[antiwar-van] UPDATE #9 - Demand to Drop All Charges Against Alison Bodine Grows as Campaign Enters Second Week!

[Kira Koshelanyk]

Alison Bodine Defence Committee
UPDATE #9 – Saturday September 22, 2007

Demand of “Canada Border Services Agency, Drop all Charges Against Alison Bodine Now!” grows stronger as Alison Bodine Defence Committee begins a new week of events!

Alison Bodine Defence Committee launches campus speaking tour next week!

Saturday September 22nd – As the campaign to have all charges by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) against anti-war and social justice activist Alison Bodine dropped enters its second week, the campaign is growing stronger than ever. 

Alison Bodine is a US citizen and central organizer with Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO), a long-time executive with the UBC AMS Social Justice Center, President for 3 years of the UBC AMS Coalition Against War on the People of Iraq & Internationally and a well-known Cuba solidarity activist with the Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba. After this unjust arrest and detention at the US/Canada border Alison was released from RCMP detention one week ago Friday, after less than 24 hours due to huge public pressure and mobilization.

Within just one week, the campaign has seen support from Vancouver, across Canada, and internationally. Dozens of organizations and individuals have sent letters demanding that the CBSA drop all the charges against Alison Bodine. The committee has received letters of support from US anti-war coalition International ANSWER (Seattle Branch), Iglesia San Romero de las Americas church in New York City, and NDP MPs Bill Siksay and Libby Davies. Hundreds of people also rallied at the six protests that have been held in front of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Offices in downtown Vancouver. 

The ABDC has also won some important victories in this case: Alison’s release on Friday as a result of a rally of 80 people in front of the CIC offices, followed by coverage of the story on CBC radio; the return of Alison’s political materials and personal items that had been detained by CBSA; and the CBSA finally giving full disclosure of the charges against her to Alison and her lawyer.

The struggle is by no means over, though, and the ABDC has planned a number of important actions within the coming days leading up to Alison’s hearing on September 28th. A cross-campus speaking tour will be launched next week, with events happening at the University of British Columbia, the University of Victoria, Capilano College, and Langara College. (See times and dates below.)

On Saturday 22, the ABDC is organizing a forum titled “From Washington, DC to Vancouver, BC: Anti-war and Social Justice Activists Under Attack! Drop All Charges Against Alison Bodine!” and will feature a broad range of speakers from a number of community organizations who are fighting for social justice and immigrant and refugee rights. The forum will be held at the Chilean Housing Co-op at 3390 School Ave. 

On Sunday 23, the ABDC is organizing a legal defence fundraiser for Alison’s case. It will feature a broad range of great local musicians supporting Alison’s case. It begins at 8PM at El Rancho Restaurant (Kingsway & Broadway in Vancouver).

The Alison Bodine Defense Committee continues to call on all progressive, humanity loving people to come out to these actions and defend not only Alison's basic human and democratic rights, but the rights of us all. You can also send a letter in defense of Alison (either to the Alison Bodine Defense Committee (ABDC) or to Canada Border Services Agency and CC it to ABDC). We must pressure the CBSA with a show of the massive numbers of people calling on them to drop all charges against Alison.

Unity in action is the only way that we can show the government of Canada and its agencies that we will not be pushed around or intimidated by their undemocratic measures, repressive actions and fear mongering tactics. United We Will Win!

++++++++++++++++++++++
ALISON BODINE SPEAKS OUT! Campus speaking tour

-UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Monday Sept. 24
12noon
Student Union Building Rm. 245

-UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA
Tuesday Sept. 25
5:30pm
Engineering/Computer Science Building Rm. 108

-CAPLIANO COLLEGE
Wednesday Sept. 26
12:30pm
CSU Lounge (Maple Building)

-LANGARA COLLEGE
Thursday Sept. 27
12:30pm
Spindle Whorl Room (Student Union Building)

++++++++++++++++++++++++
Alison Bodine Defense Committee (ABDC)
*Contact by phone:
Shannon Bundock 778.891.1470
Tamara Hansen 778.882.5223
Aaron Mercredi 604.339.7103

*Blog, Daily Updates & Action Info:

http://alisonbodine.blogspot.com

*Email:
defendalisonbodine at hotmail.com
free_alison_bodine at yahoo.ca

_________________________________________________________________
Discover the new Windows Vista
http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=windows+vista&mkt=en-US&form=QBRE
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/antiwar-van/attachments/20070922/4bf5c980/attachment.html>