AlkalizeForHealth
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."
- Thomas Edison Cancer is a political problem more than it is a medical problem. "No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent." - Abraham Lincoln Know your enemy 1, 2, 3, 4 |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CANADA: DEMOCRACY OR POLICE STATE? A Special
Edition of the People- & Planet-Friendly (Sun. Apr. 7, 2002)
http://www.planetfriendly.net people@planetfriendly.net
http://www.planetfriendly.net/police.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(A) Is Canada Becoming A Police State?
(B) RELATED EVENTS & Broadcasts
(C) ARTICLES & Press Releases
(D) NEWS, Resources & Announcements
(E) DIRECTORY of Links, Articles & Resources
(F) QUOTES
(G) WHAT YOU CAN DO
(H) Chronology of Past Events
(I) About the Planet-Friendly
This Special Edition is also available on the web at
http://www.planetfriendly.net/police.html The People-
& Planet-Friendly is a free weekly e-newsletter of peace,
environment, sustainable living & social justice events,
workshops, courses, festivals, films, broadcasts,
resources & jobs in Ontario & beyond. Free weekly
e-mail subscription: http://www.planetfriendly.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(A) IS CANADA BECOMING A POLICE STATE?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Canada, a police state?!? If you are in the middle class -- and
avoid community involvement and political dissent -- you could
easily have no idea of what's going on. If you follow only the
mainstream media, you might think police violence is a rare
occurrence, perhaps "provoked" by the victims, or trumped
up by activists.
In this edition you will see plenty of evidence to the contrary.
Including disturbing yet fascinating articles by and about
Sinclair Stevens (former cabinet minister under Brian Mulroney);
Naomi Klein (author of No Logo); Elan Ohayon (two-time
U of T Governing Council representative); and many others.
What can we do about police violence and intimidation? What
happens if we stay at home and "stick our neck out for nobody"?
Or, on the other hand, what happens if we begin to assume that all
police are bad, and treat them as such? In the bigger picture, what
will happen if we fail to stand up for journalists and activists -- for
free speech, freedom of assembly, and a free press? What can we
do, as individuals and communities, both to protect the vulnerable
and to preserve democracy?
This edition offers the tools to answer some of these questions
and more. Is police brutality a cause, or a symptom of a greater
problem? Is it just a matter of poor policing, or is it by design
-- a sign of a failing democracy? With spiraling social and
environmental problems, are governments and corporations
moving to make positive change? Or are they digging in and
fighting to protect the status quo at any cost? When does
democracy stop -- and fascism begin?
If you're concerned about these issues and live in the Toronto
area, don't miss the public meeting this Wednesday night at OISE,
in downtown Toronto. There are allegations of police brutality
against dozens of the 500 or so people who demonstrated outside
the Progressive Conservative leadership convention in March.
The listing for this public meeting, as well as a more detailed
press release, is included below.
Further down, you will find a digest of information and resources,
an extensive directory of links, and just a few suggestions of
"what you can do". Many more ideas resources and groups
can be found by following the links. For more convenient
surfing, this edition will be posted on the web by Monday
evening: http://www.planetfriendly.net/police.html
For many of us, the people who have been victims of police
and state violence are often "out of sight and out of mind"
-- and it is easy to avoid the topic. This is what Martin
Niemoeller was speaking of, in a different place and a
different time, but with increasingly disturbing parallels:
"In Germany, the Nazis first came for the communists, and I did
not speak up, because I was not a Communist. Then they came
for the Jews, and I did not speak up, because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak up,
because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the
Catholics, and I did not speak up, because I was not a Catholic.
Then they came for me... and by that time, there was no one
to speak up for anyone." - Martin Niemoeller, Pastor,
German Evangelical (Lutheran) Church [slightly paraphrased]
http://www.hrweb.org/intro.html (Human Rights Web)
- Peter Blanchard
people@planetfriendly.net
http://www.planetfriendly.net/police.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(B) RELATED EVENTS & BROADCASTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Five events in Toronto, plus a CBC radio broadcast (in order by date).
* WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AT THE TORY
CONVENTION, Wed April 10, 7-9pm, Toronto. Public meeting
on the police violence that occured at the recent Progressive
Conservative convention in Toronto on March 22 & 23. Including
a report from the Ontario Common Front legal committee; video
footage of police violence from March 22nd and 23rd; first hand
testimonies from victims of police violence and a perspective from
Anna Willats, member of the Toronto Police Accountability
Coalition and the Committee to Stop Targeted Policing. Organized
by CUPE 3903 members and friends. OISE, 252 Bloor W., room
2212, (St. George subway). Info: Ontario Common Front - Toronto
http://www.tao.ca/~ocf OCF-Toronto Tory Convention Hotline:
416-760-2463. OCF-Toronto e-mail list: to subscribe e-mail to
lists@tao.ca with the words "subscribe ocf-toronto" in the body
of the message. [more details in press release, below]
* ALTERNATIVES TO WAR & MILITARIZATION:
A Peace Conference, Fri-Sat Apr 12-13, Toronto. It is the
multi-faceted, methodical building of a peace based on sustainable
living and justice for all that is humanity's only hope. Explore
opportunities for progress in a unipolar & inequitable world;
discuss resistance strategies and alternatives to war and the
militarization of state functions; identify changes already
underway that signal the possibility of a better world. $20/day incl.
lunch & refreshments. Fri 9am-5pm; Sat 10am-5pm. Location:
Metro Hall, 55 John (at King; near St. Andrew subway).
Registration & payment can be mailed or made in person at the
St. Lawrence Centre, 27 Front E. M5E 1B4 (near Union Station).
Info: http://www.stlc.com/forums.htm or call 416-366-1656 and
ask that a brochure be mailed or faxed to you.
http://www.stlc.com/forums/Peace%20Conf.pdf [topical links:
http://www.planetfriendly.net/sheep.html#links ]
* COURT SUPPORT LUNCH, Tuesdays until May 7,
1pm-2:15pm, Toronto. Come out to a weekly lunch to show
support for the 33 people currently facing trial for charges
stemming from an anti-poverty demonstration at Queen's Park
(June 15, 2000). Enjoy a cheap lunch, keep updated about the
trials, and show your solidarity for those undergoing the isolating
court experience. In the current climate of civil liberties it is
important that we all stand together. Every Tuesday until early
May. $5 suggested donation (all proceeds go to cover court costs).
Church of the Holy Trinity, just east of the Eaton Centre, west of
Bay between Queen & Dundas. Info: paul daniels pd@tao.ca
http://www.ocap.ca [topical links:
http://www.planetfriendly.net/rights.html ]
* VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT (film), Tues April 16 (evening),
Toronto. Toronto premiere of this production of the National
Filmboard of Canada. Seven filmmakers record an extraordinary
view of the Quebec City summit, by following six players on both
sides of the barricades: Thomas d'Aquino (president of the
Business Council on National Issues, representing Canada's
150 largest corporations); activist Graciela Rodriguez (from
Argentina); Philippe Duhamel and his non-violent group Operation
Salami; Tania Hallé, an anthropology student and member of the
anarchist movement CLAC (Convergence of Anti-Capitalist
Struggles), who defends a range of protest tactics, including festive
demonstration, peaceful obstruction and active disruption; and
Inspector Pierre Goupil of the Sûreté du Québec, commander of
the Red Battalion, the main police unit responsible for keeping the
peace during the Summit. Followed by a panel discussion chaired
by Judy Rebick. [I think this event is free/by donation, but I'm not
sure - ed] Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor W. (Bathurst subway)
416-516-2330. [editor's note: Be sure to stay for the discussion
following the film, as there have been accusations of bias, and
these are sure to be brought to light during the discussion - ed]
http://www.nfb.ca/viewfromthesummit/
Independent news coverage on the summit & protests:
http://www.straightgoods.com/FTAA/
* JOURNALISM & DEMOCRACY, Tue Apr 16, 9:05pm,
CBC Radio Broadcast. In a University of Regina forum, journalists
and media critics debate whether journalism can still address and
develop public issues when corporate convergence is changing the
reporter's role from inquirer to seller of information products. On
"Ideas", CBC Radio One, across Canada (FM 99.1 in Toronto; also
shortwave, satellite & internet RealAudio) Ideas airs Mondays-
Fridays 9:05pm Eastern time. Cassettes & transcripts available.
Full schedule at: http://www.radio.cbc.ca/programs/ideas/
[topical links: http://www.planetfriendly.net/voices.html
http://www.udc.org http://www.cjfe.org ]
* TORONTO POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY COALITION,
Thurs April 25 (afternoon), Toronto. Presentation of draft policy
regarding police behaviour at demonstrations, to the Toronto
Police Services Board. We would like to ensure that at least half a
dozen groups and individuals make presentations to the Board on
the 25th. The brief will be much more effective if there are a
number of speakers in support. Please let us know if you will be
able to make a presentation. http://www.tpac.ca info@tpac.ca
[more details in press release below]
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that."
