[news] KW Youth Collective Members Snatched

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-----Forwarded Message-----

From: OCAP <ocap at tao.ca>
To: ocap at lists.tao.ca
Subject: KW Youth Collective Members Snatched
Date: 20 May 2003 12:13:56 -0400



Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Collective Members Snatched

People's Release:

On Friday, May 16 at approximately 7pm, a number of the K-W Youth
Collective were arrested and jailed in Kitchener by Waterloo Regional
Police.

The People's Community Defense Brigade, known as CopWatch, is an important
community function performed by the Spot, a collective, youth-run drop in
and organizing body located in downtown Kitchener.  CopWatch began as a
necessary reaction to the ridiculous amount of harassment of downtown
street/involved youth and homeless people by the Waterloo Regional Police.
It is a successful deterrent to police abuse of power, and for informing
those being stopped by the police of their rights.  This of course angers
the cops, and they have become even more beligerent and hostile while
performing their job.  They have taken to snapping pictures of the
CopWatchers, and threatening them with Obstruction for their advocacy.

On Friday they made good on their word. While providing support for a
homeless person being harassed by the police, Julian Ichim, Davin Charney
and 2 youth, Nik and Mark, were arrrested. These people are the key
organizers for the upcoming Kitchener May 24th May Day conference and
street party and action. This arrest is transparently opportunistic, an
attempt by the Waterloo Regional Police to sink the planning and
occurrence of this event by jailing the organizers. These members of the
K-W Youth Collective are asserting that this event will be taking place,
and ask for support in the form of as many people as possible attending.

They also ask for court support this week, at the courthose located at
Frederick and Lancaster in Kitchener, On. While Davin and Julian appeared
before a "justice" of the "peace" on Saturday May 17th, they were denied
bail for refusing to sign non-association conditions for release (more
see-through proof of the real reason for their arrest). They are currently
both being held in seperate units in the Maplehurst Complex in Milton,
Ontario. Davin is scheduled to be in court on Wednesday, May 21st at 9am,
and Julian is scheduled to appear on Thursday, May 22nd, at 9am. It is
expected that the Crown will continue to press for denial of bail unless
non-association conditions are agreed

Your presence is needed at the court dates and May Day event. Please join
the K-W Youth Collective in demonstrating that the tactics of the Waterloo
Regional Police and the "justice" system are not and will never be
effective in their attempts to defeat their work.


May Day. Uprising!
Saturday, May 24, 2003

1-3 pm:     Introductions of various community activists from Ontario,
discussing the work their groups are doing
3pm:         Lunch

4-6pm:      Panel Discussion. With representatives from OCAP, Toronto
Native Youth, Communist Party of Canada Marxist-Leninist, the Spot, and
others.

8pm:          Street Party and Action!


the Spot
119b King Street
downtown Kitchener, ON
youth_space at hotmail.com
519-578-1425

(this is the regular contact information, but there is probably not
anyone available to respond to questions at this time. please call Kris
at 416-532-0817 or write at kris_pheasant at hotmail.com until their release)

http://www.ocap.ca/ontario/kwcopwatch.html

**ocap members interested in going to KW for MayDay, contact stef at the
OCAP office 416.925.6939 ** limited transportation space available **



			       **
		   Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
	517 College Street, Suite 234  Toronto, Ontario  M5G 4A2
	     416-925-6939   ocap at tao.ca   www.ocap.ca
			       **