Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Anti-police graffiti painted in Ottawa

Vandals spray-painted anti-police graffiti in Ottawa's Centretown neighbourhood, which comes during a sensitive time for the city's police force.

The high-profile murder trial of former Mountie Kevin Gregson, convicted of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Ottawa police Const. Eric Czapnik, wrapped up Tuesday.

Witnesses told CBC News they saw the graffiti as early as Tuesday, just as the memories of Czapnik's stabbing death have been refreshed for many officers.

Ottawa police would not comment on the graffiti, which also included messages such as "cops = killers" and "smash police terror" stencilled in pink spray paint along Bank and Metcalfe streets.

This also comes as violent anti-police brutality protests led to more than 200 arrests in Montreal Thursday. It is not known if there is a link to the protest, which came on the International Day Against Police Brutality, as Ottawa did not have an organized protest.

'All about cops, all negative'


Alyssa Iswolsky said she saw the graffiti on her walk to work.

"All about cops, all negative," said the Ottawa resident. "It just makes it seem more juvenile. There's been a lot of issues with cops lately, there always is. But there's good and bad in every department.”

Vanessa Nelson had a bird's eye view of the graffiti from her office building. She said the timing could not be worse for the city's officers.

"I don't want to say [the graffiti] is insensitive because people are entitled to their beliefs," she said.

"It's just a little more complicated than that. I know if I personally knew a police officer, it would upset me.”

Walls of buildings, sidewalks, concrete posts, mailboxes and businesses were all vandalized.

Original Article
Source: CBC
Author: cbc news

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