No One Is Illegal-Montreal News and Events Digest

FEBRUARY 27, 2006

::::: NOT GUILTY! :::::

More than two years after being brutalized by police in Ottawa, non-status migrants and supporters are acquitted

OTTAWA, February 24, 2006: Today, 12 protesters involved with the Action Committee of Non-Status Algerians were acquitted of mischief in relation to the occupation of the Immigration Minister's offices in downtown Ottawa on May 29, 2003, more than two-and-a-half years ago.

The "not-guilty" verdict, for all 12 defendants, was greeted with loud cheers and applause. The courtroom, crammed with more than sixty supporters from Ottawa, Gatineau, Montreal and Toronto, broke into the chant: "So-so-so, solidarité, avec, avec, avec les sans-statut!"

(from OCAP Press Advisory)

February 26, 2006

LIBERALS CONTINUE HARRIS’ ATTACK ON THE POOR

They defend indefensible and “offensive” Safe Streets Act

The Safe Streets Act, a social cleansing bill passed by Harris’ Tories, attacks poor people. It gives the police another tool to harass and arrest homeless people, panhandlers and squeegee workers. Poverty is not a crime and the poor should not be criminalized.

The real criminals are the Liberals for their deceitful, two-faced political antics which jeopardize the safety and security of people on the streets. Michael Bryant, the Attorney General of Ontario, said that the bill was “a joke” when it was under debate. He also called the bill “worse than the status quo”, said parts of it were “offensive” and that it was “an insult to the intelligence of Ontario voters.”* Now he is working to continue that insult by having his government defend the Act.

In September 2003 OCAP Member Gaetan Heroux was witness to Intelligarde officers harassing a man at the corner of Dundas and Sherboune. Metro police arrived at the corner, arrested and assaulted Gaetan, who was simply observing the situation. Police did no investigating before arresting Gaetan who was well known to them for his decades of OCAP organizing in Toronto's east end.

Gaetan and the OCAP legal team filed suit against the Toronto Police for false arrest and negligent investigation and assault. Today (Feb. 21/06) the cops offered a cash settlement for their heavy handed tactics- not wanting to go through with a lawsuit that was bound to expose their illegal actions.

Officer faces charges of assault, mischief
By JEFF GRAY

Friday, March 18, 2005 Page A11

The defense finishes presenting evidence: No more court dates in March!

On Wednesday, March 9th, the defense team for 10 non-status Algerian men and two supporters on trial for "mischief over $5000" after being brutally arrested in the Immigration Minister’s waiting room almost two years ago, called their final witness. He was one of seven accused to take the stand over the course of the past week. In his own words, he testified about the urgent reasons for which the group hand-delivered a letter to Coderre’s Ottawa offices on May 29th, 2003, and about the violence and racism of the takedown perpetrated by Ottawa Police and RCMP that night.

Read on to find out more about the trial and its background...