Police dealing with G20 demonstrators can use high volume “sound cannons” for crowd control, but with restrictions, a Superior Court judge ruled this morning.
Justice D.M. Brown ruled Toronto police can only use the noise blasters at their lower decibel range. Ontario Provincial Police still have the discretion to use the cannons at both the lower and highest decibel settings, the judge said, because their guidelines for use are more cautious. That means the OPP can’t come right up to someone and blast them.
“Common sense dictates that police forces have to be prepared to cope with possibility of demonstrations turning unlawful,” Brown ruled on Thursday. “The police must attempt to protect those peaceful protesters who want no part of any unlawfulness, and they must be able to control any unlawful rump that remains.”
Peacenik thinks this is a small victory for the people. A very small victory.
