you don't have to go abroad to have your rights violated...

This past weekend saw a PEACEFUL demonstration for Solidarity Across Borders (ie- immigrant rights) turn ugly when the police showed up and arrested four protestors on charges of 'Failure to Disperse'. Bullshit. The demonstration took place on public property and the participants were doing nothing more than exercising their fundamental freedoms (as stated in the Canadian Charter of Rights, s.2(a,b,c,d)). Let me quote:

Fundamental Freedoms
2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms
a) freedom of conscience and religion;
b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;
c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and
d) freedom of association

Tell me why it is that the police (and ostensibly the powers that be) are scared of a group of 20-30 people, a banner, and a megaphone??

Here's a picture of one of the protestors, Asaf, being arrested. Please note that he is not resisting, and that there is a knee jammed into his ribs.


For more information including first-hand accounts and discussion of these events, please see the following link:

http://leftnews.org/archives/2006/05/27/7941/