[antiwar-van] Fire This Time back in Vancouver Skytrains!

[Kira Koshelanyk]

Fire This Time is Back in Vancouver Sky Train Stations – A Victory for Freedom of Expression!



Three weeks after the brutal assault and harassment of Fire This Time 
activists by Vancouver transit police and RCMP, “Get your copy of Fire 
This Time – Vancouver’s social justice newspaper,” and “Free, 
independent social justice news!” could once again be heard in Sky Train
 stations. On Friday, September 21, 20 Fire This Time activists and 
defenders of the freedom of expression in Vancouver joined together and 
distributed 1000 copies of the Fire This Time newspaper in defense of 
civil and democratic rights. Despite initial harassment by Transit 
officials, the activists remained inside of the stations and 
successfully exercised the right to distribute a progressive, free and 
non-commercial newspaper.



The return to Sky Train stations was covered in an article in the 
Georgia Straight, written Friday morning after a Georgia Straight 
reporter passed through the station.



http://www.straight.com/article-785511/vancouver/fire-time-activists-return-skytrain-stations-after-arrests-handing-out-newspapers



Distribution started early on Friday morning, at the Broadway and 
Commercial Sky Train station. Activists stood inside and outside of the 
station distributing Fire This Time newspaper to people from all 
different walks of life of whom many recognized the newspaper and were 
also very supportive.  Although transit officials told the distributors 
they were not allowed to be there, activists stood their ground, and 
defended their rights and stayed inside of the station the entire 
morning.



For the afternoon, Fire This Time activists returned to the sight of the
 original assault, Metrotown Sky Train station. As soon as distribution 
began inside of the station activists were approached by a transit 
official who insisted that there distribution was impeding traffic and 
they would have to move. It was clear this was a targeting and 
harassment by the transit official as the person distributing was well 
out of the way of people passing by documented in videos and pictures 
taken by Fire This Time supporters. Distribution continued inside of the
 station during a busy two hours.



This successful distribution has shown the importance of a strong 
defense campaign. Following three weeks of a campaign to defend civil 
and democratic rights against the assault by transit officials, police 
and RCMP, it was possible for activists to return victoriously 
distributing Fire This Time. The strong public defense campaign, media 
coverage and broad support from people has forced transit and police to 
back off and restrain themselves.



We encourage all people in Vancouver to get involved in the newly formed
 Vancouver Committee to Defend Freedom of Expression, and to join us in 
distributing Fire This Time. If we unite to defend our civil and 
democratic rights, we can also extend those rights!



Please join us for the next meeting of Vancouver Committee to Defend Freedom of Expression!



Wednesday September 26

7pm

Joe’s Café - in the large north hall

1150 Commercial Drive at William Street



Vancouver Committee to Defend Freedom of Expression

http://stopassaultonpoliticalactivists.wordpress.com/

vancouverfreedomofexpression at gmail.com | 778-889-7664

http://www.Youtube.com/firethistime

 		 	   		  
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