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Tip: Your message to SUST-MAR must be html-free. So, BEFORE you hit SEND, please go to your "Format" pull-down menu and select "Plain text." Thanks! ____________________________________________________________________________ from: dissent@riseup.net WE FILLED THE STREETS, NOW WE MUST PACK THE COURTROOM! Please distribute widely On June 14th & 15th, 2002, the Halifax Regional Police used excessive force to suppress demonstrators from showing their discontent with the policies of the G7. The G7 are the seven most wealthiest and powerful counties in the world. They met in Halifax in order to maintain the system of inequality, war, and the exploitation of oppressed people throughout the world. On the last of two day of the protest, over 30 people were aggressively arrested and only five of them were charged. Who were those five? They were organizers; people who help coordinate the demonstrations, they are our friends and family who helped bring us together in one unified voice against Corporate Globalization. Now two of them face long trials as the crown attempts to silence them and our movement. Both Chris Arsenault and Aaron Koleszar are being charged with Unlawful Assembly. Aaron’s trial is planned for July 2004, over two full years since the G7 demonstration. Chris’s trial is scheduled for 3 full days, December 15th, 16th and 18th of this year. Time is running out and trial support in critically needed. Please show your solidarity for our brother Chris. The state is continuing its attacks on civil liberties into the courtroom; this cannot happen in silence, WE MUST FOLLOW! These trials are an obvious attempt to target, suppress and punish those people who organize and to scare us into blind obedience. Dissenting against the “Status Quo” IS A CRIME, standing up for one’s rights IS A CRIME, assembling IS A CRIME, having a voice IS A CRIME, caring about everyone in this world IS A CRIME, believing that people are more important than money IS A CRIME. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! December 15th & 16th (with the possibility of the 18th, Thursday) 9 am Spring Garden Road Court House (across from the SGR Library) Court Room # 4 For updates please check the new Maritimes Indy Media http://maritimes.indymedia.org or email: dissent@riseup.net REVOLUTION IS NOT JUST AN OUTDOOR SPORT. PACK THE COURT! UP COMING EVENTS: ON AIR DISCUSSION: with John Clarke of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), Anna Hunter of Mobilization for Global Justice (MobGlob) and Aaron Koleszar, G7 defendant and long time activists. CKDU 97.5 FM Tuesday December 16th, 2003 5pm – 6pm CRIMINALIZING DISSENT: an evening with the G7 defendants and John Clarke of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP). Khyber Centre for the Arts (1588 Barrington) Ballroom, 2nd floor Tuesday December 16th, 2003 For more info on these and other events please contact Manufacturing Dissent dissent@riseup.net A message from G7 Defendant Chris Arsenault Hey there comrades, I hope all is well and fierce back on the lovely East Coast. Before I explain a little bit about the G7 protests and the ensuing charges, I want to send thanks and solidarity to everyone who is working on trial support. Legally and politically, these are difficult times for everyone. But it is better the state go after privileged white-boys than people who are marginalized and have less resources. On June 14th and 15th, 2001 the G7 finance ministers, along with reps from the IMF and World Bank, had their ministerial meeting in Halifax, prior to the G8 summit in Alberta. The G7 Welcoming Committee, a beautifully broad coalition of activist groups, organized a series of teach-ins around globalization and planned two days of spirited protests. The first day of protests was fun, about 350 of us marched from The Commons to the barricades surrounding the World Trade and Convention Center and then chanted for awhile. Then we walked up Spring Garden Rd. and through Parklane mall, out-maneuvering the cops every step of the way. The 2nd day of protests started pretty well the same way as the first; a round of speeches at The Commons and then a slightly larger (around 450) march to the Convention Center. We had been organizing for the protests during the several months period, and came to a consensus to use some non-violent civil disobedience during the events. It was really pretty tame stuff. A couple of people moved some barricades, got a little bit closer to the convention center, and then we all screamed like hell. Later we overheard that delegates couldn't enjoy their lunch because of all the noise. As we chanted, one black clad individual (who none of us knew) came to the front of the crowd and fired a sling shot at the police line. He scampered off right after. The police and media used this event during the aftermath of the protests, as a testament to our violent intentions. A few of us found the whole incident sort of strange. Firstly, because no one else was 'blocked up', well not in black anyways. There was an amazing and creative 'pink bloc' but we had decided the whole black thing was a little passé. Many of us feel the mystery sling shooter was either: a disenfranchised weirdo, a nazi or most likely- a police provocateur. After the sling shot incident, there was some more chanting and moving of barricades. A couple members of the corporate media were jostled in the shuffle, as they tried to get up-close footage of people on the front lines. Again, things went back to chanting and chilling and then several minutes later (without any warning) the police fired several rounds of teargas into our midst. Few of us were prepared for the gas, and it obviously unpleasant.
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