[Announce-DAN] Fw: FTAA arrest, November 18, 2000, Quebec

["Emilie F. Nichols" <emilie@ix.netcom.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Olsen <bobolsen@interlog.com>
To: ftaa-l@lists.tao.ca <ftaa-l@lists.tao.ca>
Date: Sunday, November 19, 2000 9:55 PM
Subject: FTAA arrest, November 18, 2000, Quebec




Two messages.......


  Joan Russow, Leader of the Green Party of Canada,
  arrested for visiting the jail which is being
  emptied to accomodate the anticipate protesters
  against the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)
  meeting in April, 2001.




Date:          Sun, 19 Nov 2000 01:21:38 -0800
To:            jrussow@coastnet.com
From:          era@pinc.com
Subject:       GREEN PARTY LEADER DETAINED

TTHE GREEN PARTY OF CANADA
LE PARTI VERT DU CANADA
244 Gerrard Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 2G2
1-888-6GREEN6    Fax: 416-929-7709    gpc@green.ca

MEDIA RELEASE   COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GREEN PARTY LEADER DETAINED
"Time to Consider the Real Issues," Says Russow

QUEBEC CITY-- November 18, 2000 -- Joan Russow, Leader of the Green Party
of Canada, was arrested 3:30 PM EST, Saturday November 18, 2000, and was
detained for 3/4 of an hour. Russow was visiting the jail which is being
emptied to accomodate the anticipate protesters against the Free Trade Area
of the Americas (FTAA) meeting in April, 2001.

It is anticipated by the organizers of the FTAA meeting that this Quebec
City jail will be needed to detain the peaceful protesters expected at the
FTAA meeting.

Quebec police said it was against the law to take a picture of the jail.
The police also took away the film from a Le Soleil photographer who was
present.

"My arrest and the Quebec City jails show that the Chretien Liberals are
preparing to turn Quebec City into a battle ground against its own
citizens," said Russow.

The FTAA is a major step in expanding corporate control and subsequently in
reducing our sovereignty and control over our economy. It means
deregulation and devolution of powers to corporations.  It will be another
blow to the environment as these corporations promote waste, contribute to
climate change, and produce toxic and hazardous materials.  A Green
government would dismantle the WTO and abrogate NAFTA and the Free Trade
Agreement.

"Corporate control of the government should be the Number One Issue in this
election," Russow added.  "Chretien acts as a corporate lackey with his
trade junkets all around the world, selling Candu reactors to regimes with
gastly human rights records. Canada's human rights record was
tarnished by Chretien at APEC.  The Canadian Alliance has accepted
vast amounts from corporations too, with $25,000 a plate dinners. The
NDP has done nothing when given the chance to speak out as provincial
governments."

"That is why we are the only real alternative for voters," Russow said.
"Unlike the other previously elected parties, we don't accept corporate
political donations and consider these donations as being corruption.  I
challenge the other parties to come out and say where they stand on these
vital trade issues."

Russow was accompanied by Jean-Claude Balu, the leader of Parti Vert du
Quebec, and other Party officials and Green Party of Canada candidates.
Russow had also taken a photograph of the jail and when the police
aggressively demanded the photograph from her, Russow refused and put the
photo in her pocket. The police then detained Russow and placed Russow in a
detention cage for 45 minutes.

-30-


For further information, please contact:
Joan Russow, Leader
Cell: 250-415-7004

David White, Press Secretary,
Phone: 250-598-0071, Fax: 250-598-0994



To: ftaa-l@lists.tao.ca
Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2000 14:11:39 -0500
From: "Eric Squire" <eric.squire@angelfire.com>
Subject: (ftaa-l) Le Soleil: Arrest outside Quebec City prison


[English translation ... see:
http://www.lesoleil.com/encours/quoti/lu2__self.stm for the original
French article plus a photo of Joan Russow being taken into custody by
police.]

******************
Le Soleil, Quebec City, Sunday November 19, 2000-11-19

Green Party Leader arrested in front of Quebec City Prison
A SMALL "PEACEFUL PROTEST" TURNS SOUR

Photo: Greens and their leader, Joan Russow, wished to denounce the fact
that the detention center would "be used as a concentration camp" during
the Summit of the Americas.

Marc Lesage
Mlesage@lesoleil.com

Quebec - The leader of the Green Party of Canada, Joan Russow, was
arrested by officers of the Detention Center of Quebec during her trip
through the Old Capital.

The short energetic woman and Green candidate in the Quebec City region,
Samuel Moisan-Domm, an 18 year old student at Cegep St. Lawrence, had
arranged a press conference in front of the detention center in the goal
of denouncing the fact that "the institution was to be used as a
concentration camp" during the Summit of the Americas in April.

The "security plan" which has been announced for the Summit includes plans
to empty the detention center located in Orsainville in order to house the
anti-globalization protesters arrested during the three day forum.

Le Soleil arrived on the scene at 3:20 pm.

It appears that security agents had been forewarned of the arrival of Ms.
Russow and her entourage.  There was a visible air of commotion, and a
good deal of murmering in muffled tones.  When Ms. Russow's entourage
arrived, they were intercepted at the main entrance.  Drivers were told to
make an about-turn, most of whom obeyed the directive.

The car carrying Ms. Russow stopped.  Ms. Russow emerged with an
inexpensive camera, and began shooting pictures of the detention center.
The two guards present at this time ordered her to halt, which apparently
encouraged her to shoot more souvenir photos.

"If you continue, I will arrest you!" ordered the more corpulent of the
two guards.  "By what right?  I haven't done anything wrong here ".

An instant later, Ms. Russow was put into the rear seat of the guards'
van, and the headlights of the vehicle were turned on.  One of the guards
was overheard saying: "Call the muncipal police; we need assistance here
at the entrance."  The dozen or so Green party members on the scene seemed
taken aback by the events.

According to the Quebec leader of the greens, Jean-Claude Balu, candidate
in Mont-Royal, the arrest of Ms. Russow is clear evidence of an intolerant
system.  "They are announcing that the prison will be emptied in an effort
to frighten people" accused Mr. Balu.

The film of the photographer of the organization was immediately seized.

The SOLEIL photographer also consented to surrender the film found in his
camera when requested.  Fortunately, Raynald Lavoie had taken some
excellent photos a few moments earlier on a different roll of film which
was sitting in his pocket.

The Green Party candidate from this region, wearing fashionable elephant
pants, was clearly animated by the turn of events.  Samuel Moisan-Domm is
the candidate in Charlesbourg-Jacques-Cartier, the riding where the prison
is located.

It is the young man's first experience as a candidate.  He follows in the
footsteps of his father, Richard Domm, who has twice been a Green
candidate in the past.  The father explained that he is very proud of his
son who will be eligible to vote in his first election.  "Samuel is the
youngest candidate; he is only 18.  He will be voting for the first time
on the 27th", said his father before leaving in the direction of the
nearest police station where he hoped to free the party leader in time for
dinner.

The Charlesbourg municipal police confirmed at about 5:00pm that the
politician had been freed and that no charges would be pressed.  In the
evening, Ms. Russow left on the road to Shawinigan, riding of Jean
Chretien.

see: http://www.lesoleil.com/encours/quoti/lu2__self.stm for the original
French article plus a photo of Joan Russow being taken into custody by
police.



---------------------------- ftaa-l -----------------------------
resisting the FTAA and capitalist globalization
mobilizing for Quebec City, April 2001
creating alternatives
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   ............................................
   Bob Olsen, Toronto     bobolsen@interlog.com
   ............................................



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