Homes Not Bombs Protest - 54 arrested outside Canada's Defense
Tom Boland (wgcp@earthlink.net)
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 21:22:45 -0800 (PST)
CANADA Homes Not Bombs Protest - 54 arrested
[Post below contains 4 articles, beginning with a protester's report,
followed by 3 wire service reports. 54 protesters were arrested outside
Canada's Department of National Defense headquerters in Ottawa, Canada's
capitol city.]
1)
FWD Sat, 13 Nov 1999 13:09:04 -0500
From: Brian Burch <burch@tao.ca>
Subject: Notes from the Homes Not Bombs Protest
While a more complete report will be forthcoming, the following is what I
knew as of 8:30 p.m. Friday evening.
On Thursday evening, at about 9:00 p.m., approximately 100 people took part
in a candle light vigil in front of the DND building. Names of victims of
all types of violence, from military campaigns to poverty to domestic abuse
were read out and songs of gentle protest were sang.
On Friday morning, approximately 200 people took part in the main Homes Not
Bombs protest. Participants came from across the political spectrum, from
members of the Liberal Party of Canada to Food Not Bombs, with a higher
than expected level of participation from people from various faith
communities and groups.
It was an exciting event, with singing from the Raging Grannies and
juggling workshops, information on organic gardening woven into the
mornings event.
For approximately 2 hours the road in front of the DND building was closed,
with a day care, garden and housing being created.
Approximately 20 people tried to enter the DND Building as citizen
inspectors but were unsuccessful. They first read a statement, justifying
their action on the basis of international law. They then took a position
in front of a line of riot police, who were guarding the building.
After about an hour those the police move forward. Those refusing to move
were arrested and/or pushed aside.
After appoximately another half hour the police began to arrest people in
the roadway, a process that took about a half hour.
Once the arrests were over, people slowly returned to the church hall,
where those from out of town had slept. At 4:00 o'clock, a vigil and
leafletting took place outside the DND offices, with about 25 to 30
participants.
As of 8:30 yesterday, all 54 people arrested were still in custody. While
the police had told the media that people were going to be charged with
mischief or obstruct police, none had yet be charged and only 25 had the
initial paperwork processing done.
Some other aspects of the policing should be noted.
(1) Dogs were present. While not directly used on protesters, they were
clearly meant to intimidate.
(2) There were incidents of police violence (compliance holds, assaults
with clubs, etc.), but not many. An officer carrying a home made club,
rather than a police issued batton, was cited as responsible for most of
these.
More details will be provided as they become available.
In peace,
Brian Burch
vegetarian, nonviolence, consensus
-Food Not Bombs List fnb-l@lists.tao.ca
-distributing food in opposition to violence
-archive: http://archive.foodnotbombs.ca
-active cities: http://webcom.com/peace
-send '(un)subscribe fnb-l' to lists@tao.ca
2)
http://newsfinder.arinet.com/fpweb/fp.dll/$stargeneral/htm/x_dv.htm/_ibyx/cg0302
6/_itox/starnet/_svc/news/_Id/623406482/_k/SGiFeGrEtD7NETGs
FWD Associated Press - AP Wire Service - Nov 12, 1999 10:14
RIOT POLICE KEEP PROTESTERS AWAY FROM CANADA'S DEFENSE
OTTAWA (AP) _ Riot police arrested 16 demonstrators Friday
during a protest outside National Defense Headquarters by about 150
people demanding cuts in defense spending to help the homeless.
The arrests came when the protesters refused to move and started
chanting, ``Homes, not bombs.''
Marchers who approached the entrance to the headquarters were
kept back by prods from police batons.
The protesters temporarily shut down traffic on the MacKenzie
Bridge near defense headquarters by setting up a community garden
with soil and plants, and a makeshift apartment with a
refrigerator, stove and couches.
AP-CS-11-12-99 1114EST
Received Id AP99316AA68F9F5 on Nov 12 1999 10:14
3)
http://news.excite.com/news/u/991112/18/international-protest
FWD UPI - Updated 6:17 PM ET November 12, 1999
POLICE ARREST 50 PROTESTERS IN OTTAWA
OTTAWA, Nov. 12 (UPI) Police arrested more than 50 people who were
demonstrating in front of the National Defense Department building in
Ottawa Friday.
The demonstrators were among some 200 people who staged a sit-in
protest and also blocked a nearby bridge.
Protesters told reporters they wanted the government to spend more
money on affordable housing for the poor and less on international
peacekeeping.
Police in riot gear prevented demonstrators from entering the
building, and then began physically lifting and carrying more than 50 of
them to police vans after they ignored warnings to clear the road.
The protesters claimed there were up to 1,000 children sleeping in
shelters in the Canadian capital because their parents lacked housing.
Similar problems exist in Toronto and other large Canadian cities,
where local mayors have been trying to get more money from the federal
government to refurbish old buildings as shelters before the winter sets
in.
Labor Minister Claudette Bradshaw, who was made responsible for
housing in August, has been touring the country to see first-hand the
problems the homeless face, but so far has not announced any solutions.
However, The Toronto Star newspaper, quoting leaked government
documents, reported Friday the federal government is considering plans
to spend $480 million ($700 million Canadian) over the next three years
on housing.
However, the newspaper said no announcement is expected before
Finance Minister Paul Martin introduces the next budget in February.
The government currently spends $34 million ($50 million Canadian) a
year on the homeless, but with economic indicators pointing to boom
times ahead, Martin says people will not be convinced if they see
"signs of homelessness on the streets."
4)
http://www.cbcnews.cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?/news/1999/11/12/ottawaprot
est991112
FWD CBC News - Sat Nov 13, 1999 08:41:48 1999
POLICE CLEAR OTTAWA PROTEST OVER HOMELESS
OTTAWA
Riot police moved in and dragged off dozens of demonstrators blocking a
bridge in front of the National Defence Headquarters in downtown Ottawa
Friday.
About 150 people camped out on the road at dawn, demanding more money be
spent on helping the homeless.
Members of the group Homes Not Bombs say millions of dollars could be
cut from the military's budget and spent on shelter for needy Canadians.
The demonstrators set up a phoney apartment, complete with a fridge,
stove, and couches, in the middle of the street.
They stopped traffic on the bridge, and tried to prevent people from
getting in and out of the main entrance of the Defence Department.
After repeatedly asking the protesters to leave, police began carrying
some of them away around 10 a.m.
It's believed at least 50 people were taken into custody. It's not known
if any charges were laid.
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