Wear a Mask During a Protest In Canada: 10 Years In Jail

Phrogman writes "The Conservative government of Steven Harper in Canada has proposed a new bill that would impose a jail term of 10 years for anyone wearing a mask while 'participating in a riot or unlawful assembly.' The conservative backbencher who proposed the bill makes it clear that he intended it to allow police to arrest anyone wearing a mask 'before protests spiral out of control.' Since this is the same government that arrested hundreds of protesters during the G8/G20 summit using a law that didn't actually exist, it raises the question as to how they will define 'unlawful.' The 10-year penalty is more than double the penalty awarded to a person who murdered someone in a fit of 'road-rage' recently."

Politician's logic

[zAPPzAPP]

Longer jailtime allows the police to arrest you harder.

Below 10 years, the arrestiness would just not be enough.

Re:roadrage demonstrations.

[durrr]

Bring a motorcycle and a helmet(it's not a mask, it's a safety feature demanded by law) and drive around inside goverment buildings, trying to run over the lawmakers behind this atrocity.

Re:roadrage demonstrations.

[jamstar7]

Funny, I thought requiring government workers to wear masks at work would add a touch of honesty to them. Let's face it, the difference between the government and the James Gang was, the James Gang had horses.

And a helluva guitarist.

Re:roadrage demonstrations.

[jamstar7]

Under Part II of the Canadian Criminal Code (Offences Against Public Order), Unlawful Assemblies and Riots is when the assembly of three or more persons who cause fear and on reasonable grounds disturb peace in the neighborhood.

Sounds like Congress in session to me. So when do we get to send in the cops on them?

Re:roadrage demonstrations.

[Dahamma]

No need for a motorcycle, this is Canada. Put on a goalie mask and say you just got back from the pond, eh.

Re:roadrage demonstrations.

[Beardo the Bearded]

Nah, we'll just start protesting in the winter.

It's not a mask, it's a balaclava. It's not a burning police car, I'm just cold.

Re:roadrage demonstrations.

[Trepidity]

As the presumably loyal opposition, certainly nobody could object to choosing to protest in the times and locations that Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, or one of her authorized representatives, indicate would be most pleasing to Her Majesty, as expressed through Her Majesty's Government.

Re:roadrage demonstrations.

[LoyalOpposition]

As the presumably loyal opposition,...

I...what? Oh. Well, I certainly haven't objected yet, so I suppose you have a point.

~Loyal Opposition