The Legal Self-Defense Committee of the Anti-Capitalist Convergence (CLAC) is getting its Legal Self-Defense Fund back together. The fund aims to support people who are victims of police or legal repression for alleged acts committed in the context of individual or collective actions with an anti-capitalist, feminist, anti-colonial or anti-racist scope.
The CLAC Legal Defense Fund aims to support people who are victims of police or legal repression for alleged actions committed in the context of individual or collective actions with an anti-capitalist, feminist, anti-colonial or anti-racist scope.
The fund is managed by the CLAC's Legal Self-Defense Committee. The committee may decide to fund a portion of legal fees in situations it deems appropriate. It is generally recommended that the committee be contacted as soon as possible following an arrest in order to develop a collaboration strategy.
À la demande populaire, nous avons réalisé un petit guide sur la sécurité en manif, destiné aux nouveau-elles manifestant-e-s!
Did you get arrested during the G20 in Toronto in June 2010 ?
If you did, you could receive a financial compensation because the Class Action filed by some of the arrestees was won. For more informations about the Class Action : https://www.g-20classactionsettlement.ca/
You have until February 16, 2021 to submit your claim on this website : https://www.g-20classactionsettlement.ca/en/claim
Si vous êtes arrêtéE lors de la manifestation du 1er mai 2017, le comité de soutien et d'autodéfense juridique de la CLAC vous invite à :
Si vous avez été arrêtéE lors de la manifestation du 1er mai 2016, le comité de soutien et d'autodéfense juridique de la CLAC vous invite à :
Pour la semaine contre les prisons qui aura lieu au début d'août de cette année, le comité autodéfense de la CLAC monte un zine d'information sur les prisons. L'objectif du zine est de fournir des informations pratiques pour les personnes nouvellement incarcéréEs et leurs proches, ainsi que de laisser la parole aux personnes qui ont fait un séjour en prison. La répression violente du printemps 2015 a été accompagnée de multiples incarcérations. Plusieurs militantEs désirent donc savoir à quoi s'attendre lorsque l'on fait face à une peine d'emprisonnement, à la détention en attente d’un procès, ou bien lorsqu'unE proche ou amiE se retrouve incarcérée. Que faut-il savoir ? Que faut-il amener ? Comment se préparer ? Qu'est-il possible de faire en prison ? Qu'est-il possible de faire pour aider unE prisonnièrE ? Comment montrer sa solidarité envers les personnes incarcéréEs ?
If you were arrested during the May 1st anti-capitalist demonstration, the CLAC Legal Support Committee encourages you to challenge your ticket; here’s a little reminder about how to do so:
http://www.clac-montreal.net/FAQ_juridique
If you were arrested and you haven’t added your name to the list of people arrested, or you haven’t been contacted by the support committee within the next 24 hours (check your spam filters), please get in touch so that we can stay in touch and send updates.
If you need support, or you’re facing criminal charges, we encourage you to get in touch with us at defense @ clac-montreal.net .
For legal infos in case of arrest or to prepare for a demonstration, check out these pages
>> To make a donation to support our comrades, please click here.
>> To send them a letter directly, please click here.
| On the night of January 5th, Carlos - a comrade from Mexico, and Amelie and Fallon - two comrades from Canada, were arrested in relation to a Molotov attack on the Ministry of Communication and Transportation and a Nissan dealership in Mexico City. The three have since been held in detention and have limited contact with anyone, including their lawyer, and Amelie and Fallon have also been visited by the Canadian consulate. Though they were initially accused of property destruction, the three may now face additional charges of sabotage, organized crime, and terrorism. If these charges are brought forward, bail will not be possible and deportation for the two from Canada is highly unlikely. All three would then be held until trial without the possibility of release. Due to the possibility of their charges falling under the anti-terrorism law, there is a 48-hour extension to how long the comrades can be held by the Mexican Central Investigative Agency before their charges must be finalized - this extension has already been granted, and can be renewed several times. These charges come at a time of intense crackdown by the Mexican state on anarchists; from attacks on demonstrations, torture of arrested comrades - including the torture and deportation of Gustavo Rodriguez, and barring the entry of Alfredo Bonanno. The state is now attempting to spin a narrative of foreigners coming in and causing disruption, thus ignoring and even erasing the rich history of anarchist struggle against the state in Mexico. Over the past few years in Mexico City, an insurrectionary anarchist struggle has intensified. Bombings of banks and churches, among other institutions of domination, have taken place frequently, and solidarity with insurrectionary anarchists in Mexico and worldwide has been central to these actions. We must recognize that the repression and penalization that comrades are facing now occurs in this context. Regardless of the guilt or innocence of these specific comrades, we want to express solidarity, complicity, and a strong desire to see attacks on the state and capital continue and spread. In reality, the Canadians causing disruption in Mexico are the mining companies and military technologies; the same ones that exploit unceded Indigenous land in Canada and elsewhere around the world. Given that capitalist exploitation and misery knows no borders, the struggle against capitalism and the state apparatus must not stop at national borders. Our strength lies in our capacity to recognize the commonalities of our struggles so that they may spread, and to act in solidarity so that the struggles of our incarcerated comrades may continue. We write this statement to express our deep solidarity with and love for our friends and comrades – Carlos, Amelie and Fallon. Although we are writing from a different context, it is critical that our solidarity is also with the struggle in which this action occurred. Our friends and comrades facing these charges are experiencing the intensity of repression. Our solidarity must meet that intensity with respect for where they stand, admiration for their strength, and a continuation of the struggle in Canada, Mexico, and globally. Love and freedom to the 5e three*, Prisoners to the streets, For freedom and anarchy, -- Friends in struggle |
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To make a donation to support our comrades, please, write a cheque to: Convergence des luttes anticapitalistes
Please indicate "Mexico" in the memo line. And send to the following adress: CLAC-Montréal
c/o QPIRG Concordia 1455 de Maisonneuve O Montréal, Quebec H3G 1M8 To make cash contributions, you can visit QPIRG-CONCORDIA (1500 de Maisonneuve O., Montréal, suite 204) and give the cash to one of the Staff, between 12pm-6pm, Monday to Thursday. You can also make a donation online: |
To write to Fallon and Amélie:
To write to Carlos:
Here are answers to the more recurring questions about arrests, ticket contestation, self-defense in court and other juridical questions.
