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Brutality CanadaPolice Brutality O Canada |
by Jaggi Singh jaggi@tao.ca
MONTREAL, August 2, 2001, 1:10am -- It was an eventful day for the squatters who have occupied an abandoned downtown building since last Friday. Another large city-owned building offered by the Mayor's office was accepted by the squatters under their own conditions -- which includes an amnesty from criminal charges, the assumption of all costs by the City, as well as collective self-management. Meanwhile, six squatters who barricaded themselves inside the original Overdale building were evicted at night in a major police operation involving three busloads of police and the riot squad. At least five supporters who were on hand as observers were arrested, and other supporters were baton-charged away from the site.
The day started with a pre-planned 10am meeting between city representatives and squat delegates at Hotel-de-Ville (City Hall). The squatters originally saw the meeting as simply an attempt to buy time for the squat, while preparing for the next step in its defense. Instead, Mayor Pierre Bourque's office decided to offer the squatters another building, if they vacated the Overdale site in the afternoon.
The squatters -- including street youth, anti-poverty and social housing activists, anarchists and other individuals -- were wary of any attempt to be co-opted into accepting government-run coop housing, or a similar public relations maneuver. The Mayor made such a proposal on Monday, and it was soundly rejected. However, the new proposal met all key particulars of the squatters' struggle, including a rent-free space, allowed to be collectively self-managed by squatters. As well, the new building -- a large, former youth rehabilitation center -- had much more possibilities as a space.
The squatters met in general assembly inside the first floor of the squat to discuss the proposal for most of the afternoon, while others visited the building offered by the City. During the assembly, the squatters made an additional demand for an unconditional amnesty from any potential charges relating to the squat. That demand, which was key to eventual approval in assembly, was communicated by phone and also accepted by the Mayor's office and his main negotiator, City Councillor Claire St-Arnaud.
The debate in assembly continued, and with the amnesty issue resolved, 61-14 voted in favor of moving to the new location and vacating Overdale.
Those arguing in favor of the proposal underlined what some called the "historic" nature of what was happening. A group of poor and marginalized people had -- through a direct action -- managed to secure a rent-free space, to be self-managed by participants. An important precedent for squatting was being established in Montreal, Quebec and Canada, if not the rest of North America. Moreover, the squatters were dealing with the City from a position of power, mainly due to their willingness to resist, and the public sympathy for their actions. Many also felt that squatting actions would start to flourish in Montreal with the example of Overdale, and that squatting had gained legitimacy.
For those in opposition, there was a discomfort with any dealings with the City. One person called the offer a potential "poison candy". As well, many felt an attachment to the original building that had developed into a community since Friday. There was also a certain feeling of hypocrisy leaving a site that they had vowed to defend, no matter the offer of a new, rent-free building.
In the end, the overwhelming majority of squatters began moving their belongings out of the squat and into trucks that the City had provided. There were also three red buses to transport the squatters.
While people began moving at around 5pm, a group of between 12-15 squatters began preparing to stay, and organized to barricade themselves inside. Many supporters stayed on site, in anticipation of the police intervention, as well as to offer solidarity.
By about 8pm, a few hours after a bulk of squatters had departed for their new location, the Montreal police arrived in force. There were three public transit buses full of police, as well as several other police vans with the riot squad.
In a press scrum, Andre Durocher, the media spokesperson for the Montreal police, began to create fear against the remaining squatters, referring to their occupation of "private property". He stated that the remaining squat residents were "a hard core of people who wanted a confrontation." Mathieu, a squat delegate who stayed behind in solidarity with the remaining squatters, interrupted the scrum. He stated that while he might have decided to leave, it was ludicrous that squatters were being treated as criminals for occupying a building that had been abandoned for over 13 years.
Soon, a delegation of four senior police officers approached the squat, and one commandant demanded that everyone vacate the building and surrounding parking lot immediately. He also asked in French, "Is there a leader here?" His speech was heckled, and some supporters were dancing throughout.
