Latest Arrests in Connection with FTAA Protests

As the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Summit draws near, police have begun the first round of arrests. On the night of Tuesday, April 16th, six people were taken into custody Quebec City on conspiracy charges. They were allegedly caught in possession of smoke bombs and/or other incendiary devices. An unconfirmed report stated that one of the individuals has since been released.

Also on Tuesday, one minor was arrested for carrying a weapon. Authorities apparently targeted the youth because of his "punk rock" appearance, taking him into custody when their search revealed a pocketknife. He pled "Not Guilty", and was released today, on the condition that he steer clear of further protest activities.

Eyewitnesses have offered unconfirmed reports of four other arrests: one person at Laval University in Quebec and two in Montreal. Details on the fourth are, as yet, unknown.

The Quebec Legal Collective also reports that police have been detaining a significant number of people, some in connection with immigration issues. At 5:00pm today in Quebec City, authorities stopped an RV holding seven members of the independent media, detaining them for several hours. At least fifteen officers from several jurisdictions visited the scene, including undercover agents from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.