A-Infos (en) Press Release from Citizens Opposed to Police Brutality (COBP)

[jesse hirsh <jesse@tao.ca>]

________________________________________________
     A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
           http://www.ainfos.ca/
________________________________________________

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 21:14:01 -0500
From: Dee or David <seahorse@odyssee.net>
Subject: Press Release from Citizens Opposed to Police Brutality (COBP) 

Davida LeComte, Yves Manseau and Patrick Borden were released as of Friday
evening. The others are still being sought after by the police. 


________________________________________________________________


Press Release from Citizens Opposed to Police Brutality (COBP)
-Montreal, Friday February 20th 1998

	New charges have been laid against five activists~: Patrick Borden, Gaetan
Heroux, Davida [Dee] LeComte, Yves Manseau and Alexandre Popovic. All of these
people had participated in the <~food-commando~> last December 3rd at the
Queen Elizabeth Hotel. Three of these activists were surprised to find
themselves under arrest Wednesday morning. Yves Manseau and Davida LeComte,
of COBP, were arrested at their homes. Patrick Bornen of the CANEVAS
(Collective for non-violent action) was asked to come with the police.
Alexandre Popovic of the Comite des Sans-Emploi de Montreal-Centre and Gaetan
Heroux of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty were not home and are still
being sought by the police.
The three activists who were arrested are still behind bars. Police did not
show any arrest warrants despite the fact that, according to Article 495 (2)
of the Criminal Code, a law enforcement officer can only make an arrest
without a warrant if s/he has reason to believe that the suspect is in the
process of or has just committed a crime. What's more, suring their detention
at the Operational Center-South the accused were held for 28 hours and only
allowed to telephone their lawyers, an abnormal situation for people who are
simply supposed to be signing promises to appear in court. For in fact Mr.
Borden, Ms LeComte and Mr Manseau were all brought to the OC- [Operational
Center] South under the pretense that it was to sign such promises. To
their great surprise  once they got to the OC they were also asked to agree
to certain conditions that they found unacceptable, such as agreeing not to
communicate with each other before their trial.
Charges of participating in an illegal gathering, mischief causing dammages
of under $5000 and assault were laid against Mr Borden and Ms LeComte
following events during their appearance in Municipal court on February 5th.
Mr Manseau has been accused of  intimidation, participating in an illegal
gathering, mischief causing dammages of under $5000 and violation of previous
bail conditions. These new charges were all brought forth yesterday,
apparently because the prosecutor in charge of the Queen Elizabeth case (Mr
Lague), had allegedly been confronted by on February 5th by people who were
wondering why their appearances in court that day had been cancelled.
At their court appearance yesterday, Thursday February 19th, Mr Borden and Ms
LeComte were offered particularly severe conditions. They were asked to agree
not to communicate with any of the other accused from February 5th, to stay
away from the Municipal Court, to keep the peace and to not posess any
weapons! The Crown objected to releasing Mr Manseau under any conditions. So
the three activists ended up spending another night at the
Riviere-des-Prairies and Tanguay detention centers. They are appearing today
to challenge the Crown's assertion that their release would endanger public
security.
This repression is just one more example of the abusive and illegal treatment
the police dish out to activists against police brutality, students, union
members* in fact anyone who exercises their fundemental right to freedom of
expression. It seems clear that ever since the inception of Montreal's
<~community policing~> policies, the police apparatus is becoming more and
more repressive and we are sliding closer and closer towards a police state.
What do you think Mr Duchesneau? [the Chief of Police of Montreal]
The investigator in this case, the Sergeant-Detective Alain Richard, was also
involved in the arrests at the Queen Elizabeth action on December 3rd. We can
be sure that this guy didn't miss a chance to suggest all kinds of charges to
the crown attorney. He also helped tighten the release conditions. It should
also be noted that he is the principal actor in an incident studied by a
<~friendly~> investigation by the Quebec Provincial Police. This
investigation will be referred to in a brief that will be presented to the
Poitras Commission. COBP has been granted the right to make a presentation to
the Poitras Commission.
Here as in France new steps are being taken to get rid of fundemental
freedoms such as the right to exercise democracy in the street rather than in
$100-a-plate banquets where, in exchange for a tax deduction, one can hear
some prime minister prattle on about the wonders of slashing social services.
COBP is not only opposed to police brutality, but also to the brutality of
the court system!
We demand an independent inquiry into these new police tactics!
We demand that all charges related to the Queen Elizabeth action and other
events that have followed be dropped immediately and unconditionally!





     ****** A-Infos News Service *****
  News about and of interest to anarchists

Subscribe -> email MAJORDOMO@TAO.CA
             with the message SUBSCRIBE A-INFOS
Info      -> http://www.ainfos.ca/
Reproduce -> please include this section