Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
WTO Demo in Montreal - 340 Arrests Yesterday
hadn't been following this . . . more repression, illegal police attacks. In the past Montreal has seen *massive* gas attacks, so it looks like the cops are taking on the American ways - just arrest everyone in sight.
BREAKING NEWS : More than 300 Arrested Protesting WTO in Montreal
[Update - During Sunday's action spokescouncil it was announced by organizers that 340 is the total number of people arrested]
MONTEAL (Sunday July 28th) - Montreal police have demonstrated their complicity with the WTO's distaste of democratic protest. After being out-manouvered for over two hours by an early-morning 'snake march' through the streets of Montreal, frustrated police arrested over 150 non-violent protesters hanging out in "the Green Zone", a safe area at the Alternative bookstore agreed upon before the action. Reports indicate that people were peacefully assembled, with permission, on private property at the time of their surrounding. It is unknown at this time if any of the arrested include activists from Thunder Bay. Charges include "participating in an illegal demonstration".
After an intial baton charge by police during the snake march, property was damaged and windows were smashed at the GAP, Burger King, an Army recruiting centre, and the Bank of Montreal. The march dispersed from the downtown core before 9 A.M.
The Alternative bookstore, which has been broadcasting live on the activities surrounding the visit to Montreal of World Trade Organization delegates, is still broadcasting, even though It has been taped off by police.
During today`s actions, the government's favourite Montreal activist Jaggi Singh was providing media with interviews and staying away from the Sheraton Hotel in accordance with his legal conditions. Nevertheless, though he was not involved with the marches, at 9:10 am on the corner of Peel and Ste. Catherine, about a dozen police converged and apprehended him. Police snatch squads were used to grab other activists including some medics from the Maritimes. As of 4:45pm local time, groups of riot police are still roving the streets looking for protestors to arrest.
http://thunderbay.indymedia.org/
Tuesday: the demonstrators courageously continue on
neonyme, Tuesday, 07/29/2003 - 14:20
It was a tense thursday, as much for policemen as for demonstrators. Yesterday was filled with "no so happy" events, the 340 arrestations decimating most of the mobilization and the "activist-chase" police operations, which concluded with the green zone intervention, that shocked lot of people.
An appointment was called for 10h00 this morning at Philips Square, on the corner Ste-Catherine and Union. Courage was obviously present! Because the group was getting bigger and bigger up tu approximately 500 persons when the walk began. The action plan was much of the same than yesterday: to disturb Montreal town center with a efficient, fast and protected snake walk.
It was also necessary to organise the walk in a way that wouldn't give the police reasons to declare it "illegal". For the police, up to the beginning, was proceeding in a similar way to monday, announcing their intentions to manage the circulation on the megaphone, and their intolerance for any infractions. The policeman did raise their alert level on the sight of masked activist and of helmet and "weapon" (heard from them this morning). They almost gave up to the tentation of stopping the action from beginning, but the command center preferred to wait for trouble to happen.
But these "trouble" never happened. The demonstrators went through the financial town center of Montreal in Zig-Zap with many direction changes. The police had much to do maintain en efficient deployment and to close circulation axes to car circulation. At all time, SPVM police in riot gear where ready to intervene within 30 seconds, following the walk from the back and from parallel streets in minibus. The anti-riot squat of the SQ was also deployed inside the security perimeter, they were also ready to intervene really fast.
If demonstrators goal was to disturb Montreal town center and get out safe from the action, then they seem to work it out pretty well. But the ultimate success was to provoque a large police deployment in vain. Members of bicycle jam squad, who were protecting the group, were intercepted, but we still don't know if these result in arrestation, which don't seem to be the case at the moment.
At the moment of the writing of these lines, policers as demonstrators are eating but it's not over. Mobilization continue at 13h30 on the corner of Guy/Maisonneuve.
http://thunderbay.indymedia.org/news/2003/07/7667.php
[Update - During Sunday's action spokescouncil it was announced by organizers that 340 is the total number of people arrested]
MONTEAL (Sunday July 28th) - Montreal police have demonstrated their complicity with the WTO's distaste of democratic protest. After being out-manouvered for over two hours by an early-morning 'snake march' through the streets of Montreal, frustrated police arrested over 150 non-violent protesters hanging out in "the Green Zone", a safe area at the Alternative bookstore agreed upon before the action. Reports indicate that people were peacefully assembled, with permission, on private property at the time of their surrounding. It is unknown at this time if any of the arrested include activists from Thunder Bay. Charges include "participating in an illegal demonstration".
After an intial baton charge by police during the snake march, property was damaged and windows were smashed at the GAP, Burger King, an Army recruiting centre, and the Bank of Montreal. The march dispersed from the downtown core before 9 A.M.
The Alternative bookstore, which has been broadcasting live on the activities surrounding the visit to Montreal of World Trade Organization delegates, is still broadcasting, even though It has been taped off by police.
During today`s actions, the government's favourite Montreal activist Jaggi Singh was providing media with interviews and staying away from the Sheraton Hotel in accordance with his legal conditions. Nevertheless, though he was not involved with the marches, at 9:10 am on the corner of Peel and Ste. Catherine, about a dozen police converged and apprehended him. Police snatch squads were used to grab other activists including some medics from the Maritimes. As of 4:45pm local time, groups of riot police are still roving the streets looking for protestors to arrest.
http://thunderbay.indymedia.org/
Tuesday: the demonstrators courageously continue on
neonyme, Tuesday, 07/29/2003 - 14:20
It was a tense thursday, as much for policemen as for demonstrators. Yesterday was filled with "no so happy" events, the 340 arrestations decimating most of the mobilization and the "activist-chase" police operations, which concluded with the green zone intervention, that shocked lot of people.
An appointment was called for 10h00 this morning at Philips Square, on the corner Ste-Catherine and Union. Courage was obviously present! Because the group was getting bigger and bigger up tu approximately 500 persons when the walk began. The action plan was much of the same than yesterday: to disturb Montreal town center with a efficient, fast and protected snake walk.
It was also necessary to organise the walk in a way that wouldn't give the police reasons to declare it "illegal". For the police, up to the beginning, was proceeding in a similar way to monday, announcing their intentions to manage the circulation on the megaphone, and their intolerance for any infractions. The policeman did raise their alert level on the sight of masked activist and of helmet and "weapon" (heard from them this morning). They almost gave up to the tentation of stopping the action from beginning, but the command center preferred to wait for trouble to happen.
But these "trouble" never happened. The demonstrators went through the financial town center of Montreal in Zig-Zap with many direction changes. The police had much to do maintain en efficient deployment and to close circulation axes to car circulation. At all time, SPVM police in riot gear where ready to intervene within 30 seconds, following the walk from the back and from parallel streets in minibus. The anti-riot squat of the SQ was also deployed inside the security perimeter, they were also ready to intervene really fast.
If demonstrators goal was to disturb Montreal town center and get out safe from the action, then they seem to work it out pretty well. But the ultimate success was to provoque a large police deployment in vain. Members of bicycle jam squad, who were protecting the group, were intercepted, but we still don't know if these result in arrestation, which don't seem to be the case at the moment.
At the moment of the writing of these lines, policers as demonstrators are eating but it's not over. Mobilization continue at 13h30 on the corner of Guy/Maisonneuve.
http://thunderbay.indymedia.org/news/2003/07/7667.php
For more information:
http://www.cmaq.net/en/index.php
Add Your Comments
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$135.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network