March 15, 2003, marks the seventh 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 'le Collective Oppos� � la Brutalit� Polici�re' (COBP-Montreal). Since
its first year, the International Day Against Police Brutality (IDAPB) has
been a success. This date was chosen because on March 15th, two children,
aged 11 and 12, were beaten by the Swiss police.
This day is also an opportunity to create and strengthen an indispensable
international solidarity against the ever-increasing collaboration amongst
global police forces. The IDAPB is one step in ending the isolation of
groups and individuals who, engaged in this struggle, are subjected to
daily repression.
The police, the right arm of the State, abuse their power on a daily basis
and exercise violence with total impunity. Within the police brotherhood,
the complicity of silence eradicates the possibility of one police
officer's innocence. Everywhere they continuously violate the very laws
that they are supposed to uphold. The police check I.D. without reason,
ticket, harass, steal, spy, beat, deport, arrest, imprison, torture and
kill. Their primary targets are "the undesirables of society": the poor,
the homeless, Indigenous peoples, people of colour, immigrants and persons
with irregular status ("illegal immigrants" and people working
under-the-table), sex workers, activists and student activists, the
marginalised, organised workers, queer, gender-based and feminist activists
and people who question and don't accept the legitimacy of the authorities.
In response to the breadth and depth of anti-capitalist globalization
demonstrations opposing the fortress of capitalism, the widening gap
between the rich and the poor, the deepening of poverty, the generalised
misery and deterioration of living conditions, governments invest in their
police forces, in order to maintain, at whatever cost, law and order for
'social peace'.
The reactionary security craze following the September 11 events in the
U.S. gave free reign to world governments to create new fascist
anti-terrorist and racist anti-immigration laws. Systematic surveillance of
all means of communication, tougher border controls (if not their closure)
and total discretionary powers to all police forces directly affect all
"undesirables" (the 'dangerous' class).
Facing a global police state, we have the responsibility to act and support
all victims of State force. We urgently invite you to participate in the
International Day Against Police Brutality (IDAPB). Until now, this event
has taken place in several forms: street theatre, murals, publications,
demonstrations, conferences, postering, workshops, exhibitions, radio and
television shows and other cultural events. Some groups have organised more
than one activity while others have formed coalitions. All collectives or
individuals decide on what type of action, depending on the political
climate of their country, the energy and willingness of people to organise
an event, the resources available, etc. The key thing is the imagination
and the creativity of the people involved.
POLICE = LEGAL TERROR! DOWN WITH POLICE STATES EVERYWHERE! ORGANISE THE
INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY!
Some suggestions and needs:
* If you can't organise for March 15th, try to organise as close to the
date as possible. * If you can't or don't want to participate, please
spread and forward this message. * We need more languages, so any
translation of the message is very much appreciated. Could you please send
the translations to the below email addresses, so that we can publish them
on our websites. * If you organise anything, can you please let us know, in
order to strengthen solidarity and to be able to build a publication about
this worldwide event. * For questions, commentaries, or to find out more
about COBP-Montr�al and COPB-Vancouver please contact us and visit our
websites.
COBP-Montr�al and COPB-Van
Contacts: Snail mail: COBP c/o The Alternative Bookshop 2035 St-Laurent,
2nd floor Montreal, Quebec H2X 2T3
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Websites: COBP-Montr�al:http://www.tao.ca/~cobp/index.html
COPB-Vancouver:http://resist.ca/~copb-van
