The fine line between a protest and a mob

National Post
Published: Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Torontonians rightly celebrate the multicultural nature of their city. But such sentiments were tested this week, as an ongoing cycle of Tamil protests besieged tens of thousands of workers in the city's downtown core, adding idle time to core-bound commutes, and subjecting the country's most expensive labour to the constant angry thrum of folk drumming. There is a fine line between accommodating spontaneous political action on behalf of a legitimately concerned ethnic group seeking to express solidarity with brethren overseas -- and letting one's city be taken over by a mob.

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No sympathy for Tamil protesters
National Post
Published: Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Re: Tamils Extend Street Protest, April 28.

Like many Torontonians, I don't know much about the current conflict in Sri Lanka. I do know that a large group of Tamils waving the flag of a group my country has deemed a terrorist organization has shut down one of my city's major roads.

So, yes, they have our attention now. But has that helped their cause?

Jonathan B. Schrieder, Toronto.