Published in the Toronto Sun
5 July 2010
Did Toronto Police do the right thing in not confronting the rioters when they were damaging property?
I don’t think there is a definitive, black and white answer.
Sure police could have charged into the crowd and arrested the terrorist idiots, but that is not always the best thing to do when dealing with a volatile crowd. Then even the innocent bystanders in the crowd could have very easily turned on the police, causing them to use increasing levels of force.
Does anybody remember Oka? Ipperwash? What would all the armchair critics be saying if anyone was injured or killed? You could say the police lost the battle, but won the war.
Seeing as only property was damaged, rather than people being injured or killed, perhaps police did the sensible thing, maybe not the best thing, but the sensible thing.
The same day these terrorist idiots were running loose on Yonge Street, two members of the Canadian Forces were making their final journey down the Highway of Heroes after being killed doing their
duty for their country in Afghanistan.
I think we all need to figure out what is more important in this world.
Bruce Forsyth
Barrie