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
~~~~~
To receive notice of upcoming events before they occur,
subscribe to the People- & Planet-Friendly, a free
weekly e-mail newsletter ( http://www.planetfriendly.net ).
For some other e-mail lists, see:
http://www.planetfriendly.net/voices.html#email
and http://www.planetfriendly.net/voices.html#websites
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(C) RECENT PRESS RELEASES & ARTICLES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This section includes three recent press releases. The first
is about the public meeting in Toronto this Wednesday.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What Really Happened In Toronto, March 22-23?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The newsmedia have reported that on Friday and Saturday,
March 22nd and 23rd, on the occasion of the provincial
government's leadership convention, over 500 people from
the Ontario Common Front (a coalition of over 80 community,
student, anti-poverty and labour groups) converged in Toronto
to protest several years of severe neo-liberal restructuring and
cuts in Ontario caused by the provincial tory government.
What the newsmedia have not reported is the extreme levels of
repression and violence that police unleashed on demonstrators
over the two days. Police far outnumbered demonstrators,
aimed guns and tasers at them, clubbed them with batons,
knocked cycling demonstrators off their bikes, confiscated
union flags and shot tear-gas at people. About 1 out of 8
demonstrators were brutally arrested, bound by tight
handcuffs, thrown in vans for several hours, strip-searched
and denied a phone call to their lawyer.
The story of this excessive police violence must be told.
To this end, members of CUPE local 3903 from York
University have organized a public meeting at which all
those concerned may see and hear for themselves proof
of the terrifying escalation of police violence at political
demonstrations.
What Really Happened At The Tory Convention
Wednesday, April 10th, 2002, 7pm to 9pm
OISE, 252 Bloor St. West (St. George subway), room 2212.
This public meeting will include a report from the Ontario
Common Front legal committee, video footage of police
violence from March 22nd and 23rd in Toronto, first hand
testimonies from victims of police violence and a perspective
from Anna Willats, member of the Toronto Police Accountability
Coalition and the Committee to Stop Targeted Policing.
Organized by CUPE 3903 members and friends.
[from a posting to the Ontario Common Front Toronto e-mail list
Ontario Common Front - Toronto Website: http://www.tao.ca/~ocf
OCF-Toronto Tory Convention Hotline: 416-760-2463
OCF-Toronto e-mail list (a low-volume moderated list):
To subscribe e-mail to lists@tao.ca with the words
"subscribe ocf-toronto" in the body of the message. ]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Police Behaviour At Demonstrations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Draft Policy & Invitation for Feedback & Presentations
Toronto Police Accountability Coalition
http://www.tpac.ca info@tpac.ca 416-977-7947
Toronto Police Accountability Coalition has been working for
some months on a draft policy regarding police behaviour at
demonstrations, for presentation to the Toronto Police Services
Board. This is the fifth draft, and it has taken into account the
responses made to a draft posted on our web site (www.tpac.ca)
in January and widely distributed.
We are interested in getting feedback from Toronto organizations
and community groups, as well as endorsement and support. If you
or your group has any comment, or wish to let us know you think it
is headed in the right direction, please contact us at info@tpac.ca
We hope to collect comments and responses from groups in the
hope we can finalize our position by the end of March, and file our
brief with the Police Board in the first week of April for
presentation at the Board on the afternoon of April 25. As well as
your comments, we ask for your support. We would like to ensure
that at least half a dozen groups and individuals make presentations
to the Board on the 25th. The brief will be much more effective if
there are a number of speakers in support. Please let us know at
info@tpac.ca if you will be able to make a presentation.
Thanks. - TPAC info@tpac.ca http://www.tpac.ca
Police Behavior At Demonstrations (5th draft, Mar 10, 2002)
Police now assume most of those who attend political
demonstrations are criminals, and that demonstrations are a
criminal activity where marchers must be searched and
confronted at virtually every turn. This is wrong.
We need new rules for police behavior at demonstrations to
ensure that members of the public can attend these events without
fear of consequences for their personal safety because of police
action.
