One set of rules for people and causes the state likes, and another for ones it doesn’t

Someone is going to get killed. It’s what happens when you abandon the rule of law. And as increasingly aggressive, openly antisemitic protests roil our cities, we now have video footage of a masked menace telling someone “I’ll put you six feet deep” in front of police officers who, after long sociological cogitation, declared it totally cool. And the “such things have no place in Canada” crowd seem to agree.

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The Toronto Police Association put out a belated mealy-mouthed excuse for a statement including “The victim chose not to pursue the matter.” As was immediately pointed out, it’s not up to the victim to determine whether charges are laid in serious matters. Such a system would give carte blanche to criminals able to intimidate witnesses, including the mafia. But in any case, violence is an offence against the public. Thus it’s not the victim but “the Crown” that prosecutes. Or doesn’t, in this case, because apparently the perpetrator’s cause was righteous.

Back when the Emergencies Act was invoked many of us warned it set a terrible precedent. And not primarily of heavy-handed crushing of protest. In a country where public order is protected lightly and reluctantly, or........

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