Public Order Always Comes First

The right to live in peace and harmony in a safe environment is also a right people can reasonably expect to enjoy in any well-run society.The government is responsible for public order. The right to demonstrate must be always be balanced by the need to maintain public order.Striking the right balance between public freedom and public order is never an easy thing to do.It is a judgment the authorities have to make on the available information. The desire to maintain public order should not be used as an excuse for never allowing peaceful assemblies. There should be avenues for people to express their views in an orderly manner. The right to peaceful assembly should not be unreasonably curtailed.Absolute freedom may cause chaos. Absolute prohibition will cause frustration and anger to fester. NST-23/12/07>