[bru-info] Press Release: Bus Riders Union organizers released after being arrested for civil disobedience

[bru-info at lists.resist.ca]

**For Immediate Release**

Bus Riders Union organizers released after being arrested for civil disobedience

October 20, 2005

Vancouver - Six Bus Riders Union organizers, who were arrested on Tuesday October 18 for a sit-in at the Vancouver city hall council meeting, were released at 4am the next day.  The BRU organizers were charged with "assault by tresspass" for non-violent civil disobedience. The BRU sit in exposed and held TransLink directors and Vancouver city councillors accountable for not making more buses and lower fares the top priority in Vancouver and for working with war-profiteer SNC Lavalin, who is building the RAV line.  

"It's been a long time coming" says organizer Yuly Chan.  "The direct action on tuesday was to confront and expose TransLink and Vancouver city councillors of their record of service cuts, high fares and misplaced priorities such as financially supporting the $1.74 billion RAV line in the interests of big business and war-profiteer SNC Lavalin." comments Chan. 

"When you rco-opt your platform of 'More buses and Lower fares' from a grassroots group like the BRU,  you better expect to be held accountable when you don't follow through" said organizer Beth Grayer to Raymond Louie and Larry Campbell (who was absent) at the council meeting.  "For 3 years, Vancouver City councillors Raymond Louie and Larry Campbell have voted in favour of fare increases and in favour of the 1.74 billion dollar RAV line, which diverted money away from the bus system.  Their only contribution has been to big business and to the privatization of public transit by supporting the private-public-partnership called the RAV line and to the 3rd fare increase in 5 years."  

>From historical examples like the civil rights movement in the U.S. to the on-going and growing resistance in Latin America, the Bus Riders Union knows that civil disobedience not only becomes necessary but also strategic in creating the right conditions for long-term systemic change.  The police response to the peaceful civil disobedience of BRU organizers shows that the state is afraid of grassroots resistance and that we're being effective in challenging and standing up for social, economic and political interests of poor and working people.  At this historical juncture, where public services such as education, healthcare and transit are being privatized, our responsibility to our communities and families is to keep organizing and keep fighting.  

The Bus Riders Union is holding a 1-week fare strike from November 14-18 in the lead up to the municipal elections.  We will be asking bus riders to not pay or show their pass for a week as a form of collective action to protest the high fares.  Last year over 5,000 bus riders participated in a 1-day fare strike.  

As Boots Riley from the hip hop group The Coup said, "this is not the time to be polite".  Get involved! 

For more info call: 604-215-2775


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