BCCLA hosts Dr. Michael
Geist for evening lecture
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“Trust us” Not Good Enough, BCCLA Tells VANOC
A recent press release from the Vancouver Olympic Organizing committee attempting to stem a growing tide of concern over free speech rights and the Olympics isn’t good enough says the BCCLA.
The release, dated September 16, defends VANOC and the International Olympic Committee’s clampdowns on free speech as “entirely consistent with international sporting event norms” and in a spirit of “respect for freedom of expression in balance with the celebration of sport.”
“VANOC has signed contracts that incorporate many alarming anti-free speech provisions and mailed anti-free speech guides to municipalities on the torch run,” said BCCLA President Robert Holmes. “The words ‘respect for freedom of expression’ don’t come to mind when considering their track record to date.”
The BCCLA today announced their partnership with Pivot Legal Society in introducing legal observers who will monitor potential rights violations during the Olympic Games, along with a package of documents obtained through Freedom of Information requests authored by or signed by VANOC that purport to limit free speech in and around Olympic venues.
“We’re not packing our bags simply because VANOC says ‘trust us,’” said Holmes. “When their press release that says they respect free speech defends telling spectators what messages they can wear on their clothing, protest pens ‘facilitated by police’, and the suggestion that anti-free speech activities to protect Olympic sponsors is ‘in the public’s best interest,’ we know we still have work to do.”
Backgrounder – Anti-Free Speech Primary Documents
As part of their press conference, the BCCLA released a number of documents that they say outlines the anti-free speech agenda of the Swiss-based International Olympic Committee and the Integrated Security Unit.
The Olympic Torch Run Manual that calls on cities to limit the distribution of political leaflets during the torch run:
Read >>
The Clean Venue Agreement that outlines a VANOC swat team that will seize offensive literature on public property, how the IOC required VANOC to prevent anyone other than Olympic sponsors from advertising during the Games, and how private security guards will prevent people from holding signs or wearing clothes with political messages in Olympic venues:
Read >>
The Olympic Host City Agreement in which the IOC required the City of Vancouver to prevent international media and attendees at Olympic venues from seeing political speech inside and outside the venues, which was signed by then Mayor of Vancouver Larry Campbell:
Read >>
The Olympic Charter in which the IOC dictates at Rule 51 that “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.
Read part 1 >>
Read part 2 >>
The Manual for Candidate Cities which demands compliance with the terms of the Olympic Charter for all candidate host cities, including Vancouver, during and after the bid process.
Read >>
The Olympic Technical Manual on Media, in which the IOC attempts to limit coverage of the Games to coverage that “by its content, spreads and promotes the principles of Olympism,” and which grants the IOC the ability to withdraw accreditation from any journalist at any time for any reason.
Read >>
Letters in which the Olympic Integrated Security Unit and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) refuse to refrain from using Agents Provocateur or to assume the leadership of activist organizations, following a request from the B.C. Civil Liberties Association to foreswear the tactics. Such tactics may be permissible under certain interpretations of Canadian criminal and constitutional law, but their legality is disputed by the BCCLA.
Letter to CSIS >>
CSIS response >>
Letter to ISU >>
ISU response >>
Legal Observer materials
Training sessions for legal observers take place on Sundays, starting September 20, at 2:30 at the Britannia Community Centre. Observers will be trained in a two hour session, and will be scheduled for shifts in pairs during the Olympic period.
Workshops to train observers will be held September 20, October 11, November 22 and December 6, all at 2:30 p.m. and all at the Britannia Community Centre on Commercial Drive. Additional workshops in the new year will be advertised on the BCCLA and Pivot Legal Society websites. The Legal Observer Training Manual is available online here >>
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