Olympic activists are challenging the Victoria police chief to a public debate about secret police tactics after the chief disclosed recently that an undercover officer was at the helm of a bus driving protesters to a torch-relay rally.
Speaking at a security conference earlier this week, Graham was recorded making the following remark:
"You knew the protesters weren't that organized when on the ferry on the way over ... they all came on a bus and it was a cop driving the bus," Graham said, eliciting laughter in the room.
Protester Zoe Blunt said Friday her group was aware that undercover officers had infiltrated crowds at Olympic protests but was unaware that an officer was at the wheel of a protest bus.
"We're challenging Jamie Graham to a public debate about his policies, his secret police operations. and the potential for police abuse and violating people's Charter rights," Blunt told CTV News.
"We're calling him out to have a full and public explanation of what he intends to achieve and whether this is a good use of resources."
Graham did not return a call from CTV News Friday.
NDP Justice Critic Mike Farnsworth said Graham's remarks could jeopardize any relationship Olympic police want to build with protesters.
"These types of comments ... are not helpful. It's unfortunate they were made in a public setting," he said.
But former Vancouver police Insp. Dave Jones, who was in charge the night demonstrators and police clashed outside the Hyatt hotel in 1998 when then-Prime Minister Jean Chretien was visiting, doesn't think Graham's revelation will have much impact.
"It's an unfortunate remark that's attributed to him, but I think by and large the relationship with a lot of the protestors over the years has evolved into one where it's a.pretty good dialogue," Jones said.
He added that police are as concerned as the protesters about making sure they have an opportunity to be seen and heard.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Lisa Rossington