Eventually, the police moved in and created a large perimeter around the squat site, south on Overdale to Rene-Levesque on the north, and Lucien L'Allier on the east to Mackay on the west. A dispersed crowd of about 100 still remained outside the police cordon on Rene-Levesque, chanting "solidarity" in French, while some heckled the cops. A contingent of riot police, with little warning, charged into the crowd, banging their shields and indiscriminately hitting with batons anyone that did not move fast enough. The baton-charge moved right up Bishop Street to Ste-Catherine. One arrest was made at this time.
Meanwhile, the police continued to forcibly move back supporters, effectively keeping witnesses away from good sight of the squat building. Another baton-charge was made up Mackay Street. The police were seemingly trying to provoke a riot, and in anger, at least one police car was smashed. As it so happens, it was the "media relations" car.
Eventually, the entire perimeter was cordoned off, but supporters were able to re-gain a sight line near the youth hostel on Mackay. Others were able to secure access to an apartment rooftop, which provided a clear view of the police operation.
There were close to one hundred police surrounding the lot, and at least three dozen riot police on hand, including a special tactics team. Some time after 9pm, a police commandant, this time with a megaphone, asked that the remaining squatters vacate the building. During other interventions, the commandant mentioned the potential charges that the squatters would face. Occasionally, the squatters barricaded on the second floor inside replied, but their words were barely audible. It was always unclear how many were inside.
During the standoff, four more arrests were made of supporters on the outside. Police grabbed one young man known as "The Clown" -- because of his ever-present clown nose. Shortly afterwards, three street medics -- two men and a woman -- were grabbed from a distance and put into a police van. Both arrests were seemingly arbitrary and at a distance from the squat, and it's unclear what the exact charges will be. In total, there were five arrests at the scene, although some mainstream media reports refer to six.
At about 9:30pm, the commandant mentioned that the remaining squatters would be allowed to go without charges if they left immediately. At this point, there was movement inside, and eventually, after waving a squatters flag (a red flag with the international squatting symbol), six people slowly climbed down from the second floor. They raised their fists, while the supporters on rooftops and on the street clapped and again chanted "solidarity". The six remaining squatters walked towards the Lucien L'Allier metro station, watched and filmed by the police. By all reports, they were not arrested, and some of them traveled to the new building.
One person, who was part of the last six, later mentioned that the last squatters felt they had made their point, while others were having second doubts about waiting for the police to arrest them or worse. The last group had included two minors.
The new building obtained by the squatters straddles the Rosemont and Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighborhoods of Montreal in the East End. It's located at 3100 Rachel Street East, at the corner of Prefontaine, minutes from the Prefontaine metro on the green line.
The building, known formerly as the "Centre d'Accueil Rachel", is a former youth rehabilitation center. It's three-stories (four in one section) and about five times the size of the Overdale squat. There are several balconies and outdoor stairwells, many large and small rooms, closets, washrooms, showers, as well as a kitchen and freezer room. The building is surrounded by a grass lot, trees, and beside a community garden. Unlike the downtown Overdale squat, which was close to high-rise hotels and shops, the new squat is a mixed residential/industrial area, with apartment blocks nearby, as well as a Loblaws superstore across the street in an industrial lot.
The mayor's willingness to cede the building is undoubtedly related to the upcoming city election in early November. There has been much public sympathy for the squatters, and the mayor was clearly avoiding any major public confrontation between police and squatters. As well, the mayor was also involved in damage control for his remarks on Monday that there wasn't really a homeless problem in Montreal.
Election or not, the squatters and activists who were lounging at the new site late on Wednesday night were euphoric, if dead tired. Their site is rent and tax-free, with heating and electrical costs incurred by the city. Crucially, the building is to be self-managed by the squatters themselves, with no city intervention. The building is theirs indefinitely, although the mayor has indicated through the media that he hopes in about two years, an official city-approved cooperative will be set up. Other cynical commentators expect the mayor and city's mood to change after the November election. Whatever the case, minimally, the squatters have a new building with enormous possibilities for the foreseeable short-term future, if not longer.
