Most of the journalists (inc. bloggers) who covered the bottle got a still from the video uploaded to Youtube. Those who did use the image from the still photographer (who i think is the one you can see in the video) used the thumbnail from the gallery instead of clicking on it to get the original image.

That’s a hell of a nice gallery. How did you get the blow-up so clear–enhancement software? It’s a Corona bottle, by the look of it.

There are two different bottles. There is a later photo of the same officer (jeans and black shirt) being arrested by his fellow officers in the same gallery . This clearly shows that he has an empty glass wine-type bottle in his right back pocket. In the photo you posted his right pocket is obscured but his left back pocket contains a plastic bottle containing a clear fluid (probably water).

Also, in the photo you posted, the tall undercover officer (who attempts to push over Mr. Coles) can be seen with his left sleeve rolled up, arm raised to the eye level of the riot police and the letters “SQ” felt-tipped on his arm (the next letter is almost totally obscured but a small part is visible that could be the end of final stroke of a P that has crossed slightly over the initial stroke).

From this, I can only assume the master plan B in the event of these not-so-smart undercover officers being caught was to write the name of their police force on their arm and point it at their fellow officers.

http://tinyurl.com/2zt4o9

Now, Savard keeps changing his story. First, an “extremist” gave the cop a rock. Now, the cop was carrying it to blend in:

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=8268c26b-d410-4233-bcde-5dafc369b077&k=42424

As people these days say, I call bull$hit.

Right…. a protester gave him the rock, and I guess another one shoved a bottle into his pocket, and someone else tied a banana around his face

It is possible, but if so, let’s see the video footage the police claim they have. Until they do so, Occam’s Razor combined with the footage we do have suggests the protestors account is more accurate.

I’m also more inclined to believe the protestors as the police initially denied they were officers when they saw the video and they are still making statements that are almost certainly falsified by the video.

If they initially lied about their involvement why should anyone believe what they say now?

I don’t have a problem with u/c cops in a demonstration. I DO have a problem with the behaviour of those caught on tape, and with the initial denials etc.

“The SQ did not arrest the three officers, but handcuffed them and removed them to question them.”

So the handcuffing did not arrest them how? Even legally it is arrest unless the undercover officers gave them permission to do that. Now maybe the Inspector is saying they weren’t lawfully arrested thereby admitting more crime by his officers.

“The officers on the front line did not know (at first) that they were undercover officers.”

Not half. View the video.

Interestingly, when googling this, I noticed that coincidentally the Canadian Police Association AGM is in Quebec this week (ending tomorrow).

Also, There’s an interesting interview with a former Canadian police officer specialising in crowd control about the incident. Basically, in his experience, he doesn’t think anyone high up would have been stupid enough to order this.

Also, The Green Party of Canada have condemned the incident and called for an investigation in an interesting blog post, and the union leader who confronted the officers is considering pressing charges against them for pushing him (as shown in the video).

http://www.cupe.ca/gallery/montebello-monday/Montebello_20_ao_t_043

Go to CUPE’s website if that photograph isn’t clickable for enlargement.

On closer examination, it appears to be a soft drink bottle with a white screw top. I withdraw my suggestion it could be used for a Molotov cocktail. The provocateur most likely drank from it to quench his thirst.

An Surete du Quebec inspector says a protester gave them the rock.

Stockwell Day says today it was the protesters fault.

The bottle in the back pocket can be seen in more than one photo btw.

http://news.gc.ca/web/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=346399

Thanks for keeping it out in the public domain.