Better rules are also needed for police managers. Because of
current police policies, demonstrations now eat up an inordinate
amount of police time and resources, producing no positive output.
This is a poor expenditure of police resources and is as a general
rule unnecessary.
As well, a more relaxed and sensible approach by police, where
demonstrators would not be provoked by massive police presence
and the use of intimidating equipment, would reveal that the
majority of demonstrations were self-policing.
For these reasons, it is time to have a better set of guidelines for
police behavior at demonstrations, guidelines that are appropriate
for the vast bulk of demonstrations in Toronto. Our suggestions are
as follows:
(1) The greatest police concern should be to ensure that the rights
and freedoms of citizens are upheld, including the right to political
dissent, and the freedoms of speech and assembly. Police should
be familiar with court decisions regarding the rights of citizens in
this area (including rulings on preventative searches and arrests,
strip searches, reasonable proximity to protest sites, and the proper
laying of charges, and act in accordance with them at all times.
(2) Police should assume that the demonstration will be peaceful.
(3) Police language and behavior must be respectful of
demonstrators, and neither demeaning nor threatening. Police
statements should be free of foul language.
(4) All police officers should be clearly identified, wearing police
badges and numbers, and wearing regular police uniforms.
Undercover officers should not be deployed.
(5) Good communication on the part of the police is critical. This
will only be possible if, from the beginning, police communicate in
a non-hostile and co-operative manner. Police officers in charge
should introduce themselves to demonstration organizers and
inform them of police intentions at every step of the
demonstration.
(6) Police presence and behavior should be limited and as
unobtrusive as possible.
(7) 'Preventative' detentions, arrests, and searches of demonstrators
are contrary to the law and must not be done.
(8) Street Medics should be treated as a positive resource by police
at demonstrations, and should be treated with respect. Police
should not confiscate their supplies.
(9) Police should neither videotape nor photograph demonstrations
or demonstrators.
(10) Neither horses nor dogs should be deployed at
demonstrations. They are highly intimidating and can risk or cause
serious injury to themselves or others.
(11) Pepper spray and tear gas should not be used.
(12) Guns should not be pointed at individuals.
(13) Police armaments should not be on display.
(14) Helicopters should not be used, as their main impact is to
intimidate.
We request that the Toronto Police Services Board adopt these
guidelines for police behavior at demonstrations in the city. In
cases where the Chief feels these guidelines are not appropriate
for a specific demonstration, board approval should be sought
to set aside these guidelines in favour of others which the Chief
clearly formulates for Board approval.
~~~
To present this to the Toronto Police Services Board on April 25,
we'll need to get it to the Board secretary by April 5, this Friday.
Please provide comments to info@tpac.ca by close of day on
Thursday April 4. Also, please indicate whether you will be able
to be present and speak at the Police Services Board in support
of this approach on the afternoon of April 25.
[from a posting to the e-left e-mail list, March 13, 2002].
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
International Day Against Police Brutality
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TORONTO, March 15, 2002 - Community groups from diverse
Toronto communities gather to denounce abuses of police power
and to mark International Day Against Police Brutality. The broad
coalition is speaking out against the unchecked growth in police
budgets and erosion of civil liberties.
The group is demanding:
- an end to racial profiling;
- an immediate repeal of the Safe Streets Act;
- a coroner's inquest into the police killing of Dudley George;
- a halt to any plans to acquire police helicopters.
"Police depend on intimidation and aggression to keep
marginalized people in line", says Anna Willats of the Committee
To Stop Targeted Policing. "Our demands reflect our
determination to name and oppose all forms of police
instigated violence against the people and neighbourhoods
they target - most recently two men from Nigeria who were
victims of a violent takedown by Toronto police."
The rally takes place on Friday, March 15th at 1:00 pm at Toronto
Police Headquarters, at College and Yonge. Speakers will include
Pierre George (brother of Dudley George) and representatives from
the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition, Committee to Stop
Targeted Policing, Latin American Coalition Against Racism,
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, and Stop the Choppers.
The rally will be followed by a march to the Coroner's Office to
demand an inquest into the killing of Dudley George. A formal
request to the Coroner was made in September 2001
by Pierre and Carolyn George, but the Coroner's Office has not
seen fit even to respond. Pierre George quips: "Is the Coroner
still alive?"
