Quebec City Protests Were As Successful As Seattle, But For Different Reasons

I would like to declare that the Summit protests were a success. Although for different reasons than Seattle was.

Seattle was successful because the meetings were shut down. However, the movement got a bad rap for being violent and the message we were trying to convey was drowned out.

The Quebec summit was not shut down, but was a resounding success in so many other ways:

1. 60 000 people now have their eyes open to the true nature of the Police state. If you were in Quebec City that weekend, you got tear gassed, period. The wind was blowing it all over the city. Among these 60 000, almost half were right up against the wall where the worst police abuses took place. These 60 000 people will never again trust the "good nature" of Policemen and they will tell all their friends and relatives.

2. The FTAA is now in the open. The FTAA will not be like NAFTA, where people only started to find out about it just before it was passed. Now everyone knows about it. Without this protest the Summit would have been briefly mentioned on page 3 of most papers.

3. The public is actually moving towards our side. Almost exclusively, Quebec City residents were right behind the protestors. See the testimonies floating around the web for examples of the generosity and support of the population.

4. The press is slowly moving towards our side and issues are actually being discussed. I don't know about the US and the rest of Canada, but French and English news media in Quebec were actually objective (Except where Anarchists were concerned) about the Summit. All papers and TV stations are decrying Police brutality. The Montreal Gazette in particular has had excellent coverage.

5. Our escapades cost the city $100 Million CAN. This pretty much ensures that no City in North America will accept hosting of another summit like it. The next WTO meeting is in Qatar, an absolute monarchy where political demonstrations are outlawed. Quebec city didn't even want this one, but had agreed before Seattle happened so they were stuck with it. From now on, no city will willingly host another such summit, WE'VE KICKED THEM OUT!