Report from Quebec from Santa Cruz affinity group

1. Tens of thousands of FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) protesters
have accomplished their goal of disrupting the Summit of the Americas
held in Quebec City April 20 to 22.

Despite the largest security operation in Canadian history since
World War II (costing $80 million Canadian and involving 6,500 military
and police from several agencies) the opening ceremony scheduled
for Friday evening on the 20th had to be delayed by 90 minutes as
about 20,000 anti corporate globalization protesters layed siege
to the huge security area surrounding the conference. Two massive
columns of people, banners and puppits containing a diverse group
of students, workers, environmentalists, the \"Revolutionary Anti-Capitalist
Offensive\" black block anarchists, socialists, bicyclists, families,
young people, old people, musicians, \"Radical Cheerleaders\", \"Raging
Granies\", and people from all over the Western Hemisphere including
Zapatistas from Mexico - all united in their outrage at the way
in which international \"free trade\" agreements are being negotiated
behind closed doors to enable capitalists to divide up the world
with no participation from the citizens who are suffering the effects
of the corporate undermining of democracy, labor standards, environmental
protections, social services, and almost all aspects of life and
culture - marched through the city and converged on the perimeter
wall hours before the opening ceremony was supposed to start.Within
minutes, a 300 foot section of the massive 4 kilometer long 10 foot
high security wall (referred to by local Quebecans as the \"Wall
of Shame\") made of concrete bases and chain link fence that took
months to construct, was toppled with a few strategically placed
caribeaners and ropes and several dozen tugging exhuberants. 34
Heads of State had to be ferried into to conference area by military
helicopters while hundreds of rounds of of tear gas, rubber bullets,
plastic bullets and tons of water cannon were going off thousands
of feet away. This state of siege continued throughout most of the
three days of the conference (the next day, several more sections
of the wall were pulled down by those inspired by how easy it was
to breach the wall the day before), stealing the limelight away
from what the leaders hoped would be a fluffy, be-happy-don\'t-worry
media opportunity. Instead, the policy-makers had to constantly
be on the defensive about their plans (\"it will be good for you,
just trust us\") and to acknowledge the massive protests happening
outside. Additionally, in at least one point during the 3 day summit,
the meetings had to be suspended due to tear gas entering the buildings
where the leaders were meeting. President Bush was forced to cancel
his meeting with Latin American leaders Friday, and Saturday it
appears Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chritien was unable to present to the delegates.

On Saturday, a huge permitted labor march with over 50,000 union
members marching through the city was gassed by the police. Some
union members left the march and headed towards the perimeter to
join the thousands of protesters doing civil disobediance. Saturday
night turned into rioting after two days of police attacks that
have caused serious injuries to protesters and bystanders, with
dumster fires and bonfires being lit and windows of a bank being
broken. Corporate media vehicles and police vehicles have also been
targeted. Several police were injured, some hospitalized by the
police\'s own tear gas, some from being hit with rocks and malotav
cocktails. As the night wore on, the scene shifted towards more
of a drunken riot and the targets became more random as the makeup
of the people in the streets increasingly were made up mostly of
local Quebecers out for a good time.


2. Outrageous police violence in the streets.

The police have been indiscriminate in their violent attacks against
protesters and residents of the city. As the weekend wore on, the
police got increasingly out of control. Dozens of people have been
seriously injured from rubber and plastic bullets. People have also
been injured from being shot at with tear gas guns purposely at
close range. The faces and groins of people have been targeted by
police shooting rubber and plastic bullets. A young man is in critical
condition after his throat was ripped open by a rubber bullet, and
another man lost a finger. Roving bands of police, some in unmarked
vans, have been roaming the city and snatching peole off the street
far away from the perimeter, in most cases having done nothing at
all other than wearing black, wearing masks, or carying gas masks.
200 activists were chased onto a blocked highway by riot cops, and
forced to either scramble down the 150 foot cliffs bordering the
higway or to jump 25 feet to an underpass below to esape being gassed
and beaten. The medic clinic which was set up to provide comfort
and first aid to people suffering from injuries and chemical attacks
was raided by police at gunpoint, with all the supplies and personal
belongings confiscated by the police. Sunday morning at about 7am,
the Food Not Bombs kitchen in Grafitti Park was raided and 33 people
arrested. Food, stoves, equipment, and personal belongings were confiscated by the police.


3. Torture and mistreatment of arrestees.

About 400 people have been arrested so far. Reports have been coming
about horrendous treatment of arrestees being held. Male arrestees
have been stripped naked and hosed down with cold water in a court
yard in groups. People have been sleep deprived and crowded in cells
for days without beds. People have been deprived of food, water,
and access to a bathroom for more than a 30 hours. Many arrestees
were held on buses with the windows down next to where tear gas
was being shot off, forced to undure the gas for hours.

About 50 people are continuing to hold a vigil outside the main
jail. Some people have been released but hundreds are still in custody.
A few hours ago police were threatening to arrest the vigil, but
it appears that the police have backed off.


4. Action alert to concerned citizens concerning arrestess.

Concerned citizens and friends are being urged to contact the Quebec city government, Canadian Priminister\'s office, and Canadian
Embassy or Consulate to demand that the arrestees are treated according
to international human rights standards and to be released expeditiously.