never excusable? The old adage "It shouldn't bother you if you aren't doing anything wrong" is so short sighted and ignorant it's laughable. I don't believe people should be rioting unless they have damn good reason to do so. But you should be able to wear a mask to a demonstration if you want to.
Let me ask you this: What about peaceful protesters wearing guy fawkes masks? Should that be punishable with 6 months in prison?
This is draconian legislation meant to make it easier to identify dissidents.edit on 6-6-2013 by DeadSeraph because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by anon4m05
Originally posted by intrepid
reply to post by anon4m05
From my point of view if someone instigates a riot and I lose property or means of living I damn well want those responsible to answer for it. I didn't bring these problems about.
Well clearly, and I do not disagree!
But If some gun-ho riot cop smashes my kid in the face when he was clearly just standing around, NOT doing anything, I want those responsible to answer for it as well!
Originally posted by anon4m05
Originally posted by ballymoney50
Suppose there's one way of getting around this and that's by not rioting!!
That won't do it!! Consider this scenario;
A group of 300 protesters are out, chanting, drawing attention to some issue. Not a huge protest, but perhaps key grassroots organizers are in the protest, perhaps wearing masks (though, in this scenario, in a "lawful" protest"). The police may sieze this opportunity to arresst them by using an agent provocateur to incite "unlawful" behaviour and thus create reasonable groups to i) disperse the crowd quickly, ii) arrest the key demonstrators.
That is just one scenario off the top of my head that I can show how this law would be abused. It's no good