THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 9:30AM-4PM
Old City Hall Court, 60 Queen Street West
Courtroom 123
TORONTO
[Note: The hearing will begin at 10am, but there is a security check for everyone who enters the courtroom, so you’re encouraged to arrive at 9:30am. The hearing could continue on Friday, April 29 as well, but that will only be confirmed at the end of Thursday, April 28.]
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"Sometimes you put up walls not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down." - Anonymous
"Sometimes you put up walls not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down." - Anonymous
News Articles:
G20 activist Jaggi Singh unrepentant after suspended sentence (Toronto Star):
http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/article/1012501--g20-activist-jaggi-si...
Jaggi Singh set free: "My only regret is that we didn’t succeed in tearing down that fence.” (NOW Magazine):
http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/news/story.cfm?content=181355
Activist Jaggi Singh Given Suspended Sentence for G20 Speech (Toronto Media Co-op):
http://toronto.mediacoop.ca/story/activist-jaggi-singh-given-suspended-s...
The banks and big corporations have emerged from the economic crisis as winners. They continue to amass record profits! But, for the majority of the population, things are going differently. The crisis not only funnelled hundreds of billions of dollars of public money into "saving" the financial system, it served as a pretext for big businesses to carry out massive lay-offs and for governments world-wide to cut social services such as education and health.
Capitalism only serves a handful of individuals. There have been endless corruption scandals and thefts of public funds. There have been tax cuts for the rich ... followed by cut-backs imposed on us. The greed of the rich is matched only by the enormous bonuses they lavish on themselves. It's ridiculous!
Immigrants, the unemployed, people on social assistance, single mothers and the elderly are cruelly affected by the crisis of capitalism. But the so-called "middle" class is now also directly affected and the situation is only going to get worse: higher costs of living, lower salaries, reduced social protections, privatization, health care user-fees and more.
We all contribute to the production of wealth. There is no valid reason for not sharing it fairly. There is absolutely no reason why this wealth should be stolen by a handful of billionaires, whether they be business leaders, war-lords, oil kings or dictators! Let's follow the example of the angry people of Tunisia, Egypt and Greece. Here, just like there, against capitalism, against all forms of oppression, for a better life, we have every reason to rise up!
Let's rise up in the streets of Montreal on May 1st, International Workers' Day. Bring your flags and your scarves. Let's hit the streets!
An invitation from CLAC-Montréal, www.clac2010.net / blocampmontreal@gmail.com
Ici comme ailleurs, on a raison de se révolter!
Les banques et les grandes entreprises sortent gagnantes de la crise économique et continuent de générer des profits records! Mais il en va autrement pour la majorité de la population. En plus d’avoir injecté des centaines de milliards de dollars de fonds publics pour « sauver » le système financier, cette crise sert de prétexte aux grandes entreprises pour faire des mises à pied massives et aux gouvernements du monde entier pour couper les services à la population comme en santé et en éducation.
Defendant to ask that all bail conditions are rescinded, including ban on demonstrations
When: Tuesday, November 30, 10am
Where: Ontario Superior Court at 361 University Avenue
between Dundas & Queen Street
(for exact courtroom location, look for “Singh, Jaggi” on the court roll)
If you oppose the restrictive bail conditions imposed on all G20 “conspiracy” defendants – ban on demonstrations, house arrest, non-association, ban on passports and cellphones, and more -- we ask that you attend court in large numbers this TUESDAY.
Contribute to the G20 Legal Defence Fund in Québec!
Our solidarity is stronger than their repression
It’s been two weeks since we launched the “5000 x 5$” campaign to raise money for the G20 Legal Defence Fund in Québec. Thanks to everyone who has supported this campaign so far. We continue to ask for your support in promoting and contributing to this campaign, especially in the next few weeks as we attempt to meet our fundraising goal of $25,000 by December 17. Updated information is included below.
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE:
Montreal, November 11, 2010 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Anti-capitalist demonstration against the G-20
Friday, November 12th, 2010
Meeting point at 5:00 PM, Cabot Square, Montréal
(Atwater & St-Catherine west)
On the heels of Toronto, the world’s biggest capitalists will meet again in Seoul on November 11th and 12th for another G20 summit. Rallies will be held all over the world to denounce capitalism, misery and poverty.
