Maximum 10-year prison term for conviction of new offence (Canada, wearing a mask at a protest)

[starroute]

8. And the ten-year penalty lets them squeeze people to rat on others

Law enforcement has been finding the protests very hard to deal with because of their leaderless, hivemind nature. There were reports at the height of Occupy Wall Street that the cops were photographing people who seemed to be taking a leadership role at protests and then deliberately singling them out for arrest during the next demonstration. But that's pretty hit and miss, because somebody cheering others on may just be a general loudmouth and not a planner. And of course the use of masks makes it even less effective.

Surveillance of communications is a related law enforcement tool. They hope to be able to map out protest movements and learn who communicates with whom and who seems to be a nexus so they can take them out. Even if the planners aren't out on the streets themselves, they can get them for conspiracy, which is what they pulled on Earth First! back in the early 90s.

They were taken by surprise when all this started two years ago, but that doesn't mean their methods aren't well-honed and effective once they get them going. If the movement wants to survive a wave of serious repression, it needs to get its defenses in order now.