[news] Cops Arrest & Charge APC Memeber for Watching Them

[resist admin]

From: Calvin Woida <calvinwoida at hotmail.com>
To: apc-discuss at lists.resist.ca, apc-announce at lists.resist.ca, copb-van-l at lists.resist.ca, van-announce at lists.resist.ca
Cc: apc at resist.ca, lmcsj at resist.ca
Subject: Cops Arrest & Charge APC Memeber for Watching Them
Date: 25 May 2003 14:25:21 -0700


PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY (APOLOGIES FOR ANY CROSS POSTINGS)


Yesterday afternoon, right after one of COPEs "community consultations"
regarding the future of the Woodwards building, an APC member, who is also
a former Woodward's Squatter, was being jacked up by Vancouver cops for the
crime of being too poor to have enough tobacco to roll a proper sized
cigarette (they thought it was a joint!).  Some APC members proceeded to
observe the cops to ensure that our comrades rights would be respected.
The cops demanded they move around the corner or they would be arrested for
obstruction (they were simply observing and not interfering with the cops
in any way).  When they insisted on exercising their rights, the cops
charged Trevor, threw him against the wall, put handcuffs on him and took
him to jail (it should be pointed out that this all happened with the
knowledge of at least some prominent COPE members, including City
Councillors; when we appealed to one Councillor, who happens to be a lawyer,
for assistance, we were told to "go call a lawyer"!).

We mobilized quickly:  APC members, our allies from VANDUs Housing Action
Committee (HAC), and others from the community (including Trevors Mom)
staged a sit-in outside the Cop Shop near Main & Hastings.  After a few
phone calls, more folks came down to give their support.  Throughout the
night a few came and went, and we maintained a steady 30 or so people.  We
had one demand:  RELEASE TREVOR IMMEDIATELY!

While we occupied the road outside the police station and blocked traffic
from the north (except for buses and local residents), the cops eventually
called for City crews to bring barricades and set them up at the other end
of the street.  Soon the entire block resembled a protest camp with Free
Trevor banners and signs, black flags, food and water to keep us energized,
Taums poetry, and frequent chants of Let Trevor Go!, No More Pigs in Our
Communities! and other favorites (at one point, a supporter used the
megaphone to screech irritating noise while another gave the cops inside the
one finger salute).  As long as the cops held our comrade in jail, they
would not receive a moments peace!

The cops toyed with us by giving our representatives conflicting information
and promising to release Trevor at various times and then not doing so.
Around 11:00 PM they told us they would release Trevor if we all left the
street, except for a small group that would wait for him outside the City
jail.  Most of us headed back to the safe injection site.  The deadline for
Trevors release came and went; feeling that the cops promise to release
our friend was a ploy to reduce our numbers and get us off the road, we all
headed en masse to the City jail, right beside the Police Station,
determined to stay as long as it took.

Eventually people grew tired of the cops bullshit and proceeded to block
off the street outside the jail.  We then marched to Main and Hastings,
toting the barricades that had been brought by earlier.  Despite our small
numbers, courageous supporters began setting up the barricades to completely
block the intersection while cops raced to the scene to clear them away,
receiving much abuse as they did so!

Finally word came to us that our determination and persistence had paid off:
  Trevor was released!  We left Main and Hastings triumphant to welcome our
friend and comrade who had just spent hours in jail for having the audacity
to watch the cops using their power against a poor person and political
activist.

This incident was important in many respects:  first, it showed what can be
accomplished when poor people refuse to be intimidated, stand together in
solidarity and fight back!  Second, it demonstrated that direct action,
maintaining a physical presence in the face of injustice, is more effective
than going through the official channels:  if we had simply waited for the
legal system to run its course, Trevor could have been in jail overnight,
even until Monday, and very well may have lost his job.  Finally, by taking
direct action we forced the cops to divert resources away from their
aptly-named Operation Torpedo which has been terrorizing drug users and
others in the Downtown Eastside and keeping them in their hotel rooms and
away from life saving services such as the needle exchange and the safe
injection site.

The struggle is not over; Trevor has been charged with Obstruction" and has
been red zoned out of a large area of the Downtown Eastside, places where
Trevor goes to be with friends, do political work and hang out.  He must now
abide by these onerous conditions until his first court appearance in a
month (if he does not, he could be charged with breaching his conditions
which is a criminal charge in itself).  The Anti-Poverty Committee and our
supporters will not rest until all charges against Trevor are dropped!

We will keep you informed of all developments in this case, including
Trevors first court appearance.

This is not the first time that an APC member has faced an attack by the
police and legal system:  currently, about half our members are facing
criminal charges.  The APC Legal Defence Fund desparately needs donations.
If you can donate any amount, large or small, please make out a cheque to
"Anti-Poverty Committee," write "Legal Defence Fund" on it, and mail to:

APC Legal Defence Committee
c/o Anti-Poverty Committee
108-119 West Pender Street,
Vancouver, Coast Salish Territory, "BC"
V6B 1S5


NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE!
FIGHT TO WIN!


The Anti-Poverty Committee (APC)