"Police abuses affect all of us," states Dr. Lauraine Leblanc,
sociologist and coordinator of the Metro Network for Social
Justice, who will be speaking at the rally. "From street sweeps
of street-involved youth to racial profiling of people of colour to
police crackdowns on the homeless and on protesters, it is those
most marginalized by our society who are most visibly
affected. But if their civil liberties can be so grossly denied, how
safe are your rights?"
March 15, 2002 marks the sixth year of this international day of
protest and solidarity against police brutality. It first began in 1997
as an initiative of the Black Flag collective in Switzerland along
with the help of COBP (Citizens Opposed to Police Brutality) of
Montreal. This date was chosen because on March 15th, two
children, aged 11 and 12, were beaten by the Swiss police. March
15th will also see the sentencing hearings of two activists, June
15th defendant James Semple at Old City Hall (Queen and Bay) at
10:00 am, and Samuel Tassew, charged in the Safe Park action at
Allan Gardens, at College Park (Yonge and College) at 11:00 am.
This event is organized by: Anti-Racist Action, the Committee to
Stop Targeted Policing, the June 15 Defence Committee, Latin
American Coalition Against Racism, the Metro Network for Social
Justice, Stop the Choppers, and the Toronto Police Accountability
Coalition. For more information, call the Metro Network for Social
Justice at (416) 351-0095 x237 [ http://www.mnsj.org ]
[note: this event was missed by the People- & Planet-Friendly
because it was promoted only a few days before the event, and was
not submitted - ed]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(D) RELATED NEWS BITES, Resources & Announcements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* THE REAL THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY - "Police around
the world have a standard explanation for violence at protests -- the
friendly Mr. Rogers-type officers were pushed beyond the limits of
human endurance by violent provocateurs intent on anarchy.
Apparently, there are only so many "Hey hey, ho ho's" trained
officers can take before snapping, charging into fleeing crowds and
wailing away with nightsticks, cattle prods, pepper spray, tear gas,
plexi shields, stun grenades or whatever else is handy that won't
look as bad as a Kent State rifle attack when it's replayed on the
evening news. Generally, the press accepts this riot-police-as-
victims scenario. But what happens when a riot squad is sent out to
contain a large demonstration that turns out not to exist? Do the
police -- unprovoked for once -- actually reveal themselves as
kindly, good-natured Gandhi types? Well, no. At least, that seems
to be the lesson to be learned from the strange case of Elan
Ohayon...." - Eye editorial, Nov 16, 2000. More at:
http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_11.16.00/news/editorial.html
* CRACKDOWN: WHEN POLICE WAGE WAR AGAINST
ACTIVISTS - "On Oct 20, University of Toronto student Derek
Laventure attended a protest outside the Ontario Tory convention.
He saw a police officer drag away a fellow activist and he was
heard to say, "That's not right." Next, witnesses say, he was
brutally assaulted by several police officers, thrown against a
barricade headfirst (his eye was so bruised, it swelled shut), and
arrested. His crime? Allegedly carrying a weapon and using it to
assault a police officer. The "weapon" was a black flag..."
- Naomi Klein, The Globe & Mail, Wed Nov 15
http://www.globeandmail.com
* LIBERALS LIMIT DEBATE ON ANTI-TERRORISM BILL
"If you are not yet familiar with the most critical bill to be
discussed in Canada since its founding, please become familiar
quickly... Most have heard the phrase 'power corrupts, and absolute
power corrupts absolutely'. To not recognize that this phrase
defines the nature of this bill is to forget that the police forces who
are gaining considerable new powers are human like the rest of us. ...
By passing this law, the Liberal government are themselves playing
into the hands of terrorists. ... a threat to Canadians, our physical
safety and our democracy, greater than any physical threat that a
terrorist could attempt." - Russell McOrmond.
http://weblog.flora.org/article.php3?story_id=81 http://www.flora.org
[related: http://www.planetfriendly.net/rights.html
http://mai.flora.org/forum/31384 ]
* GUIDE TO SURVIVING BAD POLICING - HANDBOOK.
Informing youth about the realities of police violence and the
legal system in Ontario. Info: OPIRG-Toronto 416-978-7770
opirg@campuslife.utoronto.ca
Parkdale Community Legal Services Linda Chen 416-531-2411
x254 dimsum68@hotmail.com
* COPS ARE TOPS, ENVIRONMENT LAST - This month saw
the final vote on the 2002 Toronto Budget. It was not a pretty
sight. Public programs, public transit and public space is simply
not a priority for this City Council.
