WTO PROTESTS MET WITH POLICE PURSUITS, MASS ARRESTS

The Oldest Soul, Monday, July 28, 2003 - 11:50

Author: IMC Press Services

First paragraph (Teaser):

At around 8:50 am, police in riot gear declared the march an ``illegal assembly`` and rushed the crowds causing protestors to disperse into smaller groups which fled throughout the downtown core...

Rest of the text:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WTO PROTESTS MET WITH POLICE PURSUITS, MASS ARRESTS

Montreal, July 28, 2003.

Building on weeks of popular education and organizing, activists took to the streets today to protest the policies of the WTO during its Mini-Ministerial in Montreal which is taking place until July 30th. The activist moblization, linked to global movements resisting the basic injustices brought on by the transnational movement of capital also took a stand yesterday during the No One is Illegal Demonstration to defend the rights of free movement and refuge for populations from less priviledged countries. Closely watched by communities opposing corporate globalization, news of the protest is being simultaneously streamed in text, audio and video through a worldwide network of independent media centres such as quebec`s www.cmaq.net.

SNAKE MARCHES

At 7:30 am this morning, hundreds of marchers left in two groups from Norman-Bethune Square and Phillips Square converging at the security perimiter surrounding the Sheraton Hotel (where the WTO is meeting is being held) at the corner of Peel and Rene-Levesque. At around 8:50 am, police in riot gear declared the march an ``illegal assembly`` and rushed the crowds causing protestors to disperse into smaller groups which fled throughout the downtown core.

ARREST OF JAGGI SINGH

During today`s actions, Montreal activist Jaggi Singh was providing media with interviews and staying away from the Sheraton Hotel in accordance with his legal conditions. Nevertheless, though he was not involved with the marches, at 9:10 am on the corner of Peel and Ste. Catherine, about a dozen police converged on Jaggi and apprehended him for ``unlawful assembly``. Several witness were on hand and can attest to the fact that Singh was singled out.

MASS ARRESTS AT THE ``GREEN ZONE``

Meanwhile, police pursued protestors throughout the downtown core; several were apprehended in small groups by roving police squads. Many others sought refuge at and around The Alternative Bookstore on St. Laurent just south of Sherbooke. This Bookstore was meant was to serve as a space for alternative radio broadcast and popular education during the protests as well as a predetermined GREEN ZONE (a place for peaceful assembly away from the marches). Though far away from the security perimeter and the marches, police came to encircle the Green Zone at 10:30 am and began arresting around 200 people for unlawful assembly loading them into two waiting buses. Among the arrested was one independent journalist. No injuries stemming from arrests have been reported.

PROPERTY DAMAGE

Several from among the demonstrators broke windows at downtown locations of The Gap, Buger King and an Army Recruitment Centre. These targets were not indiscriminate. The Gap is being targetted by activists internationally for its labour practices while the Recruitment Centre was targetted as a symbol of militarism- war, post Iraq, being linked more and more with the violence of the global economy addressed by activists.

Suggested link: www.cmaq.net

Subject:	Technical difficulties
Author:	gmsmith999
Date:	Mon, 2003-07-28 13:01

When I tried to visit the CMAQ site (http://quebec.indymedia.org/)
earlier today around 1:00 PM EST, I always received the following
message when I tried to enter the website, regardless of the language
selection I made from the main page:

Warning: m ysql_pconnect()
[function.mysql-pconnect]:
Too many connections in
usr/local/wwwdata/prod/cmaq4_1/core/includes/database.mysql.inc
on line 12
Too many connections

The behaviour persisted for a bout half an hour. The server appeared
to be up and running fine, and responded to ping requests in short
order: it just wasn't accepting new logins. Was there an extraordinary
surge in the number of attempted logins around that time? Or is it
poss ible the server is configured to unnecessarily restrict the number
of simultaneous logins?

Best Regards,
Geoff Smith
gmsm...@ucalgary.ca
c

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Subject:	Predictable Response, But Also Criminal
Author:	Jordan Thornton
Date:	Tue, 2003-07-29 09:57

This type of thing seems to be standard operating procedure for the police/CSIS. I think it warrants examination.

The cops know that this is wrong, but have the power to do it anyway. They cannot charge anyone, and the charges are almost always dropped. This is the pattern that seems to consistently follow these events.

However, the powers that drive the police have achieved their goal - Clearing The Streets of "Rabble".

If these occurences are going to continue, we need to start pursuing the culprits, following legal channels, and make these criminals pay for what they're doing.

If we don't, they'll just keep on doing this, undermining our efforts to resist the growing tyranny, well within our rights.

On the other hand, we could start rioting, since they're going to begin carting us away illegally every time we gather ... If the cops aren't going to obey the law, what message does that send to those they demand do?

After posting this on the Global site yesterday, it was suggested that they do this because they realize that many of us are financially-strapped, and may be unable to pursue this through legal channels.

Would bringing this clear pattern of abuse to the attention of the media or elected officials be of any use (please don't dismiss it out of hand), or would it be possible to build legal support towards this goal?

This is a crime.

Allowing this conduct to continue will only embolden the offenders, and allow this behaviour (which is demonized by our media when it happens elsewhere in the world ...) to become, over time, legitimized.

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