[antiwar-van] URGENT Action: Alison Bodine Arrested at the Border!

[Shannon Bundock]

URGENT APPEAL TO ALL PEOPLE IN STRUGGLE!

ALISON BODINE, Political Organizer and Social Justice
Activist 
ARRESTED BY RCMP AND CANADA BORDER SERVICES AGENCY

Near midnight on Thursday September 13, 2007 Alison
Bodine, political organizer and social justice
activist was arrested by RCMP and Citizenship &
Immigration Canada. Alison, a US-citizen, was arrested
when she attempted to cross the border at Peace-Arch
border crossing, traveling from Canada into the United
States. She was handcuffed, detained, and her passport
taken away from her, with no information given about
the basis for her arrest, or the charges that she was
facing. 

Alison Bodine is a central organizer with Vancouver
antiwar coalition Mobilization Against War &
Occupation (MAWO), the president of University of
British Columbia’s Coalition Against War on the People
of Iraq and Internationally (CAWOPI), a long-time
executive committee member of the UBC Social Justice
Center, prominent activist in solidarity with Cuba and
the Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba, and a supporter
of immigrant and refugee rights in Canada and the US.

Three days prior, on Monday Sept 10th, Alison was
harassed by Canadian Border Guards while traveling
from the US into Canada. The harassment and
questioning that she faced on September 10th began
after border officials searched her vehicle, which
contained various political materials and progressive
newspapers. At that time however she was granted legal
entry into Canada.

Alison has traveled between the US and Canada on
dozens of occasions, as she studied at UBC for four
years as in international student, graduating in June
2007. She has never been denied entry into Canada.
After her political materials and belongings were
seized at the border on Monday Sept 10th, she returned
to claim them on Thursday Sept 13th as she was
returning to the US. Upon presenting her receipt to
claim her materials, she was handcuffed and told she
was under arrest, and that a warrant had been issued
for her arrest in Canada. 

RCMP and Canadian Border Guards are continuing to
refuse to answer any questions about what the warrant
was issued for. She has also been labeled a “flight
risk” in order to justify keeping her in jail for an
undetermined amount of time. She is currently being
held in jail by the Surrey RCMP.  

Since her arrest Alison has been informed that she
will face an Immigration Admissibility Hearing, likely
Friday Sept 14th, which is expected to take place at
Citizenship & Immigration Canada Offices (300 W.
Georgia St) in downtown Vancouver, no specific time
has been given.

The arrest of Alison Bodine is a further attack on
immigrants, refugees and all non-residents. Even
according to their own laws, the RCMP and Immigration
Canada have no legal basis for preventing her entry
into Canada. They only began the harassment and legal
process once they had identified her as a political
organizer. Alison is a prominent activist in
Vancouver, having written numerous articles, spoken at
dozens of anti-war and social justice demonstrations
and forums. She is a US-citizen who has spoken out
publicly against the US occupation of Iraq, and even
more so against Canada’s occupation of Afghanistan. 

The Committee to Free Alison Bodine is appealing to
all people, groups and organizations in struggle, to
unite in defense of Alison Bodine and against this
unjust attack. This is a clear example of Canada’s
“War at Home” and their escalation of attacks against
immigrants, refugees and “undocumented” people, in
particular those who are progressive activists.

For Alison’s freedom to be won, it is crucial that we
mobilize immediately, and show the government of
Canada, their police and repressive institutions, that
we will not be frozen by fear, intimidation and
attacks. 

DEMAND: FREE ALISON BODINE NOW!

EMERGENCY RALLY 
2:00 P.M.
Friday September 14
Citizenship & Immigration Canada Offices
300 W Georgia St (@ Cambie St)
Downtown Vancouver 

OPEN ORGANIZING MEETING (all activists and groups are
welcomed)
6:30 P.M.
Friday September 14
Joes Café (the large north hall)
1150 Commercial Dr. (@William St)

For further information please contact:
free_alison_bodine at yahoo.ca

Shannon Bundock 778-891-1470
Tamara Hansen 778-882-5223
Aaron Mercredi 604-339-7103







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