* STOP THE CHOPPERS - Police want two or more helicopters
in the air, up to 24 hours a day. The cost: $2.5M/year, during a
time of massive budget cuts. Yet a London, Ontario study of police
helicopters shows they don't reduce crime levels.
* WHAT IS A STREET MEDIC? - Street medics are volunteers
with training in street first aid. They provide preventative
education, emergency first aid, and aftercare at demonstrations
for social change. Oftentimes, they manage a clinic space at
larger potests. Street medics play a role in social change as
they care for the health and safety of activists. We maintain
our neutrality as providers of medical care with a commitment
to treating anyone in need. - http://docbloc.org/db_medic.html
Police violence, not protestor violence, in Ottawa:
http://perc.ca/PEN/2001-12-01/buckthou.html
* STREET MEDIC TRAINING - Toronto Street Medics are
looking into offering a weekend-long medic training course
in the coming months. The training will only be offered if
we have enough confirmed participants. If you would be
interested in becoming a trained street medic or affinity
group medic, and could attend such a training, please
contact Alison: defenestrator_@hotmail.com [related:
Police violence, not protestor violence, in Ottawa:
http://perc.ca/PEN/2001-12-01/buckthou.html ]
* RECLAIM THE STREETS LAWSUIT - "A lawsuit against
various Toronto police officers and the Toronto police force itself
was launched in the aftermath of the arrest of Kevin Thomas and
Brian Burch on the charge of "Unlawful Assembly". This charge
was laid as a result of our participation in the 1998 Reclaim the
Streets Celebration in Toronto. January 28th is the date that this
lawsuit finally goes to court." - Brian Burch "Brian Burch and
Kevin Thomas ... are seeking over $500,000 in specific and general
damages as a result of their experiences when they were charged
with Unlawful Assembly while present at a peaceful 1998 Reclaim
the Streets protest in downtown Toronto. Taking this action was
not an easy decision to make. However, it was felt that something
had to be done to respond to the growing criminalization of public
protest in Canada. I urge all those concerned with civil liberties to
financially assist Burch and Thomas in their efforts to fight back
against police abuses. Cheques should be made payable to Brian
Shiller in Trust and mailed to Shiller Layton Arbuck, 70 Bond St.,
Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1X3." - Clayton Ruby (lawyer
and editor of Canadian Rights Reporter). Info/witnesses/
evidence/donations: burch@tao.ca or leave message: 416-651-5800
http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-ontario/2001-November/000770.html
[received from burch@tao.ca via Food Not Bombs list
fnb-l@tao.ca http://lists.tao.ca ]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(E) DIRECTORY OF LINKS, ARTICLES & RESOURCES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* POLICE BRUTALITY
Toronto Police Accountability Coalition http://www.tpac.ca
http://members.fortunecity.com/brutalitycanada/
http://www.commondreams.org/views/111500-109.htm
http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_09.07.00/news/citystate.html
http://www.hrw.org/reports98/police/ (USA)
http://directory.google.com/Top/Society/Issues/Crime_and_Justice/Police_Misconduct/
http://dmoz.org/Society/Issues/Crime_and_Justice/Police_Misconduct/Police_Brutality/
* FIGHTING POLICE ABUSE
http://www.tpac.ca (Toronto)
* THE CASE OF DUDLEY GEORGE
http://www.web.net/~inquiry/facts.htm
http://www.execulink.com/~hkoehler/dudlhisv.htm
http://www.turtleisland.org/news/news-dudley.htm
* THE CASE OF JAGGI SINGH
http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0421-01.htm (Naomi Klein)
http://montreal.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=510&group=webcast
http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0509-03.htm
http://www.cupw-sttp.org/pages/document_eng.php?Doc_ID=119
http://www.rabble.ca/petition/
* THE CASE OF ELAN OHAYON
http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_11.16.00/news/editorial.html
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/6174/rstedstuldr.html
(see also Nov. 10, 2001 listing in "Past Events" section, below)
* POLICE BRUTALITY VICTIMS ACROSS CANADA
http://members.fortunecity.com/brutalitycanada/names.html
* WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN QUEBEC CITY?
http://www.cyberclass.net/stevens.htm (Sinclair Stevens)
http://www.straightgoods.com/FTAA/
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=10754
http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_04.26.01/news/editorial.html
* WHAT HAPPENED AT THE JUNE 15 OCAP PROTESTS?
