summary of a20 anti-capitalist events in quebec : Indybay

The anti-capitalist protests in Quebec City today were extremely militant and possibly responsible for shutting down large parts of the Summit of the Americas. The march began at Laval University and went through town peacefully. Upon arriving at the security perimeter wall, black bloc members jumped on the wall and brought it down to the cheers of tens of thousands in attendance. As more black bloc people brought down more of the wall, riot police in full body armor advanced and stood in place of the wall. The police were pelted with eggs, donuts, and then large pieces of concrete and wooden sticks. Because of the full body armor, no police were hurt but they received the message that protesters were militant and refuse to be denied entry to the FTAA proceedings which impact all of us. Eventually, more riot police showed up and began formations which pushed protesters back from the security perimeter. As these protests continued throughout the day, the police defended the wall, shooting CN gas at the crowds every five minutes or so. As this area was secured by police, marchers moved to another part of the security perimeter near the indymedia center. Thousands partied, danced, and played with beach balls. Police responded with a brutal barrage of CS gas, which is more painful than normal CN gas. Unfortunately for the police, they did not know that the black bloc would fight back. Every single tear gas canister that was shot at the crowds was immediately lobbed back into the security perimeter and at the police. It is estimated that police used 400-600 canisters over many hours of the standoff. Police tore down banners from the wall. As youthful protesters attempted to put the banners back on the wall, riot police shot them point-blank with CS gas guns which explode upon impact. The effect of the non-stop tear gas was only to make the crowd retreat momentarily, as black bloc members with gas masks continued to send each canister back at the police. As the party and protest went on, police sent in 400-500 riot cops on foot to box in the protesters. The only escape route was onto a highway, so hundreds of people ran onto the highway, chased by police firing tear gas. Those fleeing onto the highway had to jump off the side and down a muddy, snowy cliff, while fighting off the horrible effects of the CS gas. Those who remained on the street threw bottles, flaming wreckage and rocks at the police, forcing them into retreat. At 2am EST in Quebec, the street party continues. Cops continue to lob tear gas every so often, but those who are remaining either don't mind or are wearing protective gear. The indymedia center exploded with excitement upon reading that CNN.com was reporting that much of the summit was being shut down and that delegates were afraid to leave their hotel rooms. This reporter believes that the courageous attempts by the black bloc to send the CS gas back over the security perimeter has filled the walled part of the city with the state's own chemical warfare. In other news, plain-clothes police in vans were grabbing people and kidnapping them outside of the indymedia center. At one point, the indymedia center had to be locked down for an hour because of the large amounts of CS gas entering the building. It is hard to go anywhere near the indymedia center or the security perimeter without inhaling the chemical gas. Only twenty-nine people have been arrested, and one is already out on bail. Protesters are not only pissed off from the large amounts of chemical warfare used today, but the news that the summit is being severely disrupted is giving everyone a renewed sense of inspiration to shut down the FTAA proceedings and send a message to the corporation-state that we will not take their shit anymore. Fight to win!

summary of a20 anti-capitalist events in quebec

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