Fw: ACT-CUTS-ONT-L: Undercover cop and cattleprod
Graeme Bacque (gbacque@idirect.com)
Sat, 15 May 1999 15:09:31 -0400
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Shapcott <mshapcot@web.net>
To: <mshapcot@web.net>
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 1999 2:34 PM
Subject: ACT-CUTS-ONT-L: Undercover cop and cattleprod
A group of poor people and anti-poverty advocates gathered at the Air
Canada Centre in downtown Toronto today as Mike Harris was set to do a
photo opportunity on workfare and welfare. We distributed to the media
research studies on the overblown claims and damage being done by the
Harris government's 21.6% welfare cuts, plus the more recent attempt to
further demonize the poor by calling for mandatory drug testing for
welfare
recipients.
The police surrounding Harris were vicious. One undercover cop used a
cattleprod (the police call these "asps", I believe) against one of the
anti-poverty advocates. This particular officer was inside the building
and
came running out. He dashed towards the advocate, who was being wrestled
to
the ground, and stunned him with the cattleprod.
The man with the prod was confronted, and he denied that he was a cop.
Two of us went to the police sergeant and reported the incident. He said
that the man with the cattleprod was indeed an undercover police officer.
I am certainly no stranger to political events, but the atmosphere
surrounding Harris is as chilling as anything that I have experienced.
Question: why are the cops around Harris using such high-voltage technology
against their critics? Harris is escalating the tension by allowing and
condoning such tactics.
Michael
>
>
> Information about Ow-Watch-L at:
> http://www.welfarewatch.toronto.on.ca/wrkfrw/welcome.html
> Visit the Workfare Watch Project Website at:
> http://www.welfarewatch.toronto.on.ca/