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Calgary Herald

Calgary police designate three protest zones for next month's G7, expect big influx of activists

Article content Also on Wednesday, RCMP Chief Supt. and ISSG Security Director Dave Hall acknowledged some Banff residents weren't happy with initial plans for a designated protest zone in the town's Central Park. Article content He said another one has been found elsewhere in Banff and will be revealed on Thursday. Article content 'Police have learned their lessons from previous events, finding people have a right to be seen and heard and (ensuring) it's done legally,' said Hall. Article content He said protesters won't be tolerated on any roads or highways leading to the Kananaskis venue. Article content Article content Security personnel with earpieces could be seen patrolling the grounds of host venue Rimrock Hotel, a few uniformed were in its hallways and an RCMP sniffer dog has been inspecting journalists' gear prior to press conferences. Article content Article content But law enforcement officials say they expect the contentious presence of U.S. President Donald Trump at the summit, the war in Ukraine and the possibility of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's presence, and the ongoing Israeli attacks and blockade on Gaza will attract demonstrations for the Kananaskis event. Article content Article content A large chunk in the heart of Kananaskis Country will be closed to the unaccredited public from June 10-18, with roadblocks to the north of the Kananaskis Village venue at Mt. Lorette Ponds and one to the south at the Galatea Creek trail head parking lot. The mountain terrain to the east and west of the summit site will also be restricted. Article content An estimated 5,000 Canadian soldiers and up to 1,500 RCMP personnel will guard the closed access area, where even the movements of grizzly bears will be monitored. Article content The Royal Canadian Air Force has begun conducting preparatory security flights over the Kananaskis region, with low-level sorties flown by CF-18 Hornet fighters and, later in the month, CH-147F Chinook and CH-146 Griffon helicopters. Article content The G8 summit that was also held in Kananaskis in 2002 attracted a wide variety of protesters who gathered mostly in Calgary, but the event proceeded without any major violent incidents. Article content 'They were seen and heard but it was done in a way that was lawful,' said the CPS's Brar. Article content