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/jun2000/tor-j24.shtml
http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2001-07/22rebick.htm
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/aug2000/toro-a02.shtml
* A POLICE STATE IN THE MAKING
(former Tory minister Sinclair Stevens, Globe & Mail 2001/04/21)
(or http://www.cyberclass.net/stevens.htm )
* "WAR ON DRUGS" or Police Profiteering From The Drug Trade?
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/book_list.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22war+on+drugs%22
* WHAT IS FASCISM? - a philosophy or system of
government that advocates or exercises a dictatorship
of the extreme right, typically through the merging
of state and business leadership, together with an
ideology of belligerent nationalism.
http://www.remember.org/guide/Facts.root.nazi.html
http://dmoz.org/Society/Politics/Fascism/
http://search.dmoz.org/cgi-bin/search?search=fascism
http://directory.google.com/Top/Society/Politics/Fascism/
* WHY DON'T WE SEE THIS IN THE MEDIA?
http://www.planetfriendly.net/voices.html#wrong
http://www.planetfriendly.net/voices.html#mediawatch
* CIVIL RIGHTS & HUMAN RIGHTS - "DEMOCRACY IS MORE THAN..."
Cdn. Civil Liberties Assoc. http://www.ccla.org
Law Union of Ontario http://www.lawunion.ca
Democracy Watch http://www.dwatch.ca
Cdn. Journalists for Free Expression http://www.cjfe.org
Toronto Police Accountability Coalition http://www.tpac.ca
Civil Rights.Org http://www.civilrights.org
Human Rights Primer http://www.cdn-hr-reporter.ca/primer.htm
Human Rights Web http://www.hrweb.org
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22democracy+is+more+than%22
* FREEDOM OF SPEECH, ASSOCIATION, ASSEMBLY, PROTEST
http://www.democraticdialogue.org/report8/report8i.htm
http://www.canadianfreespeech.com
http://www.rabble.ca/columnists_full.shtml?x=4704
links:
http://dmoz.org/Society/Issues/Human_Rights_and_Liberties/Free_Speech/
* THE ANTI-TERRORISM BILL (BILL C-36) "Secret hearings?
Frozen bank accounts? Snitch lines? Wiretaps? Secret lists?
Trial by hearsay? Jailed 72 hours without access to legal advice?
Racial profiling? Is That The Canada We Want?" (from
a poster for the Nov. 19 Civil Liberties Forum, with NDP
leader Howard Hampton and many others).
http://www.straightgoods.ca/ViewActNote.cfm?REF=212
http://www.straightgoods.ca/ViewActNote.cfm?REF=213
http://www.straightgoods.ca/ViewFeature.cfm?REF=219
http://www.straightgoods.ca/ViewFeature.cfm?REF=220
http://www.straightgoods.ca/ViewFeature.cfm?REF=218
http://www.cjfe.org/releases/2001/anti-terrorismpr.html
http://www.ccla.org/news/power.shtml
http://www.law.utoronto.ca/c-36/ (book - The Security of Freedom)
http://www.cjfe.org/releases/2001/anti-terrorismpr.html
http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_11.15.01/news/c-36.html
http://www.cjfe.org/releases/2001/anti-terrorismpr.html
http://www.canadianliberty.bc.ca/liberty-vs-security/
http://weblog.flora.org/article.php3?story_id=81
http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/terrorism/
* PROTEST TACTICS: VIOLENCE vs. NONVIOLENCE
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=activism+tactics+violence+nonviolence
http://hamilton.indymedia.org/search-process.php3?medium=all&keyword=litton
* NONVIOLENCE & CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
http://www.actupny.org/documents/CDdocuments/CDindex.html
http://www.pbs.org/weta/forcemorepowerful/ (excellent video;
see Oct 12, 2001 listing in "Past Events" section, below)
http://www.nonviolence.org www.nonviolence.org/links.htm
http://www.agnt.org/principles.htm
http://www.nonviolenceworks.com/snv/inspire.htm
http://www.gandhiserve.com http://www.mkgandhi.org
http://martinlutherking.8m.com
http://www-leland.stanford.edu/group/King/
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22civil+disobedience%22
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22conflict+resolution%22
* ACTIVISM & ADVOCACY TACTICS IN GENERAL
http://www.sierraclub.ca/national/activist.html
http://www.planetfriendly.net/voices.html#become
http://www.google.com/search?q=activism+tactics
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22democracy+is+more+than%22
http://dmoz.org/Society/Activism/Resources/
http://www.netaction.org/training/
* CONFLICT RESOLUTION
http://www.gesher.org/Articles/Conflict%20Resolution/5%20hints.HTM
http://search.dmoz.org/cgi-bin/search?search=%22conflict+resolution%22
* ALTERNATIVE & INDEPENDENT MEDIA
People- & Planet-Friendly http://www.planetfriendly.net
Straight Goods http://www.straightgoods.com
Rabble http://www.rabble.ca
Indymedia http://www.indymedia.org (international)
Common Dreams http://www.commondreams.org
Toronto Video Activists http://www.tvac.ca
More: http://www.planetfriendly.net/voices.html
* POLICE FORCES & ASSOCIATIONS
http://www.torontopolice.on.ca
http://www.torontopoliceassn.ca
http://www.ottawapolice.ca
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca
http://www.gov.on.ca/opp/
http://www.oppa.on.ca
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(F) WHAT YOU CAN DO
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) First, educate yourself. Follow some of the links
above; attend a public meeting; ask lots of questions
of others who are there.
