Arrests: There have been 85 arrests confirmed thus far.
Confirmation means that we have received calls from these
people in jail. There are additional reports of over 50
arrests that have been witnessed by legal observers and the
media.

Quebec Legal Collective Update April 21st 2001
8pm

Arrests: There have been 85 arrests confirmed thus far.
Confirmation means that we have received calls from these
people in jail. There are additional reports of over 50
arrests that have been witnessed by legal observers and the
media.

Detentions: The legal office has received more than thirty
reports of people being detained on the street and
questioned by the police. We have also spoken with and
received reports from a number of vans, buses, and cars that
have been stopped. Reports include incidents of police
unlawfully demanding identification from all passengers in
cars; unlawful searches of people on the street who are not
under arrest and do not consent; and ticketing of people
who have tear gas masks.

Brutality: Many reports from legal observers include the use
of noxious gases. Entire streets and blocks are filled with
fog from the gas. Official CBC reports indicate at times
the gas canisters have been thrown as fast as 30 canisters
per minute. There have been a number of reports of the use
of rubber bullets and possible plastic bullets. QLC legal
observers have collected entire bullets and shells from the
ground. There have also been reports of the use of bean
bags shot from police weapons. We have one confirmed report
of a man with a broken arm hit by tear gas canister fired at
close range (two feet).

Targeted Arrests: There are eye witness reports of over a
dozen targeted arrests of individuals. Police have made
targeted, pre-planned arrests of specific people, without
regard to their current actions. For example three police
cars pulled up on the side of the road, jumped out and
tackled the person to the ground. In another situation
witnessed by legal observers, two undercover police vans
picked up three people as they were walking peacefully by a
gas station. This practice is consistent with
surveillance/secret service tactics at previous protests in
Seattle, Philadelphia, and DC.

Immigration Detentions: Over 300 people from the U.S. were
turned back at the border attempting to enter Canada. People
turned back had their personal belongings (including
phonebooks, literature, and journals) photocopied and were
interrogated about their political beliefs and activities
before they were turned away. Over 15 people were detained
at the New York and Vermont borders and have not yet been
released.