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|MYT|Beerbelott
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Joined: 13 Mar 2011, 23:02

Protests in montreal are being restricted

Hi fellows,

If you haven't hear about it (which is sad, but highly probable), a special law has been voted last week restraining people's rights of expression.

The Quebec special law #78 has been voted consequently to the high student mobilization against the higher studies price (175% over 5/7 years).

Due to more than 3 months repeated protests (we are in the 101/102 days of those), this law has been enacted to facilitate repression and to try to undermine the movement.

Since yesterday, groups of more than 50 protesters are illegal. The police says they still allow the big protests march being formed but will start to arrest at the first signs of violence.

Tonight (here) I have been a direct witness of the arrest of ~100 people after a claim by the police of some beer bottle thrown towards them.

Journalists were in the group, some of them managed to get out after some intimidation and insults, some others decided to stay inside with people there and to be arrested aswell.

Thoses events reminds me of the 2005 french riots. The intensity is the same but this time in a much more visible place such as the vivid plain center of the Montreal island.
The same fate here: the negation of civil rights by a liberticide law.

We are in such a strange period:
People know everything which is being done is against the constitution and the fundamental rights.
At the same time, they are being arrested, and they might have some criminal records for defending their rights and what they think is best for their nation.

I feel a little dizzy...

http://cutvmontreal.ca/broadcasts/2012/5/23
https://twitter.com/#!/cutvnews
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|MYT|Torq
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Re: Protests in montreal are being restricted

Is this a Provincial or Federal Law ?.......

It usually is the thin of the wedge when Law makers find it necessary to restrict rights.
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|MYT|Beerbelott
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Posts: 659
Joined: 13 Mar 2011, 23:02

Re: Protests in montreal are being restricted

The police and education are provincial responsabilities.

The SPVM (Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal - Montreal Town Police Service) is the local ground force.
Nowadays they start to have some backup from the SQ (Sûreté du Québec - Quebec Police) which is the provincial law enforcement force. They have more power and means, such as helicopters.

I also heard there would have been some backup from GRC (Gendarmerie Royale du Canada - Canadian Royal Gendermerie) which is a federal law enforcement force.

Last night ended up with 400+ arrests (I said 100~ arrests which was a mistake).

http://cutvmontreal.ca/broadcasts/2012/5/23 --> Battery change at 01:47:00 and the arrest went up in the meanwhile.

We are indeed in the struggle of the contest:
  • People are being arrested for violating laws which are against fundamentale laws
  • Police officers are applying this law without having much choice
  • Everyone is tired on both sides, which make things much worse
The thing that worries me is that normally, in such circumstances, you would have some political voice coming up, at least to cool things down and call for discussion.

All I here from Jean Charest right now is silence. The same silence that are leading hundreds of people being arrested on a daily basis now.

That particular point is new to me.
I hope things will settle down ASAP now. Every hour counts and makes people criminal records dirtier for defending their rights.

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