To the editor,
Reading the article "Where the sidewalk ends" shocked me. I was shocked not so much by the crimes described, but the attitude of the police officers involved who refused to protect the individuals assaulted. I know that under the law the police are allowed to question people if they believe them to have witnessed a crime. It sounds like the officer involved didn't want to bother with that, or simply was too scared.
But let us not forget that the police are out in number on Saturdays in Halifax. Why, not four months ago, the police lovingly protected several others and myself by the dozen, with vans, police cars, motorcycles, a forensic unit and even a bus full of officers. Now of course, that was a Saturday afternoon peace rally, rather than a Saturday night violent incident, so it of course warrants a huge policing operation—peace rallies are known for their violence, whereas Saturday night incidents are known for their lack of violence, singing of peace songs, chanting of humorous political slogans, etc.
This policing policy—use a huge show of force with dozens of officers where there is no threat, and then let ordinary citizens suffer under the possibility of murder—is a plan of such ingenuity that I wish to congratulate the individuals responsible. I am so happy my tax money is spent on policing violent troublemakers such as myself who attend peace rallies, rather than wasted on those peaceful individuals who are happy to spend their evening kicking in the heads of passers-by.
By Andrew Riddles
