Recent
Watch also...
G8, G20 summit security a waste of money, anarchists say
Max Harrold
“The Vancouver Olympic Games are over, but a torch is still burning,” says a message by the anarchist group that said it was behind the bombing of this Ottawa bank on May 18, 2010.
Anarchists in Montreal say the $930-million security tab to be incurred by Canadians for the upcoming G8 and G20 Summits in the Toronto area is not only is a waste of money; the plan, itself is “psychological warfare” meant to deter protesters.
Speaking at the 11th annual Montreal anarchist book fair Saturday, several attendees criticized the federal government for spending such a sum to keep protesters at bay.
Jaggi Singh, 29, a book fair organizer who said he is planning to protest against the summits, dismissed the meetings as places “where rich men and women defend their interests against other rich men and women.”
News about the massive security at the summits, far greater in terms of cost than previous summits, is “psychological warfare” meant to deter protesters. It won’t work, he said. “We do have a permit to protest,” added Singh. “It’s called the Charter of Rights.”
Adrienne Pan, who sat under a sign reading ‘Space Invaders Against Racism’ and manned a kiosk displaying various zines, or self-published magazines, was critical of security plans for the leaders’ summits June 25 and 26 in Huntsville, Ont., and June 26 and 27 in Toronto.
“It’s oppressive, really,” said Ms. Pan, 28. “That’s not going to help anyone. It’s totally an excuse to cut into social programs that do help people.”
The huge security effort includes 10,000 police officers, private guards and soldiers. In part, their jobs will be to keep protesters — many of them self-styled anarchists — from defacing or destroying public and private property.
Ron Sakolsky, a bookseller from British Columbia, said anarchism promotes individual self-determination and mutual aide. That is not what the G8 and G20 meetings accomplish, he said. “I don’t even think these meetings should exist,” Mr. Sakolsky, 65, said.
His kiosk mate Andrea Langlois added: “Why is a broken window at a Gap store or an RBC bank outlet or the Bay worth more than the lives of people dying in Iraq or Afghanistan?”
Montreal Gazette
Source: http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=3089705