2010-09-22

G8/G20 Communique: Police continue to hunt down G20 activists almost three months after the Summit

Alex Hundert
Toronto West Detention Centre
111 Disco Rd, Box 4950
Toronto (Rexdale), Ontario, M9W 5L6

He has appeared in court twice since his arrest and activists fear he may remain incarcerated for weeks as prosecutors seek to revoke his bail.

"We are outraged at Alex's re-arrest. He was speaking at a panel discussion in a university classroom alongside professors, which is clearly not a public demonstration," said No One Is Illegal organizer Mohan Mishra in a statement to the press. "This is yet another attempt to silence Alex, and is a strong indication of the police's intent to criminalize ideas, dissent, and effective community organizing."

In a previous media statement, Hundert has stated "They are targeting me and trying to send me to jail because I am part of communities that are effectively organizing across movements. Whether it is the criminalization of anarchists and community organizers like me, or the daily demonization of Indigenous peoples, poor people and migrant communities, we are living in the midst of an increasingly aggressive and openly racist Harper regime that serves only to protect property and profit, not people. We have to show them that our resolve and our solidarity can be stronger than their intimidation and repression."

According to Megan Kinch, "The re-arrest of Alex Hundert on (Friday September 24, 2010), on flimsy charges is part of a pattern of police harassment against activists and community organizers which has gone on continuously since the G20 in June."

G20 activists alleged that the police are targeting Indigenous Rights activists.

One example is Indigenous Rights activist Ryan Rainville, of the Sackimay Nation, must post $80,000 before he can be released from prison where he remains since being re-arrested on August 5, 2010.

"It is a travesty that Ryan, as an Indigenous man deeply committed to protecting the land, has been targeted by the G20 security apparatus. This is part of the ongoing criminalization of Indigenous people who challenge the dominant assumption that land is to be exploited for profit," says Indigenous sovereigntist Jen Meunier.

Another Toronto activist, who declined to be named, said "This is a strategy, they are spreading out the arrests to increase fear and panic, it's so typical - but it won't work, it never works, it will only make us stronger."

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is demanding that the Toronto Police Service (TPS) to destroy the police records of many of the 1105 people arrested during the G20 Summit. In a letter dated September 8, 2010, the CCLA asks Chief Blair to expunge all G20-related police records of persons that were arrested and never charged, or who were charged, but have since had their charges withdrawn or dismissed.

The CCLA is concerned that information about G20-related police contact may surface during police background checks that are regularly requested by some employers and volunteer agencies. This could unduly prejudice the future endeavours of individuals caught up in the mass arrests made during the G20 Summit.

**

Timeline of post-G20 police harassment of activists:

--July 14th- Police release photos of '10 most wanted' at press conference

--July 21st- Eleven people arrested at OCAP rally

--July 21st- Kelly Pflug-Back turns herself in after her photo is released to the media. Eventually released on $80,000 bail.

--July 23rd- Esplanade Community Group youth leader Farshad Azadian arrested for 'obstruction' while standing 10 m away from police

--July 30th- Alex Hundert and Leah Henderson told that speaking to the press is a violation of bail conditions

--August 5th- Indigenous rights activist Ryan Rainville arrested. Unable to post sufficient bail, Ryan remains in jail, currently at Maplehurst.

--August 6th- Police release more photos of g20 'most wanted'

--August 23rd - 300 people appear in Toronto court on G20 related charges, over 100 charges dropped

--Aug 26th- Community activist arrested after Hamilton Coalition Against the G20 event

--Sept 2nd- Juan-Pablo Lepore, documentary film-maker and independent journalist, arrested on G20-related charges in Montreal.

--Sept 3rd- indigenous solidarity activist Erik Lankin finally released from jail after 10 weeks in prison

--Sept 11th- computer security expert Byron Sonne remains in jail since being arrested on June 22nd. Gary McCullough, arrested for driving near the G20 security zone with most of his possessions in his car, is also still in jail as does Juan-Pablo Lepore

--Sept 17th- Alex Hundert is rearrested after giving a lecture in a classroom for breach of bail condition of non-participation in public demonstrations

Source: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/statica/2010/09/g8g20-communiqu%C3%A9-police-continue-hunt-down-g20-activists