We are neither lawyers nor members of the Barreau du Québec. The basic advice provided in this FAQ is intended for general
information and is based on our research and experience of state repression and its judicial circus.
The situations in which we have to face these attacks are all different from each other, and considering all the special nuances we strongly advise you to use multiple sources of information before you embark on these legal battles..
Directions, accessibilité, et plus à: www.epoquemtl.org
Soiree speciale “anarcho-punk”:
Voici certaines des bonnes choses que vous trouverez en venant a La Belle Époque ce soir-la:
Le vernissage d'une exposition de photos. Laissez-vous doucement plonger dans l'univers des concerts punk et des squats, un univers composé d'émotions, de gens et de lieux excitants.
La sortie d'un zine collectif réalisé par de bizarres, mais adorables personnes de Montréal. Elles vous parleront dans ces pages d'anarchisme, de santé mentale, de musique et d'idées punks, de tatouages, de la vie, et de quelques autres choses. Une certaine quantité de copies du zine sera disponible sur place. Pas de problème.
Une projection de film: venez passer du bon temps où simplement vous relaxer en regardant The Day the Country Died, un documentaire (Angleterre, 2007, 90 minutes) sur l'anarcho-punk, et plus précisément sur la scène anarcho-punk anglaise des années 80. L'amour du punk, la politique radicale, les idées et démarches DIY, tous cela sera au rendez-vous.
À manger! On fera en sorte de bien prendre soin de vos petits ventres, en vous préparant avec amour et tendresse de la bonne bouffe vegan.
C'est une soirée de soutien politique : tous l'argent récolté avec la bouffe et les photos vendues (oui, il sera possible d'acheter des photos de l'expo, pour la modique somme de pas cher) ira aux personnes arrêtées lors de la manifestation anticapitaliste du 1er mai 2012, par le biais de la CLAC, pour les aider a s'en sortir avec toute la merde judiciaire qu'elles doivent affronter.
Donc, amenez votre alcool, votre sourire, votre curiosité ou votre amour pour le punk et la politique radicale, votre enthousiasme, votre humeur joyeuse ou triste (on accepte les deux, pas de soucis), et tout ce qui vous parait nécessaire pour passer un bon moment. Et en retour, nous verseront du vin, du fun, et de l'amitié dans vos gorges et, bien sûr, dans vos cœurs.
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The G20 Legal Defence Fund (Quebec) was founded by the assemblies of CLAC 2010 (Anti-Capitalist Convergence) and RAG20 (Regroupement des arrêtéEs du G20) in 2010, following the mass arrests in Toronto during protests against the G20. The purpose of the G20 Legal Defence Fund was to guarantee that everyone from Quebec facing criminal charges related to the G20 in Toronto had access to legal defence. Read more about the CLAC LEgal Suppor Fund fund here: www.clac-montreal.net/en/legal_support Read more about the post-G20 fund here: www.clac-montreal.net/en/fund_G20 At the request of the CLAC Legal Self-Defence and Support Committee, and in consultation with Je Donne à Nous (http://jedonneanous.org) and CLASSE Légal, the G20 Legal Defence Fund (Quebec) is expanding its mandate to include non-legal expenses related to arrests in the context of the popular movement in support of the student strike and during demonstrations organized by CLAC. The name of the fund will change from G20 Legal Defence Fund (Quebec) to the CLAC Legal Defence Fund. The CLAC Legal Defence Fund will follow new guidelines established by the CLAC Self-Defence Committee, in consultation with CLASSE Légal and Je donne à nous. Under these guidelines, the CLAC Legal Defence Fund will continue to support the remaining G20 cases. The CLAC Legal Defence Fund will remain under the oversight of a body accountable to the CLAC General Assembly. The current membership of the oversight body was originally ratified by CLAC and RAG20 in 2010. The fund can be contacted at : defense@clac-montreal.net |
The original G20 Legal Defence Fund prioritizes meeting the legal expenses of all individuals facing criminal charges and potential jail time (and/or deportation) related to the G20 protests in Toronto. The fund is based on the principle that no accused should plead guilty or feel obliged to plea-bargain based on the lack of funds or resources. The Fund considers that all arrests occurred in the context of a legitimate struggle against the capitalist policies of the G20, and that all charges should be dropped immediately.