While we face an economic, social and environmental crisis, Prime Minister Stephen Harper promotes the « stabilization of financial markets », imposing austerity measures that go against the interests of workers, the unemployed and the poorest of the planet. In response, we take to the streets to demonstrate our rage against the capitalist system and show our refusal to submit to those who enrich themselves on our backs through theft, exploitation and repression!
This march will also underline our solidarity with the dozens of people still facing charges from the demonstrations held in Toronto against the G20 summit last June. Months later, the Canadian State continues to criminalize and suppress the voices of dissent. We invite all people, families and communities who believe in a better future, to join us in denouncing capitalism, the G20 and political repression!
In addition to this child-friendly event, we invite groups to join the resistance to the G20 by organizing autonomous actions during the G20 Summit in Seoul taking place from November 11th to the 12th.
Spread the word!
An invitation from the
Convergence des luttes anti-capitalistes 2010 (CLAC2010)
WWW.CLAC2010.NET – blocampmontreal@gmail.com
The Crown’s Crackdown Can’t Stand Up to the Facts
Montreal, October 14th, 2010 -- The Anti-Capitalist Convergence (CLAC) is overjoyed at the Crown’s decision to drop its charges against the almost one hundred demonstrators who were arrested this past June during the people’s protests against the G20 Summit in Toronto.
Remember that several dozen people from Montreal who had taken advantage of transportation and lodging organized by the CLAC, found themselves arrested, detained and facing conspiracy charges following a brutal police raid on the University of Toronto gymnasium on June 27th. Lacking any evidence to back up its case, today the Crown Prosecutor announced that the conspiracy charges would be dropped against these people who were arrested at the gymnasium.
The CLAC is also pleased to announce that charges have been dropped against three of its members, who were “preventatively” arrested on the morning of June 26 and detained for over 72 hours on the basis of these makeshift charges.
This latest about-face by the Crown constitutes an implicit admission of defeat; it shows how flimsy the charges are and how scandalously the police behaved during the security operations around the Summit. It is now clear that the mass arrests at the gymnasium, like the vast majority of the arrests during the Summit, were arbitrary and uncalled for, and were intended to terrorize the demonstrators and to discourage them from exercising their right to protest in the future.
In that vein, the CLAC would like to remind people that the Crown is persisting in its prosecution of twenty organizers that it is wrongly accusing of being the “ringleaders” behind the events of June 26th. There are two CLAC members amongst these scapegoats; they are facing three charges of conspiracy and are currently subject to draconian bail conditions including house arrest.
Alex Hundert of Toronto is one of the twenty people facing conspiracy charges. He was arrested for a second time at his sureties’ home on September 17th for having, according to the Crown Prosecutor, breached his bail condition of “not organizing or attending any public demonstrations.” Earlier that day, Hundert had taken part in a panel discussion at Ryerson University about resistance to the G20. During a second bail hearing that took place on October 6th and 7th, an Ontario Justice of the Peace ruled that by displaying “the same kind of behaviour as he did in meetings prior to the G20,” Hundert had indeed breached one of his bail conditions. It seems that speaking at a university talk in Canada is now to be considered a “public demonstration.” This is a total aberration, a direct attack on the most basic form of freedom of expression: someone is being held in prison for having simply expressed his ideas in public! Recently, at Alex’s last bail hearing, the crown tried to impose harsher conditions, attempting to stop him from expressing his political opinions in public, or in the media. He refused these conditions and remains behind bars until he can appeal them. Besides Alex Hundert, four other people remain behind bars on charges stemming from the G20.
More than three months after the events in question, the police continue to carry out targeted arrests and to issue warrants, and all this is of course being done at the taxpayers’ expense. It is obvious that this judicial and police crackdown, like the strict bail conditions imposed on the accused, are on a completely different scale than the actual crimes observed. Given this pathetic and merciless witchhunt, we can only conclude that the State’s real goal is to criminalize and freeze dissent.
