10/22 Montreal Solidarity Demo Vs.Police Brutality Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source:seahorse@odyssee.net Fri Oct 24 16:33:53 1997 The collective of COBP (french acrynom for Citizens Against Police Brutality), decided to support the USA National Day Against Police Brutality. However it should be noted that many other groups either helped organize the demo or supported it. These groups were: Food Not Bombs - Montreal, Demanarchie, Frontiers Abolishment, Comite des sans-emploi, ARA - Montreal, L'Assault and as mentioned above, COBP. The day of the demo, Montrealers woke up to a city layered with the first snowfall. During the day most of the snow melted, but then we were affronted with a strong cold wind. It felt like January! However much to our surprise this didn't deter people from participating in the demo which was to start with a rally at Berri Square at 4 p.m. In fact there were some youth who had made their own placards... and they were excellent, denouncing capitalism, racism, police brutality, etc. At the beginning of the demo, the majority of participants were street youth and punks. When we set off on our march we were close to 200. The march was long and took about 2 hours, and we stopped at various "community" police stations. During the march there were a few participants who were unable to control their anger at the police. (This can be understood because in the last 3 to 4 weeks there has been brutalizing repression by the police on street youth and punks. There have been some massive arrests made, such as on Oct 1st, where even people (mostly students who were exiting the University) were amongst those arrested. The police just target anyone on the block! Please note this is just ONE example) So during the early part of the demo one patrol car was slightly vandalized - there was a mirror and a rear red turning signal light smashed. Also the youth chased after the patrol cars at the front of the demo... soon they kept their distance, if only for a while. Halfway through the demo we stopped for about half an hour in front of Station 33. Although station 33 has not been transformed into a "community" police station, it is still open and infamous for its repression. Many people have went directly to the hospital after questioning in station 33 and Killer KKKops, such as Michel Garneau (whose name we're not suppose to mention in public)and who murdered Martin Suazo, firing a bullet from a few inches from his head on May 31st, 1995. (Martin Suazo was suspected of stealing a pair of jeans and was NEVER armed, nor gave any resistance to police. He was 23). In front of Station 33 there was a speak-out where anyone had the opportunity to say whatever they wanted. Many youth took this opportunity. Then from a few blocks away we saw a crowd approaching us, then from a distance we saw an anarcho-syndicalist flag waving high. They were the students from the MDE ( le Mouvement pour le droit de l'education) a fairly radical student union, who previously had a demo earlier that day, denouncing the drastic cutbacks in education. They were stopped by anti-riot police on they're way to block the bridge to the Casino. So here they were (at least 50 of these students) to join us in "our" demo. Upon arriving they were chanting "So So So, Solidarite". Everyone was elated. The march then continued, the police never stopped yelling in their loudspeakers (from their patrol cars) telling demonstrators who were slower to hurry up. This was totally uncalled for, expecially since one of these people who was a bit slower, is in a wheelchair (and who has been a victim of police brutality at least twice that COBP knows of - our COPWATCH team has been witness to one of these cases). Finally around 6:30 p.m. everyone arrived at a large intersection of Ste-Catherine and Berri streets. Then, like out of no where, about 200 anti-riot police started to cut of the streets, closing in very quickly. It was at this time an efigy of the Montreal Police, which was carried throughout the demo, was set on fire. While it was still burning some youth kicked at it. Some people got out of the large circle the police were in the process of forming. At this moment some participants started yelling at the police. The police just started advancing, always in a line with their clubs ready. The police gave no warnings, however once on a loudspeaker they stated that they wanted everyone to go into Berri Square. This was made almost immpossible to do since they kept on advancing, pushing the crowd away from the Square. However about 50 people were able get out. They had at this time almost completely circled off one square block. Then someone threw a piece of wood (from a placard no doubt) and others started to throw a couple of bottles, and then the police started to advance quickly. One young women was quickly arrested, no doubt because she was constantly yelling at the police. As the police continued to encircle the demonstrators, some found temporary refuge in the University. However the University's security quickly closed all doors. At the same time, there was an armed cop on the roof of the University. Through the University, there is access to the Metro. So the Metro station Berri/UQAM was totally closed off. During this time another six people were arrested in the street. Later about 3-5 people were arrested in the Metro, maybe more. However we heard that there were other arrests made too, just people on the street panhandling, etc. The total of people arrested is unknown. Even after the demo was finished the police were everywhere that evening. They were out on the hunt, and they didn't want to come back without their game! While standing at one of the Metro stations' exits, 6 punks approached chanting "La police, au service, des riches et des fascistes" (The police at the service for the rich and fascists). Then suddenly, two cop vans stopped and six anti-riot police jumped out. The punks quickly walked away. This was a reaccuring event throughout the evening. Also at 12:00p.m. the same day, Montreal Sex Workers held a masked demo in front of City Hall, demanding an end to police harrassment and brutality! There were about 20-25 sex workers at their demo with supporters as well. A couple of sex workers later joined our demo, still masked like many of our participants as well. The reason why we didn't work together is because COBP never knows what will happen during our demos, and the sex workers were uneasy, because they were afraid to get the backlash from the police, and in all probability this would have occurred. However one member of COBP did go to their demo as well. COBP PS. ARA- Montreal, also sent out an earlier report. If you would like us to forward that one, please let us know. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytrc-10.25.97-23:08:50-28536