Violent protests in Montebello: The "home truth"
Activists ready for leaders summit in Quebec with series of mini-protests
August 14, 2007 - 2:24 pm
By: JONATHAN MONTPETIT
MONTREAL (CP) - Activists are gearing up for next week's meeting of North
American leaders in southwestern Quebec with a series of protests aimed at
building momentum ahead of their efforts to disrupt the summit.
Several dozen activists gathered at Montreal's Central Station on Tuesday to
denounce the so-called Security and Prosperity Partnership, an initiative
launched in 2005 to ease trade and bolster security.
The partnership is expected to be on the agenda when Prime Minister Stephen
Harper, U.S. President George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon
meet in Montebello on Aug. 20-21.
"The Security and Prosperity Partnership is, in brief, NAFTA on crack
combined with the fear and paranoia of Homeland Security policies," activist
Jaggi Singh told reporters.
Tuesday's lunchtime demonstration targeted CN Rail, whose CEO Hunter
Harrison is part of a group of business leaders advising Ottawa on the
partnership.
A similar protest, this time against CSIS, is to be held in Montreal on
Thursday.
A protest against the partnership last weekend in Ottawa ended with two
people being charged with assaulting police.
The coalition of antiwar and anti-capitalist groups behind the Montreal
protests is hoping such actions will draw attention to their cause as they
ready for the next week's summit.
"This kicks off a week of action against the SPP" said Sophie Schoen, a
spokeswoman for Block the Empire, an antiwar group party to the coalition.
Activist communities in both Montreal and Ottawa have been preparing
furiously in recent months for the summit and will begin making their way to
Montebello on Sunday.
They are expected to be met with a heavy police presence that plans on
keeping crowds at bay with a security perimeter around the site, which has
some locals worried about vandalism.
Singh, who has been arrested several times for his role in various
demonstrations, remained vague about the possibility of violent clashes with
authorities.
"We want to be as effective as possible and we want people to show that
effectiveness," he said.
"We want to maintain solidarity, which is most important. We're not going to
play the game of some are bad and some people aren't bad."
Activists ready for leaders summit in Quebec with series of mini-protests
August 14, 2007 - 2:24 pm
By: JONATHAN MONTPETIT
MONTREAL (CP) - Activists are gearing up for next week's meeting of North
American leaders in southwestern Quebec with a series of protests aimed at
building momentum ahead of their efforts to disrupt the summit.
Several dozen activists gathered at Montreal's Central Station on Tuesday to
denounce the so-called Security and Prosperity Partnership, an initiative
launched in 2005 to ease trade and bolster security.
The partnership is expected to be on the agenda when Prime Minister Stephen
Harper, U.S. President George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon
meet in Montebello on Aug. 20-21.
"The Security and Prosperity Partnership is, in brief, NAFTA on crack
combined with the fear and paranoia of Homeland Security policies," activist
Jaggi Singh told reporters.
Tuesday's lunchtime demonstration targeted CN Rail, whose CEO Hunter
Harrison is part of a group of business leaders advising Ottawa on the
partnership.
A similar protest, this time against CSIS, is to be held in Montreal on
Thursday.
A protest against the partnership last weekend in Ottawa ended with two
people being charged with assaulting police.
The coalition of antiwar and anti-capitalist groups behind the Montreal
protests is hoping such actions will draw attention to their cause as they
ready for the next week's summit.
"This kicks off a week of action against the SPP" said Sophie Schoen, a
spokeswoman for Block the Empire, an antiwar group party to the coalition.
Activist communities in both Montreal and Ottawa have been preparing
furiously in recent months for the summit and will begin making their way to
Montebello on Sunday.
They are expected to be met with a heavy police presence that plans on
keeping crowds at bay with a security perimeter around the site, which has
some locals worried about vandalism.
"I think we have to put things in context," Schoen said. "Montebello will be hosting George Bush . . . the man most directly responsible for the deaths of 600,000 Iraqi civilians.
"So to talk of vandalism is an insult compared to the violence represented and perpetrated by George Bush."
Singh, who has been arrested several times for his role in various
demonstrations, remained vague about the possibility of violent clashes with
authorities.
"We want to be as effective as possible and we want people to show that
effectiveness," he said.
"We want to maintain solidarity, which is most important. We're not going to
play the game of some are bad and some people aren't bad."
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