Montreal WTO protests

[Kenneth Campbell <kkc@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Quebec has a great (and recent) tradition of social unity and
defiance -- notably back to the asbestos strikes of the 1950s. That,
married to the general youthful opposition to Premier Duplessis and the
government collusion with the Roman Catholic Church, led to the
development of a mass cultural revolution (sometimes called the Quiet
Revolution) and a powerful generation of political leaders from the
province -- including Rene Lévesque, and the "Three Wise Men" who came
to the Liberal party in the early 1960s (Trudeau, Pelletier and
Marchand).

That influence is still powerfully felt across the country.

(Montreal is also known for over-zealous police response,
unfortunately.)

Ken.


--- cut here ---


More than 200 arrested after WTO protests

By TU THANH HA
>From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Tuesday, Jul. 29, 2003


Montreal ? More than 200 people were led into custody in a massive
police sweep Monday after demonstrators stormed through the streets of
downtown Montreal in a protest marred by vandalism.

Some demonstrators who had come to protest against a ministerial meeting
of the World Trade Organization, toppled dumpsters and mailboxes, and
spray-painted or smashed the windows of big-chain clothing stores,
fast-food outlets or fancy cars that got in their way.

Others bemoaned how the reckless violence of the few would obscure the
message of the majority.

After several hours, police had trailed, encircled and arrested more
than 200 people - most of whom had not taken part in the vandalism - as
they convened near an alternative bookstore for food and debate. Most
were charged with participating in an illegal demonstration.

Left behind were besieged merchants too wary to speak to the media, and
protest organizers vowing that they would try again this morning to
disturb the meeting of the 26 trade ministers.

For some, such as Marc Stamos, a onetime Bay-Street-bound lawyer who has
become an activist, or Rachel Engler-Stinger, a doctoral student in
nutrition from Saskatchewan, it was their first time to be cornered by
baton-wielding riot police, cuffed with plastic ties, have their
mug-shots taken and be detained.

For others, like the grey-haired, 77-year-old protester who joked of
being ticklish when police frisked him, it probably wasn't the first
time.

The police argued that, since vandalism broke out during the march, it
became an illegal event. When demonstrators didn't disperse after two
warnings delivered on loudspeakers, the police considered it fair game
to nab nearly half of the 400 to 500 people who earlier had tried to
protest against the WTO gathering.

Many protesters and reporters at the scene did not hear the warnings.
"There were no warnings. They didn't give us the opportunity to
disperse," said Ms. Engler-Stinger, who was among those encircled and
gradually penned in by phalanxes of riot police.

It was her first arrest, but "as soon as I can protest against the WTO
again, I will," she said.

Social activist Jaggi Singh was arrested a few blocks away from the
march and charged with breaching court conditions that he stay away from
demonstrations.

Demonstrators had gathered around 6:30 a.m., some dumping vinegar onto
towels to use as masks in case tear gas was fired. Organizer Stefan
Christoff urged participants to "be disciplined; be responsible."

The march meandered around, in an effort to make the police's work
harder. But each time the protesters got close to the meeting, the path
was blocked by police in riot gear, some wielding tear-gas canisters and
pepper-spray bottles.

Several police vehicles, including minibuses full of riot officers
followed the marchers. Hardcore protesters, younger men with faces
hidden by bandannas, began stripping construction sites of metal gates
and lumber and tossing them in the path of police.

Eventually, they toppled metal garbage cans, dumpsters and mailboxes on
the streets. They daubed anarchist logos onto a BMW sports-utility
vehicle. Two Radio-Canada vehicles were attacked and a cameraman had his
earset yanked away and his camera lenses spray-painted.

The destruction was unleashed mainly by a dozen to two dozen protesters,
who targeted stores from corporations such as the Gap, Burger King or
the Bank of Montreal. The windows of a Canadian Forces recruitment
centre were smashed as well.

One store owner confronted protesters as they were about to break the
store windows, driving them away. Later, when a journalist visited him,
he claimed nothing had happened, but now had two security guards keeping
watch.

One man saw his Porsche windshield get smashed. He grabbed one attacker
by the neck but several others knocked him to the ground. There was
little sympathy for him. "There are people who are dying of hunger," one
told him.

"You can buy yourself another," another said.

Some of the vandals had come prepared to make trouble, bringing along
hammers to attack store fronts.

Many protesters made no efforts to temper their more volatile
colleagues, with some even cheering them.

Others, such as Mr. Stamos, disagreed, saying it detracted from the
movement's criticism of the WTO policies as being too driven by big
business.

"You can't protest against violence and poor treatment and then go do it
yourself. That's hypocritical," he said.

Mr. Stamos was among those arrested. Many organizers and spokespeople
remained free and said the vandalism was a legitimate part of a protest.

"The damages were a minute part of what [corporations] make in profit
each day," Patrick Cadorette said.

"We will continue for sure," another organizer, Mélanie Sylvestre, said.
"We won't stop here."