Looking at the building and the surrounding area, squatters were talking about creating office spaces for radical activist groups, a kitchen for Food Not Bombs, a garden project, library, free school, meeting spaces, media room and, of course, accessible social housing.
Transforming the new building, which is yet-to-be-named, will be a huge challenge, but talking to the squatters on the scene yesterday, they're ready to get to work. An assembly is scheduled for tomorrow morning, as well as a block party on Friday night to introduce themselves to their new neighbors.
Already, there are small signs that the transformation has begun; the old sign leading to the building has been replaced with a large simple banner: a black and white fist raised in resistance.
written and reported by Jaggi Singh (jaggi@tao.ca), for Indymedia Montreal, A-Infos and CMAQ
Squat Update -- Wednesday, August 1st, 1:18am
[For earlier reports on the squat action in Montreal, as well as updates and
photos, check out the features section at Indymedia Montreal:
http://montreal.indymedia.org.]
MONTREAL -- As of Tuesday night -- five days after re-appropriating an abandoned building in downtown Montreal -- at least a hundred squatters and their supporters remain on site. All around the squat, inside and outside, they are discussing strategy, busily moving furniture and other supplies up and down the building with ropes and ladders, enjoying food and drinks, playing soccer, and just plain socializing. The teams of squatters holding walkie-talkies -- positioned at strategic locations around the site -- are a constant reminder of the threat of a police attack.
Squat organizers are confident that a scheduled meeting with Montreal mayor Pierre Bourque -- to take place on Wednesday morning at 10am at Hotel-de-Ville (City Hall) -- means that the action will last another day without the police intervention that has already been threatened after the landlord contacted the City on Tuesday.
The legal landlord of the building has been confirmed as Robert Landau of Westmount, an upper class enclave of Montreal whose residents include the Mulroneys, the Bronfmans and the Molsons. [Westmount was where over 150 activists were arrested on May 1, 2000 during a Mayday rally that aimed to "d=E9ranger les riches dans leurs niches" (translation: "bother the rich in their niche"). Some of those who were arrested are now actively involved in the squat project.]
In 1988, Landau, along with his then-partner Douglas Cohen, razed over 100 low-income units on the site where the squat is now located (known as Overdale Street). The current squatted building was only saved due to its historical significance, while the rest of the property became what is still today a large parking lot. The squat building has been abandoned and unused for almost 13 years until last Friday's housing action.
Landau's current company is called Grinch Realities [note: this is not a typo; as reported by both Le Devoir and the Gazette, the company is called "Grinch"!]. Today, Landau and Grinch officially applied for a notice of eviction with the City of Montreal after remaining silent since Friday.
This afternoon, a meeting was held at the YWCA across from the squat between a delegation of squatters and city officials -- including a police representative, and mayor Bourque himself. The squatters had decided to accept the meeting with the Mayor after a long discussion within a general assembly, but insisted on a site away from City Hall or the squat itself (to avoid a media spectacle), and also clearly insisted that all decisions would be made within future assemblies rather than by any small group of individuals.
The squatter delegation was also voted within a general assembly, which are held at least once a day, and sometimes as many as two or three times based on the urgency of decisions. The delegation included Marie-Claude, an activist with the Comite-des-sans emploi (Committee of the Unemployed), the main organizers of the housing action; "Cat" and "Warren", two youth who have lived on-and-off on the streets for several years; Sorem of the youth group RAJ (Regroupement Autonome de Jeunesse); Mathieu, a DJ and cultural activist who's active with the Association for the Liberation of Teckno and the CLAC Cultural Committee; and Jacqueline, 72, a longtime resident of the East End, and active supporter of the Comit=E9 des sans-emploi. Jacqueline has slept at the squat every night, leaving each day for a few hours to shower and feed her cat.
