Vigilantes? On Our Streets? In Vancouver? Apparently yes!
July 15, 2008 · By Shane Edwards
I was stunned when I read that the Vancouver Police department is actually encouraging “limited vigilanteism” with this announcement. In a country where we can’t even subdue a criminal breaking into our home without incurring assault charges, we are now being told we can go ahead and stop criminals on the streets “if we have the skills to do so”? Astonishing.
Here’s hoping the judges are on board as well. I’d hate to have some black belt go before a judge for assault, with the defence, “But the cops said it was ok for me to protect that old granny being mugged!”
“martial and physical skills”?
How about a big gun?
I have no trouble with “vigilante action” in principle.
The challenges it presents come from the fact that most every street fights are not black and white. Things are easy decipher when a shirtless punk is running off with an old lady’s purse. However, who would want to mediate a fight between two shirtless punks? or two little old ladies? Hell, little old ladies can conceivably hire good Samaritans to rob unsuspecting punks and feign a non-existent mugging. Everybody would side with the little old lady, right?
At the same time, it is naive for the police to talk about “vigilante action” as if it does not already exist. Not all parts of the city get equal police supervision. Street violence that goes undetected or only presented superficially in the media is often a form of “vigilante action” or “justice” seen from a different perspective. We are often just sheltered from the entire story that led up to the final altercations.