BCCLA thanks Transit Police for correcting Olympic publication

The B.C. Civil Liberties Association thanked the transit police for revising an Olympic security publication that was distributed to businesses along Skytrain lines that appeared to equate free expression activities with criminal activity worthy of police investigation.

“The publication was brought to our attention by a member of the public who thought that it was problematic and we agreed,” said Robert Holmes, President of the BCCLA. “When we raised the issue with the Transit Police, we found them very receptive and willing to revise the document to be consistent with their commitment to free speech.”

The original document listed “groups of people that appear to be ‘staging’ outside or on transit property perhaps with signs, banners or handing out printed material” and “people in the crowd shouting slogans” as behaviours that should be reported to police. The new version of the publication has removed these expressive activities as items appropriate for police investigation.

 “Every large organization is going to have a challenge in ensuring that all communications are consistent, and mistakes are going to happen,” said Holmes. “We’re very pleased that the Transit Police immediately recognized this error and moved rapidly to correct their publication. Accountability to the community is a key component of effective law enforcement.”