Apologies for any duplicate postings. Please send preferred or correct email address. Thanks. Having been at this Forum I can say that this is not a true portrayal of the rally, there were no "provocative images and messages" or any "hate-crime". This is simply an action to punish the students for a successful rally on behalf of Palestinian human rights and free speech. McMaster students have been harassed continuously over the past 6 years for their Palestinian work. More information will be forwarded as the case unfolds and as the students request support. Susan.
--- On Fri, 7/18/08, Mariam Ibrahim <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Please visit link: http://www.thespec.com/article/404767 Police seeking hate charges over winter rally at Mac July 18, 2008 Wade Hemsworth The Hamilton Spectator Hamilton police are recommending at least two people involved with a controversial rally last winter at McMaster University be charged with promoting hatred. The case is now in the hands of the Hamilton Crown Attorney's office, which is deciding how to proceed. If the Crown's office believes the charges will stand up, it will make a recommendation to the provincial Attorney General's office, which makes the final call in cases involving the promotion of hatred. The Crown could ask the police to gather more information before proceeding. "At this point, I believe the offences occurred, and I'm hoping to be supported on that," said Detective-Sergeant Chris Kiriakopoulos, the Hamilton police hate-crimes specialist leading the investigation. He laid out his case for the Crown's office in a private meeting Wednesday. In an interview yesterday, he declined to say how many people he is recommending be charged other than there are more than one. At issue is what happened after a public forum at McMaster last Feb. 29. Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups debated the university's decision not to allow McMaster Muslims for Peace and Justice and Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights -- the organizers of "Israeli Apartheid week" -- to post certain promotional material on the basis it was unduly offensive. The moderated forum drew about 300, including McMaster students and faculty, pro-Palestinian supporters from Toronto universities, and pro-Israel supporters from across Hamilton. The atmosphere was tense, and at times threatened to boil over. Once the official agenda ended, some members of the pro-Palestinian side pulled out signs, banners and a loudhailer and began dancing and chanting in the lobby of the student centre where the forum had just wrapped up. Their demonstration included calls for intefadeh, or uprising, and their signs featured provocative images and messages, prompting multiple complaints to the police. [EMAIL PROTECTED] 905-526-3254 __________________________________________________________________ Be smarter than spam. See how smart SpamGuard is at giving junk email the boot with the All-new Yahoo! Mail. Click on Options in Mail and switch to New Mail today or register for free at http://mail.yahoo.ca
