[mobglob-discuss] Fwd: [Infoshop News] Those planning civil disobedience to be barred from G-8

[Graeme Bacque]

------------forwarded message------------
From: "Tom Wheeler" <twbounds at pop.mail.rcn.net>
To: "Infoshop" <infoshop-news at infoshop.org>
Subject: [Infoshop News] Those planning civil disobedience to be barred 
from G-8
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 21:52:45 -0400


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020610/ap_wo_en_po/canad
a_g8_border_1

Those planning civil disobedience to be barred from G-8

CALGARY, Alberta - Alberta's southern border will be shut down to activists
who hope to disrupt this month's summit of world leaders, a G-8 security
spokesman said.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canada Customs are planning a massive
security crackdown at the Alberta-United States border in the days leading
up to the June 26-27 meeting of leaders from the world's top eight
industrial countries at Kananaskis, said RCMP Cpl. Jamie Johnston.

Anyone caught trying to cross with "tools of civil disobedience" will be
interrogated and refused entry into the province, he said.

"When we have eight of the world's most powerful economies coming together
at one time and place, it's our duty to provide protection," Johnston said.

Tools of civil disobedience, said Johnston, include gas masks, pepper spray
and gasoline bombs, as well as seemingly harmless items such as handcuffs,
spray paint and ski masks.

Handcuffs have been used at previous summits to form human chains to block
major roadways, while the discovery of gas masks "would be a clear
indication (the protesters) were here for some other purpose than the
scenery."

Johnston acknowledged that many of the items are not illegal to possess.
That's why customs officials will interrogate suspicious travelers first to
determine whether the items have an "illegal intent."

Activists call the crackdown an attack on civil liberties.

Scott Crichton of the American Civil Liberties Union ( news - web sites) in
Missoula, Montana, said he's been contacted by several Montana activists who
have been refused entry into Canada in recent weeks.

"The absurdity of it all is we're not talking about people with dynamite in
their shoes. Their dynamite is their ideas," Crichton said.

"It's a shame because Canada is a model to us in the States, especially in
terms of diversity and tolerance. I always thought of Canada as what we
ought to be, so it's a little disheartening hearing that Canadian officials
are so closed about this."

Moj Gone, a spokeswoman for the RUCKUS Society, a protest organizing group
based in Oakland, California, said crossing the border has become difficult
for activists.

"Whether we're going to these (summit) meetings or whether we're just
meeting friends, authorities are cracking down on the free movement of
people at the border," Gone said.

Security has been tightened at economic, summit and other high-profile
meetings in recent years following a rise in global activism that exploded
at the 1999 World Trade Organization ( news - web sites) meeting in Seattle.
A few dozen anarchists and vandals at that meeting caused millions of
dollars in damage to the city's downtown core, and similar unrest has
accompanied meetings in Washington, D.C., Quebec City and in Europe.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien chose Kananaskis, in rugged country about 100
kilometers (60 miles) west of Calgary, in an effort to prevent a repeat of
violent protests that caused chaos at last year's G-8 in Genoa, Italy.

Canada Customs spokesman Gordon Luchia said every vehicle crossing the
border in the days leading up to the summit will be inspected.

Additional customs staff will be on duty, there will be drug- and
bomb-sniffing dogs on call 24 hours a day, and RCMP will increase patrols
between crossing points.

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