I think this legislation gives legitimate, peaceful protest more power rather than take it away. Unlawful protest and rioting easily turns public opinion away from a cause, rather than improve it. Giving police another tool to deal with the thuggishness often associated with protest (see Quebec student protests) will hopefully help ensure that these violent elements which inevitably turn up are removed quickly, allowing the original cause for protest to not be overshadowed by the actions of a few masked idiots.
|