[van-announce] Update on 4 Arrests at APC Demo

[malliga at resist.ca]

(Please Forward Widely - Sorry for Cross-posting)

At about 6pm on Saturday, April 2nd a small but loud and militant crowd 
of protesters arrived at the Westin Bayshore to demonstrate at a 
meeting of the BC School Trustees at which Gordon Campbell was scheduled 
to speak.  Upon arriving, we were greeted by at least 20 VPD officers and 
hotel management.

We set up our speakers on a walkway adjacent to the hotel parking, in 
clear view of the doors, to make our demands and hear some speakers.  No 
sooner did we begin before the VPD began fulfilling their role as the 
protectorate of the ruling classes and told protesters to move back to the 
sidewalk or they would be arrested.

We refused to move - poor people in this province have been making room 
for the Liberals and their cronies for too long!  We are sick and tired of 
being beaten back from what is righfully ours and we were prepared to 
fight!

The first speaker was Claudio Eckdahl, an APC member and a member of BCGEU 
Local 603.  Immediately after our brother had finished, the police grabbed 
David Cunningham, threw him to the ground and arrested him.  We surrounded 
him, demanding that he be released immediately, but he was picked up and 
carried into the hotel, out of sight.

Three of our members, Lily Loncar, Kim Kerr and Anton Pilipa, sat 
down and militantly refused to move until David was released.  The rest of the 
demonstration created a moving picket around the front of the hotel, 
screaming our demands that Dave be released.  One by one Lily, Kim and 
Anton were arrested and carried away.

                        WE REFUSE TO BE SILENCED!

Infuriated protesters remained on the scene, demanding the release of 
their comrades and calling shame on the BC School Trustees who sat inside. 
Their complicity and cooperation with this government's drive to harass, 
criminalize and brutalize the people of BC is disgusting, but not 
surprising.  The people on the front lines of the struggle - poor and 
working people, women, children, seniors, indigenous people, immigrants, 
refugees, people of colour, people with disabilities - are all too 
familiar with the disdain of those who have escaped the brunt of the 
Liberal cuts, and especially those who have been instrumental in 
implementing those cuts.

Our sister and brothers have been held overnight, as they refused to sign 
release papers that contained 'no-contact' orders with one another. 
No-contacts are one of a set of tactics the cops and judicial system use 
to try to intimidate and divide organizers.  Another APC organizer, 
Jagdeep Mangat, was recently picked up by the VPD and is currently facing 
trumped-up charges that date back to May, 2004.  His bail conditions 
include a restriction on participating at public demonstrations.

We will not be intimidated!  We will continue to fight back, stronger than 
ever in our resolve and conviction that united we will win!

Lily, Dave, Kim and Anton are scheduled to see a Justice of the Peace 
today who will make the decision regarding the no-contact order.  We will 
continue to use these lists to keep people updated.

SOLIDARITY IS NEEDED NOW!  More than ever, the APC needs your support.  To 
contact us, e-mail apc at resist.ca or call 604-682-2726.  If you are able to 
donate financially to our legal defense fund and on-going campaigns, 
please send a cheque or money order made out to the Anti-Poverty Committee,
P.O. Box 1, 12 East Hastings Street, V6A 1N1.

We call on all supporters to come and take to the streets with us next 
Saturday, April 9th.  Meet at 2pm at Victory Square (Cambie & Hastings) 
for a demonstration of Direct Action against the Safe Streets Act.

The next general meeting of the APC is this Tuesday, April 5th 6:00pm at 
251 Union Street.  Buzz 900 and someone will come downstairs to get you.

For more information about our on-going campaigns, visit 
http://apc.resist.ca/home.

                         UNITED WE WILL WIN!