Demonstration in Montreal, Canada
Today March 17, approximately 150 people gathered in the Cote-des-Neiges neiborhood in Montreal to condemn the debarkment of the U.S. troops in the Philippines. They demanded that U.S. troops withdraw from the Philippines right now and condemned the expansion of the U.S. war from Afghanistan to the Philippines, and probably soon to Iraq. The demonstration was organized by the Centre for Philippine Concerns (CPC), a Montreal-based group which supports the national democratic movement in this country.
Starting from the McKenzie-King park near the Cote Ste-Catherine metro station, protestors took to the streets and marched in this workers neiborhood where many Filipino are living, chanting slogans both in French, in English and in Tagalog. At different points all along the demo, speakers from many organizations expressed ther solidarity with the struggle of the Filipino people. Among them were: Voice Objection (a group which fights against the economic embargo against Iraq), the Jewish and Palestinian Alliance Against the Occupation, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, the Centre for Study and Research on South Asia, the Purple Rose Campaign, the Anti-Capitalist Convergence (a.k.a. CLAC), Kabataang-Montreal (Montreal Filipino Youth), the British Colombia Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, the Filipino Students Association of Carleton University (Ottawa), the Filipino Workers Support Group, the Commitee for Human Rights in Colombia and the Revolutionary Communist Party (Organizing Committees).
Before ending the demo, protesters burned a U.S. tank and a giant puppet representing U.S. imperialism. The spokesperson of the CPC finally called all the people to unite in a large anti-imperialist front, in solidarity with the people`s struggle around the world. Calls for mobilization against the G-8 Summit which is to be held in Canada in June, and for the International Workers Day on May 1st have also been made, notably by the CLAC and the RCP(OC).
The holding of today`s demo – where there has been no arrest – represents a victory against the State and the police who are trying to criminalize and prevent any people`s struggle. Last Friday, 371 people have been arrested following their participation to the annual demonstration against police brutality organized by the COBP (Collectif oppose a la brutalite policiere). This seems to be the most important mass arrest in Montreal since the October crisis en 1970.
For more information:
The Red Flag
P.O. Box 1004, Station C
Montreal H2L 4V2
Canada
(514) 854-4890
redflag37@hotmail.com
