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Vigil and march to mark police violence in Montreal
Blog posts reflect the views of their authors.
(g à d): CLAUDIO CASTAGNETTA, 32 ans, décédé en détention après une arrestation par la police de Québec en '07. / BEN MATSON, 49, killed by Vancouver police in '02. / GLADYS TOLLEY, 61, killed in '01 after being struck by a SQ cruiser on the Kitigan Zibi reserve. / QUILEM REGISTRE, 39 ans, victime fatale du taser aux mains de la police de Montréal en '07. / FREDY VILLANUEVA, 18 ans, abattu par la police de Montréal en '08. / ANAS BENNIS, 25, ans, abattu par police de Montreal en '05
As the inquiry into the death of Fredy Villanueva at the hands of Montreal police continues, this weekend residents are being invited to twice take the time to remember Villanueva and others who have died through police action.
This morning, members of various families who have been touched by police violence, both in Montreal and across Canada, gathered to share their stories and to call on Montrealers to join them tomorrow for a vigil in front of the offices of the Montreal Police Brotherhood (the Montreal police officers' union) and on Saturday for a family friendly march through downtown Montreal. The march is being held as part of the North American Day to Stop Police Brutality & Repression.
The focus on Montreal police actions has been fairly strong lately. The Villanueva inquiry - including the ongoing and highly questionable attempts to deport his older brother, Danny - has squarely raised the problem of racism in the Montreal police force, and can only solidify the question of whether police should be allowed to investigate each other.
At the same time, the family of Anas Bennis may finally have answers to the multitude of questions surrounding his death, after a decision that a coroner's inquest could go forward (despite the objections of the Police Brotherhood). Shot dead by police without witnesses, police claim he had threatened them with a knife, but those close to Anas have described him as mild-mannered and have expressed disbelief that he would he would have ever threatened an officer.
The wide range of groups endorsing Saturday's march - from Head & Hands to the Coalition Opposed to Police Brutality to the Immigrant Workers Centre - are backing a series of demands emanating from the families of the deceased themselves, including (in their own words):
- END police brutality
- END police impunity
- END racial, social and political profiling
- ACCESS all information in a prompt manner
- LAY criminal charges in police killings
- HOLD public independent inquiries in police killings
- APPLY the recommendations of the coroner
- STOP the use of tasers
The vigil takes place from 4pm to 6pm in front of the Police Brotherhood offices, 480 Gilford (métro Laurier, St-Joseph exit). The Saturday march begins at 12:30pm at the corner of Guy & de Maisonneuve (métro Guy-Concordia, Guy exit).
More info at: www.22octobre.net
Full press release below.
(Images via Facebook)
Justice for Victims of Police Killings!
The families of the victims of police killings and their allies are organizing two events:
COMMEMORATIVE MARCH
SATURDAY, October 23, 12:30pm
Gathering at the corner of Guy & de Maisonneuve
(métro Guy-Concordia, Guy exit)
facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=146318535409280
VIGIL
FRIDAY, October 22, 4-6pm
In front the Police Brotherhood, 480 Gilford
(métro Laurier, St-Joseph exit)
facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156866504341679
We remember: Anas Bennis, Claudio Castagnetta, Ben Matson, Quilem Registre, Gladys Tolley, Fredy Villanueva and all the other victims of police killings.
JOIN US on the North American Day to Stop Police Brutality & Repression to show your support and solidarity with all victims of police killings. Together with the families and supporters of police victims, we demand truth, justice and dignity.
Family friendly - Welcome to all!
INFO: 514-848-7583 – 22oct.mtl@gmail.com -- www.22octobre.net
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The families of people killed by the police, their friends and their allies are organizing a commemorative vigil and march to remember victims. These families, who face an uphill battle in uncovering the truth and obtaining justice for their loved ones, need our support.
Friday, October 22: There will be a family-led vigil in front of the Police Brotherhood (480 Gilford St., Laurier metro, St-Joseph exit) between 4 and 6 p.m. We will end the vigil by lighting candles in memory of the victims of police killings.
Saturday, October 23: There will be a family-led, family-friendly march against the systemic impunity in the face of police killings and police violence. The march will begin at 12:30 p.m. on the corner of Guy St. and de Maisonneuve. We strongly encourage as many supporters as possible to come out on the streets and show our support for the families. There is power in numbers!
What we are seeking is DIGNITY, JUSTICE and TRUTH.
The main purpose of the march is to:
- REMEMBER the victims who lost their lives to police violence and abuse and;
- SUPPORT their families in any way we can
We support the list of demands of the Bennis, Castagnetta, Matson, Registre, Tolley and Villanueva families. Their demands include:
- END police brutality
- END police impunity
- END racial, social and political profiling
- ACCESS all information in a prompt manner
- LAY criminal charges in police killings
- HOLD public independent inquiries in police killings
- APPLY the recommendations of the coroner
- STOP the use of tasers
This initiative came out of the Forum Against Police Violence and Impunity in January of 2010, during which the families expressed their desire to come together to remember their loved ones and strengthen their respective struggles for dignity, justice and the truth. The symbolic date of October 22 was subsequently chosen for a family-friendly march to commemorate the victims of police killings to coincide with the National Day of Protest in the United States organized by the October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation, which has been mobilizing every year since 1996.
This initiative is endorsed by: Cette initiative est endossé par: Action Santé Travesti(e)s et Transsexuel(le)s du Québec (ASTTeQ) * Artivistic * CJLO (1690AM) * CKUT Steering Committee * Coalition Justice pour Anas * Collectif opposé à la brutalité policière (COBP) * Collectif de recherche sur l’autonomie collective * La Convergence des luttes anticapitalistes (CLAC) * Head & Hands/À deux mains * Immigrant Workers Center * Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women * Ligues des noirs/Black Coalition of Quebec * Montréal-Nord Républik * No One Is Illegal/Personne n’est illegal-Montréal * No One Is Illegal Ottawa * People’s Potato * La Pointe Libertaire * Prisoner Correspondence Project * Project 10 * Project X * QPIRG Concordia * QPIRG McGill * QTeam * Radlaw – McGill University Radical Law Community * Rebelles (Winnipeg) * Solidarité sans frontières/Solidarity Across Borders * STELLA * 2110 Centre for Gender Advocacy * Under Pressure Coalition Against Poverty (Ottawa)
We ask for your group’s endorsement. To get involved contact us at (514) 848-7583 or at 22oct.mtl@gmail.com. You can pick up flyers and posters for the event at QPIRG Concordia (1500 de Maisonneuve St. W 2nd floor).
Family friendly - Welcome to all!
INFO: 514-848-7583 – 22oct.mtl@gmail.com -- www.22octobre.net
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