The G20 Legal Defence fund is managed by a group of local community organizers who are not facing legal charges themselves, and will ensure that legal funds are properly disbursed.
The old G20 Legal Defence fund is now called the CLAC Legal Defence Fund. The CLAC Legal Defence Fund is expanding its mandate to include non-legal expenses related to arrests in the context of the popular movement in support of the student strike and during demonstrations organized by CLAC.
The kinds of non-legal expenses in relation to the social strike that the fund will cover includes: travel costs, rent, phone calls, lost wages, etc.
For legal expenses (lawyers fees and bail) please contact: Je Donnes à Nous: http://jedonneanous.org
The CLAC Legal Defence Fund holds the position that all charges related to the Quebec social strike are aspects of a general context of political repression and that they should all be dropped immediately. All of the arrests occurred in the course of a legitimate struggle against the capitalism and the state. The CLAC Legal Defence Fund will attempt to meet the needs of all those who were arrested, even the innocent ones.
You must fill out the following form in order to access the funds: the Legal Fund Application Form
If this is an urgent need, please contact defense@clac-montreal.net AND info@clac-montreal.net
-> IF YOU ARE UNDER ARREST, PHONE: 514-289-9995
This is the phone number of sympathetic local lawyers. They speak fluent French and competent English.
Make sure you remember this number (write it down on your body if necessary). This number is very busy, so please only phone IF UNDER ARREST
*** PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH OTHERS ***
A MESSAGE TO THOSE ARRESTED ON MAY 1ST
This past May 1st, in the hours following the anti-capitalist
demonstration organized by CLAC-Montreal (the Anti-Capitalist
Convergence), 107 people were arrested and several were brutalized
by the police. So far as we know, most of those arrested received
tickets for unlawful assembly, while some people received criminal
charges. Everyone was released during the night of the demonstration
or over the two days that followed.
If you are one of those who were arrested on May 1st, this message
is for you.
If you received a ticket after being arrested on May 1st, it is
important to challenge it! This can be a long procedure, but it is
our opinion that we should refuse to pay these illegitimate tickets
which are another method the State uses to discourage us from
rebelling. Let’s show them that their strategy isn’t going to work!
In this vein, we are going to organize as a group to challenge the
tickets, with the help of a lawyer. So if you would like to
challenge your ticket, write to us at: defense@clac-montreal.net and we will contact you for a meeting to share information and organize to challenge the tickets.
If you were arrested on May 1st and you have been charged with a
criminal offense, contact us at: defense@clac-montreal.net and we will get in touch for a meeting to share information and organize the defense of those charged.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, it is easier and less
discouraging to defend yourself with other people and this way we
can work together to raise the funds necessary for the defense!
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:
Whether you are challenging a ticket or defending yourself against
criminal charges, here are some important things you can do:
* As soon as possible, write down what happened before, during, and
after your arrest, to help you remember later on, as trials can last
for months and even years. Include what was happening at the time,
the names or badge numbers of the police you were dealing with, the
circumstances of your arrest, etc. In other words, include any
details that could be relevant to your defense.
* Take photos of any injuries you sustained and keep proof of any
visits to a healthcare provider.
* If you know people who witnessed your arrest, ask them to also
write down what happened, in order to help them remember later on.
* If you have any video footage or photos of what happened, keep the
original and make sure to have the contact information for the
person who took the video or photos in question.
If you have any questions or need any information or if you need
help to lodge a complaint against the police, contact us at : defense@clac-montreal.net
CLAC-Montreal Follow-Up Committee
Mise à jour de ma situation juridique -- Juillet 2011
Pat Cadorette
Le 26 juin 2010, vers 10 h, soit quelques heures avant le coup d'envoi des manifestations historiques contre la tenue du Sommet du G20 à Toronto, j'ai été interpellé et placé en état d'arrestation par un groupe spécial d'intervention du service de police de la ville de Toronto. On me lu mes droits et m'informa que j'étais accusé d'une série de chefs de complot pour mon rôle présumé dans l'organisation des manifestations populaires qui devaient avoir lieu quelques heures plus tard.
info @ clac-montreal.net
CLAC's educ-pop commitee is a member of GRIP-UQAM.
CLAC is a member of QPIRG-Concordia.