At the meeting, the mayor verbally informed the squat delegation of a possible eviction by police. Eventually, the mayor did make an offer of re-housing all squatters who needed lodging within social housing, as well as considering creating a housing coop with squat participants at another building owned by the city.
The mayor's seeming willingness to negotiate stands in contrast to his first comments regarding the squat on Monday, which were widely cited on mainstream radio and television. Bourque asserted that there is no homeless problem in Montreal, and repeated the right-wing myth that most homeless people choose to live on the street, and that there is plenty of shelter space that goes unused. At least one shelter worker with Dans la Rue (In the Streets) publicly discounted the mayor's remarks, pointing out that shelters are full even in the summer. Meanwhile, housing groups estimate that there are 15,000 homeless in the city.
The mayor's offer to the squatters was immediately criticized by housing activists and squat participants. Some noted that the offer of housing in existing units does not only create no new housing, but also insidiously displaces other people who have been waiting for those same units. According to statistics cited by the Comité des sans-emploi and the housing group FRAPRU, there are least 8500 households on the waiting list for social housing in Montreal. The coop offer was also problematic for many, with many squatters seeing the proposal as a way of avoiding the main issue of squatter's rights.
According to squat delegate Mathieu, every time the issue of squatter's rights (the ability to occupy, improve, and use abandoned buildings without police or government harassment) was brought up in the meeting, the mayor would arrogantly comment, "This is Montreal, not Europe". As well, Marie-Claude recounted that at the meeting, Cat, who has lived on the street for at least 7 years, gave an impromptu and impassioned defense of the squat, and the sense of empowerment it had provided her and other street people. Her speech had no evident effect on the mayor according to both Marie-Claude and Mathieu.
The mayor's offer, while reported positively by some mainstream sources, did not interest most of the squatters. In a general assembly held in the evening, which included a long discussion of various of options, the decision was eventually made to ask for more details about the mayor's proposal, including specifics about the actual future coop building. Effectively, the assembly decision bought the squatters more time, after City Councillor Claire St-Arnaud, who has been designated by the mayor to deal with the squatters, agreed to another meeting this morning.
However, underlying all the negotiations between the squatters and the city is the threat of police intervention. St-Arnaud, as well as the mayor's media rep, has repeatedly told the squat delegates "the clock is ticking". As well, St-Arnaud demanded that the squatters make a decision by noon after tomorrow's 10am meeting.
One squatter remarked that the city would never make such ultimatums to a property owner and, not surprisingly, the City's ultimatums are being ignored in favor of the democratic process at the squat. It's also clear, talking to squat participants, that a clear majority will not leave a building in which they've invested so much time and energy over the past five days, and which for them is now more than a home or hangout, but a symbol of collective power.
While negotiations between the City and squat delegates continue in meetings and by cell phone, life at the squat continues. On Monday night, there were at least 200 people on site, some for a punk show inside, others for a general assembly by the Anti-Capitalist Convergence (CLAC), which is actively supporting the project. [At their assembly yesterday, CLAC voted to give $1000 towards the squat project, which might help to secure another generator.]
A large sign has gone up outside the squat, which translates from the French, "For us to stay we need: a plumber, an electrician, a carpenter, materials, food, mattresses, furniture, canvass, transportation, paint, tools." One squat supporter, with obvious climbing talent, scaled down from the roof of the three-story building to write in large black letters with spray paint: "Bourque: "Dehors les pauvres:. (loose translation: "Bourque: "Out with the poor"").
Building and fire inspectors were allowed to enter on Monday, and their sole recommendation was to create a second exit in case of fire. Otherwise, by all appearances, the building is structurally sound.
Food is served regularly, with some activists from a Palestinian solidarity group arranging for leftovers from four nearby Arab restaurants (pita, falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, tabouli ... the cuisine at the squat has become decidedly Middle Eastern).
