As one of the people who attended Peterborough’s torch run on December 15, hoping to offer a counterpoint to the uncritically embraced Olympic spectacle, I was surprised to discover the perspective taken by Evan Brockest in his article entitled “Security Tight During Peterborough Torch Relay.” My experience that night was significantly different from the portrayal in Arthur. I believe that the depiction of an oppressive police presence and of a public that was unreceptive to our protesting is both inaccurate and counter-productive.

Our action in Peterborough was non-confrontational, as we wanted to present some of the problems with the Olympics to the general public and invite them to engage with the issues that resonate for them. I was impressed with the receptiveness of the crowd that had gathered and I found myself involved in many sincere dialogues. Our handbills summarized our concerns which include: the increased gentrification of Vancouver, the appropriation of First Nation’s land and imagery, the rampant environmental destruction and financial unaccountability that accompanies infrastructure construction, and the commercialization of amateur sport. Conveniently, the latter point was clearly illustrated by Coca-Cola’s and RBC’s corporate presence, which nearly eclipsed the actual torchbearer.

Regarding the police presence: yes, there were officers along the route, and yes, they probably were prepared to act. That being noted, they made no attempt to interfere with our action and did little more than traffic control. It is important to scrutinize the function of police; however, in focusing its coverage of this event on the security presence, Arthur missed an opportunity to report on the constructive dialogue that occurred between the Olympic critics and proponents. Resorting to tried-and-true dichotomies is an easy way to appeal to a known audience, but if real progress is to be made, we must resist the temptation to preach to the converted and strive to establish real connections between the core issues and the broader public.

For more information about what is wrong with the Olympic games, go to www.no2010.com.

See you in the streets,

Paul Longhurst

Last Updated on Monday, 08 February 2010 18:23