A few minutes after the business closed, a surveillance camera captured a masked individual writing some hardly flattering graffiti. For the owner, Stéphane Allard, there is no doubt that it was a planned, anti-gentrification action. “You see four individuals pass by with a backpack. Then you see a masked person write hateful graffiti”, explains Mr. Allard, who estimates he lost an entire day of work. ...
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On Monday, February 13th, activists calling for open borders dropped a banner over a busy Montreal highway reading “Trump fasciste, Trudeau complice” (Trump is fascist, Trudeau is complicit). The action, across from Justin Trudeau’s constituency office, comes as Trudeau visits Trump in Washington, D.C. Read the full press release here , or see more photos and statements from the Open Borders Collective on facebook . A grassroots movement that combines anti-colonial, anti-capitalist opposition to neoliberalism, while also supporting Indigenous sovereignty and migrant justice, is necessary to defeat Trump and the Far-Right, and the people who normalize him,” stated Grewal. ...
This morning, the City of Montreal Executive Committee is expected to take the first steps to declare Montreal a “Sanctuary City”, similar to the hundreds of Sanctuary Cities that already exist in the United States, and more recently in Toronto, Hamilton and Vancouver. Declaring Montreal a “Sanctuary City” is not sufficient on its own. “The City of Montreal needs to get beyond easy symbolism, and undertake tangible measures to ensure non-cooperation with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to end deportations and ensure access without fear by undocumented migrants to all essential services, including health care, education, and housing,” says Stacey Gomez, a community organizer with Solidarity Across Borders, a migrant justice organization in Montreal active since 2004. ...
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Standing front of the consulate doors with banners and signs, first in silent sorrow and anger, protesters then began spontaneously chanting together- not only against Trump’s Muslim ban, but also against the racism that runs rampant across the Quebec political spectrum, against Canada’s exclusionary immigration policies, and against white supremacy. The ad-hoc group demanded the immediate opening of the US-Canadian border, an end to the safe the safe third country agreement and designated country of origin list, and an ongoing, comprehensive regularization program for undocumented people already in Canada (for more information on these demands see www.solidarityacrossborders.org ). ...
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Montreal’s activists came out in force to #DisruptJ20, burning a Trump effigy in front of the American consulate, taking over an upscale shopping mall, and smashing up the city’s main commercial drive. If you love these reports support us! submedia.tv/donate People are already organizing an un-welcoming committee for Trump’s upcoming visit to Canada. For more info go to trumpunwelcoming.org
From Toute détention est politique For the fifth consecutive year, a noise demo was held in front of the detention centers in Laval to wish prisoners a happy new year and show them our solidarity. The group of about 60 people accompanied by musical instruments and fireworks gathered in front of Leclerc penitentiary, the Immigration Center, the transitional residences B16 and the Federal Training Center (FTC). The rally was also an opportunity to remember Arash Aslani, a former detainee at the Immigration Detention Center who died this year. He began a hunger strike in 2005, which led to his release after almost a month. He since continued to be involved in struggles for migrants (To know more, click here ). The migrants’ detention conditions in Canada are particularly alarming, often being held for indefinite periods without charges or trials. It should also be mentioned that at least two migrants died during their detention in these centers this year. ...
This is a callout for anti-capitalist and anti-colonial resistance, rooted in a spirit of solidarity and mutual support, respecting a diversity of tactics. Canada is usually the first foreign visit of a newly-elected US President and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has invited US President-elect Donald Trump to visit Canada “at the earliest opportunity,” probably in early 2017. We won’t wait for the details. In solidarity with the ongoing, massive anti-Trump protests in the USA, we’re calling for resistance and disruption of Trump’s visit to Canada, in Ottawa and elsewhere. Wherever and whenever Trump arrives in Canada, we’re organizing now to resist and disrupt his racist, sexist, far-right, xenophobic and anti-immigrant politics. ...
We started our night off at the Niagara Detention Centre – an institution known for extreme overcrowding, inmate suicide, and hunger striking migrants. In the pouring rain, a crowd of 35 people gathered and marched along the perimeter of the prison. A full marching band in balaclavas played, while others set off fireworks and chanted. A handful of screws tried rushing us off the property but were met with insults and disregard as we finished our loop and left without incident. ...
Download and Listen Here This show featured news and a pre-recorded interview from Kingston’s Prison Radio with Sherri from Saskachewan about the December 14th riot in Saskachewan Pen in Prince Albert. We also had a live phone interview with Claude Marks, a former political prisoner and organizer with the Freedom Archives project. We talked to Claude about political prisoner and former Black Panther Jalil Muntaqim. Jalil is currently facing time in long term segregated housing for teaching his Black history class about the Black Panther Party. More info about Jalil is available at freejalil.com. ...