The squatters have already made flyers, in French, English and Spanish, for a block party and demonstration to take place this Friday evening. Despite eviction threats, plans are also being discussed for regular workshops (a Free School) on both hands-on and intellectual topics.
The squat has also become a media magnet. On Monday afternoon, there were at least four satellite trucks (CTV/TVA, TQS, RDI and CBC), as well as several more reporters. Surprisingly, the print and radio coverage have been very sympathetic. Tuesday's Gazette carried a page three photo of 8 year-old Camilla swinging on a tire hanging from a large tree on the squat site. Camilla, along with her parents who are Latin American immigrants, is a regular, and consistently initiates the regular evening soccer games in the parking lot. Meanwhile, La Presse carried another page three photo of squat participants planting a tomato plant.
However, one incident the media did not report was the police attack on a squat participant at a distance from the building. On Monday afternoon, an 18 year-old female punk -- who was helping with squat security with a walkie-talkie -- was tacked by two uniformed male Montreal police officers near the Lucien L'Allier metro. She managed to throw the walkie-talkie away when she saw the police approach at a distance (it was retrieved later by other squatters), but was handcuffed and hit several times with a baton. Not finding the walkie-talkie, the police released her.
She returned to the squat to recount the incident to an assembly that was happening at the same time. She had a large bruise on her forehead, as a result of the tackle on the pavement, as well as scrapes and bruises on her thigh. Two nurses from a nearby clinic, who have been visiting the squat to offer their help (and to urge people to stay out of the sun), examined her, and feared a mild concussion. The police attacked when there were no observers and the majority of people were inside for the assembly, so there are no independent witnesses, although the blows to the woman's body speak for themselves.
In it's five days of existence, the Overdale squat has essentially become a community gathering space: lots of punk youth, lots of local organizers and activists, lots of supporters from all kinds of backgrounds, several kids, many dogs, and many, many curious visitors, including the media.
The squat has also been eye opening for people who have never experienced living on the street or day-to-day poverty, but have taken the time to listen to some of the squatters. Many informal discussions around the squat involve street youth describing their day-to-day lives, many of whom deal with the everyday violence of being on the street, and dealing with harassment from other citizens, security guards and the police. There are stories of family abuse, and dealing with drug problems.
There are also stories of survival, of other squat communities that exist beyond the media glare, of adventures with friends around Quebec and Canada with no money but other street skills, of future projects and actions to be undertaken (all of which involve attempting to stay outside of the profit system). There's an intense feeling that people have the right to occupy buildings that are empty without paying rent to a landlord whose only claim is a piece of paper and the police.
There is also definitely much talk of actively defending the squat from any attempted eviction or police action. Already, certain preparations are being made in case of attack, such as assuring food and water is available in the squat, and gathering materials for barricades. There is some fear of any police attack going horribly wrong if squatters refuse to leave and barricade themselves in. There are already allusions being made to the deadly Philadelphia police attack on the MOVE house in Philadelphia in the 1980s. If not deadly, there is fear that any police attack will be dangerous to the squatters, especially those on the top floor and roof.
In whatever way the Overdale squat action ends, there's a consensus that to date the action has been enormously positive and opened up paths of resistance and empowerment, not to mention public awareness about housing, homelessness and poverty in Montreal.
In the words of one squatter, relaxing with a beer last night, "Overdale is already a victory for squatting culture in Montreal."
Reported by Jaggi Singh jaggi@tao.ca for Indymedia Montreal, A-Infos and CMAQ
From a - i n f o s n e w s s e r v i c e at http://www.ainfos.ca/
[For further details about the squat action and updates, check http://montreal.indymedia.org and http://www.cmaq.net. Background reports will be posted as time permits.]
Send your comments and stories of police brutality to: ruitsdawtah@Hotmail.com
This page created August 3, 2001