But we refuse to be silenced! In solidarity with the popular mobilizations against the next G20 Summit in Seoul this coming November 11 and 12, the CLAC is organizing an anti-capitalist family-friendly demonstration at Cabot Square, on November 12th at 5pm.
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Here is a live report of the gymnasium arrest from CBC : http://bit.ly/9z7uD2
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 28th, 2010.
The 24th, 27th, and 28th of September saw several court appearances of those arrested and accused during the G20 in June as part of the largest mass arrest in Canadian history. Following these arrests, approximately 300 people are facing criminal charges for their involvement in the anti-G20 movement.
Alex Hundert Locked Up for Taking Part in a Discussion Panel and Anarchism on Trial in the Case of Juan Pablo Lepore
Montreal, September 20, 2010 – Juan Pablo Lepore was arrested in Montreal on September 2nd, and is has been charged with mischief in connection with the G20 summit. Given that the Crown refused his release at his first court appearance, Juan was back in court on September 17th, attempting once again to secure his release while awaiting trial.
Juan Pablo Lepore, 28, was arrested in Montreal on September 2nd for accusations of mischief at the G20 Summit in Toronto this June. The crown has refused his release on bail during his first appearance on Friday, September 3rd. Juan is still detained and his next appearance in court will be Friday, September 17th.
[PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY]
Hello,
This message is to ask you to contribute financially to the liberation of Juan Pablo Lepore, the last person to have been arrested following the G20 events. Since he has been arrested, he's been detained and we obtained a short extension to raise some money to bail him out. We have currently about $3000 and we need $5000, so WE NEED YOUR HELP.
Juan Pablo is an Argentinian documentary film-maker and independent journalist visiting Canada for several months.
Juan Pablo Lepore, 28, was arrested on the morning of September 2 in Montreal, for participating in the G20 Summit in Toronto this June. Juan Pablo was transferred to Toronto the same night and appeared in court Friday morning. The crown has refused his release.
For immediate release – August 23, 2010
TORONTO/MONTREAL – This Monday, August 23, close to 300 individuals, including approximately 100 from Quebec, will be making their first court appearances since the mass arrests and detention of more than 1000 protesters (and bystanders) during the G20 in Toronto in June.
The Anti-Capitalist Convergence of Montreal (CLAC) joins with allies in Toronto and beyond in mobilizing to support all arrested protesters. We continue to demand that all criminal charges related to the G20 be dropped. We also call for the immediate release of those G20 prisoners who remain in custody, including some who have been detained for close to two months. We offer our tangible support and solidarity to all who were arrested and face charges, as well as their friends and family.
The real crime scene in Toronto was the Convention Center, where the G20 leaders, ministers, and bureaucrats -- in complicity with major corporations – gathered to continue their transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich, while agreeing to deepen violent “austerity” measures. The decisions of the G20 leaders have had, and will continue to have, devastating consequences in our communities and for the planet.
We look ahead to the inspiring mobilizations being organized against the G20 to take place in Seoul, South Korea this November to continue the resistance against capitalism.
We came to Toronto in June to oppose the G8/G20’s agenda of unabashed military and economic aggression. We came from diverse local struggles that mutually support each other. We are allies of indigenous sovereignty and migrant justice struggles; we are queers, feminists, youth, students, workers, environmentalists, immigrants, anti-racists and anti-sexists; we organize against police brutality, poverty, cutbacks, privatization and precarity, and for housing rights and environmental justice. We are active in international solidarity, from Colombia to Palestine to Mexico and beyond, and against all borders. We are united in our opposition to a fundamentally unjust capitalist economic system. It is our day-to-day organizing in our communities that motivates our opposition to the G20 and related institutions and gatherings.
The G20 hid behind a $1 billion dollar-plus security operation in the streets of Toronto. That unprecedented expense is also reflected in the charges now faced by hundreds of protesters in courtrooms. Those charges, including serious “conspiracy” charges against many protesters (including dozens from Montreal), are nothing more than an escalated attempt to criminalize dissent and organizing. In response, we know that it is not about who is guilty or innocent, but rather how we struggle and fight together for justice.
[NOTE to all media: CLAC spokespersons will be available for comment and interviews, in both Toronto and Montreal.]
courriel: blocampmontreal @ gmail.com