----- Original Message ----- From: Konstantin Kilibarda <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: STOP NATO! <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, April 22, 2000 7:41 PM Subject: [STOPNATO] TO protest STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.HOME-PAGE.ORG Brian Burch [EMAIL PROTECTED] POLICING IN TORONTO ON GOOD FRIDAY: TWO EXPERIENCES Imagine a public event that wanders through the streets of downtown Toronto, staying primarily on the sidewalks but on several occasions spilling out onto the street, blocking a lane of traffic, while speakers state a desire for social justice. Imagine that a hospital emergency entrance is blocked for several minutes. Imagine that the event marched through the Eaton Centre. Imagine that the event blocked the entrance into Old City Hall Courts. Imagine the response by the police. Imagine a second event. This event was fairly contained, but spilled onto the street in order to quickly move from one site of concern to another. The streets are fairly empty and the participants are moving quickly. Imagine the response by the police. As you can imagine, the first event was "assisted" by the police. The second one was attacked by the police. Both events occured in 52 Division and many of the officers involved in the attack on the protesters also provided escorts for the first event. In downtown Toronto on Good Friday, two groups of people equally committed to social justice and to public expressions of concern saw the two faces of the Toronto police force. I participated in both events---the 11:00 a.m. rally in support of those arrested and brutalized by the police in Washington D.C. and the Ecumenical Good Friday Stations of the Cross, which began at 2:00 p.m. The 11:00 a.m. event involved approximately 100 people, primarily younger than I by 20 years or more. It was spirited but peaceful and certainly was not a group intending to engage in confrontation with the police. We gathered at the U.S. consulate, heard a brief update on the situation in Washington and waited while a symbolic warrant for the arrests of those responsible for the abuse of political activists in Washinton was taped to the U.S. Consulate. Afterwards, there was a brief march to 52 Division where an effort was made to link the experience of the poor in Toronto (who are victims of targeted policing) to the treatment of those who speak out against a system that targets the poor. Again, this was peaceful. At the end of the brief speeches, it was decided to march to Toronto Police Headquarters where it was assumed by many of us participating that the rally would end and people disperse. We marched from 52 Division, along Dundas to University Avenue, and were marching up University to College (where the protest would have then turned east to go to Bay and College). This would have been approximately 4 blocks in total, along fairly empty streets. At Edward, the police diverted the march along Edward where they ordered the protesters onto the sidewalk. This was done at a section of the street where there were cars parked, hindering access to the sidewalk. According to various reports, at one point, a Toronto bicycle cop grabbed a young woman by her hair and threw her backwards over his bike and onto the truck of a car parked by the side of the road. (She was one of the four arrested). A couple of people went to her assistance and were assaulted by the police. These three individuals were dragged to the sidewalk and handcuffed. The woman mentioned above was handcuffed and, with an officer on her back and while in handcuffs, was peppersprayed. The police also charged through the crowd on the sidewalk, slammed one of the participants against the wall of the bus terminal (Elizabeth and Edward) through him to the ground, handcuffed him and, while on his back, peppersprayed him. I was impressed by the ability of the partipants to remain calm in the face of police provocation, to risk coming to the aid of those being assaulted in a non-violent way (trying to physically put their bodies between police clubs and those being hit) without using violence in return. Despite what some media may indicate, the four assaulted and charged with various offenses (obstruct police; assault police) were non-violent activists taking part in activities that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (not to mention a number of court cases--- contact Toronto Action for Social Change at <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> for details) declare are legitimate. And, as an effort to link what was happening in Washington to the experience in Toronto, certainly the police mini-riot was effective. I was somewhat shocked, however, at seeing the unprovoked attack by the police on peaceful protesters. I was especially provoked approximately an hour and a half later when officers that had been involved with the pepper spraying incident showed up at Metropolitan United Church to escort those of us participating in the Ecumenical Good Friday Stations of the Cross. The Good Friday Stations of the Cross comes out of the work of a number of people active in social justice areas who are also part of various Christian faith communities. It has been an annual event for close to two decades. At various sites in the downtown core concerns about war, economic injustice, the abuse of the penal system, homelessness, corporate crimes/ the neo-conservative agenda, and other concerns are confronted (in a non-violent way) involving a variety of forms from street theatre to responsive litanies to biblical readings. I was permitted to address the participants about the events earlier in the day and the presence of some of the same officers at the Good Friday event. I reminded the people that they would be seeing the positive side of the police, because we were people of faith, but the young people earlier in the day-- equally motivated by a concern for justice-- had been attacked by the police and peppersprayed while in handcuffs. These young people were restrained for walking through the streets of downtown Toronto calling for justice on Good Friday. A sizable number of those present did not want the police to accompany us, but the majority opposed the effort to stop them from doing so---primarily out of a motive of inclusivity. The participants left the Metropolitan United Church Hall and spilled out onto Bond Street, blocking a lane of traffic. We heard people speak out on a number of issues related to "Finacialization and Faith." The participants they went west along the sidewalk along Shuter to the Emergency Entrance of St. Michael's hospital. Here the entrance was blocked for approximately 10 minutes, delaying an ambulance. Participants then crossed Victoria Street to Massey Hall, filling up one lane of traffic on Victoria Street, to hear speakers address the "Health Care Crisis". The participants then walked along the sidewalk of Shuter to Yonge Street and entered the Eaton Centre at Albert Street. Outside the west doors, participants heard about "Poverty, Wealth and Consumerism" . People then went west, filling up Albert Street and blocked the large doors to Old City Hall Courts to hear about "Justice and Community". People then walked to Nathan Philips Square where. by a heating grate, the issue of "Homelessness" was focused on. Then into Old City Hall (invited in by Councillor Joe Mihevic) to focus on "Militarism". People then walked over to the Church of the Holy Trinity for "The Final Act---A Parable." At no point, when people overflowed into the streets or walked through the Eaton Centre or blocked the back door to Old City Hall Courts, did the police response with anything other than respect. Several questions arise. Why are certain activities supported by the police at times? Why, at other times, do the police respond by pepper spraying individuals who are in handcuffs and being physically restrained by officers? What message does it sent to the police when certain groups accept the escort of officers identified as being directly involved in the attack? (i.e. how can groups be encouraged to hold the police accountable for their actions?). Some suggestions for follow up include: (a) Contact Councillor Olivia Chow <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Phone: 416-392-4044 Fax: 416-392-4130. Olivia Chow is a member of the Toronto Police Services Board. She should be asked to explain why police are permitted to pepper spray protesters, especially those already in handcuffs and being restrained. (b) Groups should consider refusing to apply for police issued parade permits as long as the police are permitted to pepper spray protesters. Contact TASC <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> for info on hall the courts have dealt with this. (c) People may wish to contact The Ecumenical Good Friday Coalition, c/o Rev. Stuart Coles, Christian Resource Centre, 40 Oak Street, Toronto, Ontario M5A 2C6, asking them to speak out against the police tactics used against those arrested on Good Friday and urge them to not accept special treatment by the police in the future. Brian Burch ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb
