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The G7 met in Halifax last year and supports environmental degradation
around the world.
These people were targeted for voicing dissent and need support.
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From: <hfx-g7@ziplip.com>
Date: February 18, 2003
Support Halifax G7 Arrestees
February 18, 2003
Activist Legal Defence Fund
317-2070 Quingate Pl
Halifax, NS, B3L 4S1
hfx-g7@ziplip.com
Dear friends, colleagues and supporters,
We are writing this letter to give you an update on our recent activities,
and to ask for your support in our ongoing fundraising efforts.
As you may know, last June several hundred Nova Scotians and supporters
from surrounding areas gathered in downtown Halifax to protest a meeting of
the G7 Finance Ministers. The protesters voiced their opposition to
policies of the governments of the 7 countries represented (8 with Russia),
their plans for further exploitation of Africa through the NEPAD program,
and their links to those global brutalizers, the International Monetary
Fund and the World Bank, who were also in attendance at the meeting.
Many people were arbitrarily attacked with tear-gas, pepper bullets, and
tazer guns for voicing their views. Claims made by the police of violence
have not been substantiated, and in some cases are clearly fabricated. In
all, 31 protesters were arbitrarily arrested and 5 were charged with
resisting arrest, unlawful assembly, and/or obstruction. Many of the
arrests were accompanied by police violence. Several of the arrestees were
left with multiple tazer burns and other wounds.
.
Most of those arrested were denied their right to legal counsel and were
held in cold cells overnight with metal beds and no blankets or food. Some
arrestees were denied access to a bathroom despite repeated requests for up
to five hours. Some of the people facing charges have been given
excessively restrictive release conditions, such as not attending public
demonstrations and not leaving the Maritimes. Their (and our) rights have
been removed. These are only a few examples of the mistreatment and abuse.
The Activist Legal Defence Fund organized in the wake of the protests to
raise money to cover legal costs associated with the actions of the police
last June. Since then, we have worked to support the charged individuals
as they have attended hearings in Halifax. Several people have launched
complaints against the RCMP and Halifax Regional Police. At least one is
considering further legal action. Additionally, as our vision is to
develop long-term support for the activist community in Halifax, we have
also supported several activists arrested during a recent housing protest
in Halifax.
We need your help. The trials are scheduled to begin in April, 2003 and
money is needed well in advance of this to retain lawyers. Please consider
making a donation to the Activist Legal Defence Fund at your earliest
convenience. We anticipate the total cost of defending the G7 arrestees to
total approximately $25,000. We have raised about $5,000 so far, which has
just allowed us to keep abreast of costs to date.
Some Halifax lawyers have generously agreed to work at a reduced rate, and
a group of law students have offered their time and skills to
assist. Nonetheless, the legal costs have quickly mounted, and continue to
rise. Additional fundraising efforts have included concerts, passing the
hat at events, CD and button sales, an art auction, and personal donations.
We ask that you consider contributing to this fund. If you are able to do
so, donations can be mailed to the address above, or deposit directly into
the "Activist Legal Defence Fund" account at the Credit Union Atlantic,
Spring Garden Rd. branch in Halifax, or get in touch for information about
direct depositing into our account from elsewhere..
There are also many other things people can do to help raise money in their
community, like passing a hat at a meeting or demonstration, spreading this
letter to potential supporters, organizing a fundraiser, having donation
jars at supportive businesses, or.anything else you think would help with
legal costs.
Sincerely,
Heather Maxwell, for the
Activist Legal Defence Fund
PS. Please share this letter with others who might support our efforts.
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SUST-MAR TIP: tell your friends how to join sust-mar!
To join, just send "subscribe sust-mar" to majordomo@chebucto.ca
CBC enviro news-briefs follow:
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PROVINCE TO GIVE STORA FINANCIAL BOOST
The Nova Scotia government is about to give money to the Stora paper mill in
Port Hawkesbury.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_storaprovince20030218
NO 'BARN' FOR HALIFAX SEWAGE PLANT: RESIDENTS
The proposed sewage treatment plant for
Halifax won't look like a big box if
residents have their way.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_sewagebox20030218
POLICE ARREST ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATORS
Halifax regional police arrested a dozen people Monday at a protest outside the offices of an aerospace company.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_lockheedprotest20030217
YARMOUTH SAYS 'NO' TO WAR IN IRAQ
Rural Nova Scotians are hoping Ottawa gets this message – even Canadians in small towns are opposed to using force against Iraq.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_yarmouthwar20030217
PLUNGING TEMPERATURES HURTING FISH INDUSTRY
The freezing cold is killing fish in salmon farms across the Maritimes.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_coldfish20030217
N.S. MAKING MONEY FROM BURSARY FUND: REPORT
Nova Scotia and other provinces routinely short-change students who must wait months for their Millennium Scholarship bursaries.
FULL STORY
http://novascotia.cbc.ca/template/servlet/View?filename=ns_millenfunds20030217
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