BUSTED! POLICE REMOVE ANTI-BILL C36 PROTESTERS FROM JUSTICE MINISTER'S
OFFICE IN EDMONTON

Arrest Protest and sit-in solidarity calls should be made to Anne McClellan
The constituency phone number for is 780-495-3122
FAX NUMBER - (780) 495-2598
Those wishing to reach her office in Ottawa can phone: (613) 992-4524


Sit In Communication phone: (780) 945-9116
or email solidarity messages to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 


Updates from Occupiers are at:http://alberta.indymedia.org/ 

Bill C-36 is before the Canadian Senate. Save Canadian democracy and the
rights of assembly and dissent: email the senators with a strongly worded
letter online site: http://www.canadianliberty.bc.ca/ 

Edmonton Anti-War Actions: www.wage-peace.org 


13 Edmonton citizens arrested at Justice Minister's Office.

Monday Dec. 10th 8:30pm

This evening 13 Edmonton citizens have been reportedly arrested in
association with the 4day occupation of Canadian Justice Minister Anne
McClellan's office. Those not arrested are headed down to the downtown
Edmonton police station to attend the bail hearing.

More information and audio clips from the arrests will be posted on
http://alberta.indymedia.org/ later tonight.


The occupation of Anne McLellan's office was concluded tonight when a huge
police contingent entered the premises and took the persons remaining there.

A crowd of perhaps a hundred people had gathered at the office for the
police's 4:30 deadline. Consensus determined that people would not abandon
the premises, and that decision was conveyed to the police.

Present at the rally to support the protestors were the Alberta/NWT
Regional Representative of the Canadian Labour Congress, a vice president
of the Alberta Federation of Labour, members of CUPE, CEP, CUPW, Industrial
Workers of the World, The Council of Canadians, local antiwar and student
movement activists, NPI and NDP members and members of the Socialist Caucus
NDP.


The police (two vans, seven cars, and 20 officers) were on site for perhaps
two hours before they moved in at which point about ten or twelve people
were arressted for tresspass.

A meeting at the nearby Mr. Sub explored continuation of the protest, and
determined that a jailhouse-solidarity initiative will be planned tomorrow
at 3:00 P.M. in the cafeteria of Canada Place.

Latest update

After routine procedures all thirteen arrestees were released at
approximately 2:15 am December 11th simply being charged with the offence
of Trespass under the Alberta Petty Trespass Act.
The protesters are to be congratulated on the peaceful manner in which they
conducted themselves. They have succeedded in getting their point across on
all three TV channels as well as radio.
Appearances are scheduled for Provincial Court in Edmonton on January 8th
2002


POLICE FORCE ANTI-TERRORISM LAW PROTESTERS OUT

POSTED AT 11:57 PM EST    Monday, December 10
The Globe and Mail/Canadian Press
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ced?hub=homeBN&tf=tgam%252Frealtime%252Ffullstory.html&cf=tgam/realtime/conf
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M&site=Front&ad_page_name=breakingnews

PHOTO: A protester is held by police officers after police moved in on a
group of people who had been occupying a portion of Federal Justice
Minister Anne McLellan's constituency office in Edmonton on Monday. Photo:
Ed Parsons/CP


Edmonton — Demonstrators who had been occupying the constituency office of
federal Justice Minister Anne McLellan were forcibly removed from the
building Monday night.

About 50 protesters and several labour union members chanted slogans as
police charged them with trespassing and loaded them into three vans.

"We have a democratic right to assemble guaranteed under the Charter of
Rights and Freedoms," yelled out protester Mike Hudema, one of those who
had been occupying the office since Friday in protest of the federal
government's anti-terrorism legislation.

"We have assembled here to assert our democratic right because of the
undemocratic process that our government has gone through in terms of
ramming this legislation through."

There was a minor scuffle between a police officer and a representative
from the Canadian Labour Congress when he shouted at police for being too
rough with a female protester.

The protester would not walk and was yelling "they're hurting me" as she
was dragged toward the police van and then handcuffed.

Two other people, a man and a woman had to be carried to a van.

The woman told officers she was disabled, so the officers sat her on the
step of the police van, handcuffed her and then lifted her into the vehicle.

Police spokesman Dean Parthenis said the protesters had been given every
opportunity to have their say and had even been offered office space
elsewhere in the building to prepare for a meeting with Ms. McLellan on
Dec. 17.

"It's gotten to the point where staff here feel it's gotten unsafe," Mr.
Parthenis said.

"We're not trying to get in the middle of what the protesters want to
accomplish but they wanted a date to meet with the minister and that has
been set."

Fiona Cavanagh, one of the protest's leaders, had said earlier the group
wants more public debate over fears the new anti-terrorism measures will
curtail civil liberties and the right to protest.

"I'm a concerned person who is standing up for what they believe in," she
said Friday. "I hope people continue to voice their concerns and stop these
bills. Call for public forums and call for the community to be talking
about this. This is not going to go away and we must stand up for what we
believe in."

As the group prepared for the arrival of police earlier in the day,
protesters were given instructions on how to respond and told to write the
names of their lawyers on their arms.

On the weekend the protesters staged a mock eviction by moving two tropical
plants, decorations and some furniture from the office foyer to the
sidewalk outside.

They also set up a rented hot tub on the snow-covered lawn outside the
minister's office.


POLICE REMOVE PROTESTERS FROM JUSTICE MINISTER'S OFFICE
Edmonton Journal/Canadian Press
http://www.canada.com/edmonton/story.asp?id={2EDA02D8-3B69-4CD5-AF03-51CF326 
E175B}
Monday, December 10, 2001
EDMONTON (CP) -- Demonstrators who had been occupying the constituency
office of Federal Justice Minister Anne McLellan were removed from the
building Monday night.

About 50 protesters and several labour union members chanted slogans as
police loaded them into vans.

The demonstrators had been occupying the office since Friday in protest of
the federal government's anti-terrorism legislation.

On the weekend, the protesters staged a mock eviction by moving two
tropical plants, decorations and some furniture from the office foyer to
the sidewalk outside.

They also set up a rented hot tub on the snow-covered lawn outside the
minister's office.

Throughout the incident, the protesters had been locked out of McLellan's
main office.

Spokeswoman Fiona Cavanagh had said the group wants more public debate over
fears the new anti-terrorism measures will curtail civil liberties and the
right to protest.

© Copyright2001 Canadian Press

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