(2) Write or call your Member of Parliament.
To find out who your MP is and his/her contact info,
call 1-800-677-3355. All you need is your postal
code. They will provide the constituency address,
telephone, and fax. Or go to:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/house/PostalCode.asp?Source=SM
(3) Write to the Prime Minister, the Senate of Canada,
and the editor of your local newspaper. Talk to your
friends and neighbours. Speak up at school, at work,
at meetings of local community groups.
(4) Join or support a group or association such as
the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition
( http://www.tpac.ca ); the Canadian Civil Liberties
Association ( http://www.ccla.org
).
Support independent and alternative media.
For more suggestions on what you can do,
see the links above, especially the sections on
"Police Brutality", "Civil Rights", "Activism",
and "Nonviolence".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(G) QUOTES To Provoke Thought & Discussion
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The greatest purveyor of violence on earth is my own government."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
quoted by former U.S. Attorney General, Ramsey Clark
http://www.island.net/~lbnews/9_11/Dorrel/ClarkSpeech.html
"You are free to say whatever you like, until the people
start listening to you. Then you become a threat to the state."
- Bob Olsen
"In Germany, the Nazis first came for the communists, and I did
not speak up, because I was not a Communist. Then they came
for the Jews, and I did not speak up, because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak up,
because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the
Catholics, and I did not speak up, because I was not a Catholic.
Then they came for me... and by that time, there was no one
to speak up for anyone." - Martin Niemoeller, Pastor,
German Evangelical (Lutheran) Church
http://www.hrweb.org/intro.html (Human Rights Web)
"If you're not turned on to politics, politics will turn on you."
- Ralph Nader
"Powerlessness and silence go together. We...should use our
privileged positions not as a shelter from the world's reality,
but as a platform from which to speak. A voice is a gift.
It shoud be cherished and used." - Margaret Atwood
"Freedom is participation in power."
- Cicero
"Let no man pull you so low as to hate him. Always avoid
violence. If you succumb to the temptation of using violence
in your struggle, unborn generations will be the recipients of
a long and desolate night of bitterness, and your chief legacy
to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies
hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies
toughness in a descending spiral of destruction"
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Will we ever get to the point that we realize we will be
more secure when the rest of the world isn't living in
poverty so we can have nice running shoes?"
- Michael Moore
http://www.michaelmoore.com/2001_0912.html
"The only thing that can pry open a closed heart and a closed
mind ...is an open heart, and an open mind". - Wilfred Bricker
"Instead of condemning people, let's try to understand them.
Let's try to figure out why they do what they do."
- Dale Carnegie
http://www.gesher.org/Articles/Conflict%20Resolution/5%20hints.HTM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(H) PAST EVENTS (2001 & early 2002)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The web edition of this newsletter includes listings
of related events that have occured over the past year
in Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa. While these events
have already occurred, you might find the descriptions
and contacts may be of interest. To receive notice of
upcoming events before they occur, subscribe to the
People- & Planet-Friendly, a free weekly e-mail newsletter
( http://www.planetfriendly.net ). For other e-mail lists,
see http://www.planetfriendly.net/voices.html#email
Web edition: http://www.planetfriendly.net/police.html
(will be posted by Monday night)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(I) ABOUT THE PEOPLE- & PLANET-FRIENDLY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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