Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Why do they consider business attire risky?

From the contents of a downtown condo's G20 Resident Information Guide:

Here are suggestions of things we would normally do, but won't be allowed to do during the summit:

* Pick up parcels.
* Use any of the building's stairwells (unless in the event of emergency, of course).
* Order food for delivery.
* Have guests (if you expect a guest, they must be pre-registered by June 24).
* Hang out in the lobby (read: no loitering).
* Wear anything other than T-shirts outside the building (because wearing business attire may put us in a "susceptible" position).
* Engage in conversations with the protesters.
* Leave the building in our cars (I need more exercise anyway).
* Use the barbecue, patio or recreation areas (you know, because cooking some meat or running on the treadmill may or may not attract hungry, exercise-seeking protesters).


Why would wearing business attire put you in a susceptible position? Wouldn't that make it obvious to all the police and army and paramilitary that you're just an ordinary person going about your business?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Because the anarchists may mistake you for a capitalist overlord. I say that with tongue fully in cheek, but I'm sure that's the reason.

impudent strumpet said...

Yeah, because SO many capitalist overloads go about the city on foot, and without an entourage.

Anonymous said...

Are you missing the point entirely, or just the tongue in cheek nature of the remark? It's not about what the police and "paramilitary" will think (note: they're the GOOD guys), it's to avoid being targeted by protestors/anarchists.

laura k said...

The guide assumes the protesters are the danger, rather than the police.

impudent strumpet said...

I'm far more concerned about police, because misbehaving police could do anything to me that misbehaving protesters could do, plus they could detain me and they could leave me with a criminal record, which would render me unemployable in my profession.