[antiwar-van] Oct 3 - Tonigth! Vancouver Committee to Defend Freedom of Expression - Public Meeting

[Kira Koshelanyk]

Vancouver Committee to Defend Freedom of Expression

Public Meeting
Wednesday, October 3
7pm
Joe’s Café (Large North Hall)
1150 Commercial Drive @ Napier Street

On Friday, August 31 over ten Transit Police and RCMP officers participated in the assault, handcuffing, and forced removal of three peaceful Fire This Time newspaper distributors from the Metrotown Skytrain station. All three were released without charges later that night and visited hospital emergency rooms with various injuries.

Since the assault, growing public outcry has led to the formation of the Vancouver Committee to Defend Freedom of Expression. The committee members include members of various political parties and organizations, trade union members and executives, as well as community members outraged by the blatant attack on civil liberties and democratic rights.

Fire This Time members and supporters have also returned to both Metrotown and Broadway Skytrain Stations to reassert their right to distribute. Despite initial resistance by Translink Supervisors, by standing their ground activists have been successful in distributing the newspapers, leaving only when they had distributed every copy they had brought.

Hundreds of thousands of people have also now read about the case in important articles in the Vancouver Sun, The Province, and the Georgia Straight printed and online editions, as well as hearing interviews on Radio India and CKNW. The case has also been covered by media around the world!

The BC Civil Liberties Association, Canada's oldest and most active civil liberties group, has also taken up the case and written a letter to Translink demanding an explanation for the assault: http://bccla.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/20120920-Letter-Translink-Free-Expression.pdf

The campaign is growing and moving forward! A new website has been launched with all of the campaign information and resources: www.stoppoliceassault.com Also, hundreds of new buttons and stickers demanding, “Stop Attacks on Freedom of Expression” have been distributed across the Lower Mainland.

The Vancouver Committee to Defend Freedom of Expression will meet to discuss the most recent developments in the case and to organize for the upcoming actions in the growing campaign to defend Fire This Time and of all our civil liberties and democratic rights. This will include a big legal defense fundraiser on Friday, October 12th, 7:30pm at the Mount Pleasant Neighborhood House (800 East Broadway, 1 block East of Fraser St.). Please join us in this important fight! We will win!

Vancouver Committee to Defend Freedom of Expression
www.stoppoliceassault.com
vancouverfreedomofexpression at gmail.com | 778-889-7664

 		 	   		  
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