>From: [log in to unmask] >Organization: censa >To: "Quebec City" <[log in to unmask]> >Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 20:54:57 -0700 >X-Distribution: Moderate >MIME-Version: 1.0 >Subject: Popular Upheaval in Quebec >Reply-to: [log in to unmask] >Priority: normal >X-MIME-Autoconverted: from Quoted-printable to 8bit by rm-rstar.sfu.ca id >f3O43Cl22708 > > Popular Upheaval Hits Free Trade Meetings in Quebec City > By Roger Burbach > >For three days from April 20-22, the historic city of Quebec >was the scene of a popular revolt as thirty-four heads of state gathered >for the Summit of the Americas. Their agenda, a Free Trade Area of the >Americas, or FTAA. > >On the first day, a surprisingly warm sunny Friday that ended the >long winter in Quebec, thousands of demonstrators gathered on the >outskirts of the old city. They faced a ten-foot high chain link fence with >cement abutments that ran for two and a half miles around the hotels and >conference centers where the summit was held. Led by a number of >militant civil disobedience organizations, many of which united under the >slogan “Carnival Against Capitalism,” the demonstrators engaged in a >variety of antics and tactics designed to protest the FTAA meetings. > >Green Peace sent a hot air balloon over the chain link fence with >three passengers aboard. They were immediately arrested when they >descended not far from the main conference center. Next a wooden >catapult was assembled that launched teddy bears over the fence. When >the police picked up the teddy bears, demonstrators joked that the bears >“were being taken hostage by the authorities and will be held until police >demands are met that we disperse.” > >These playful antics quickly gave way to a more confrontational >mood. Many demonstrators sat down in front of the fence while others >tried to push it over. By late afternoon, the melee was on as police began >launching tear gas canisters and using water cannons against the >demonstrators. Around 5 o’clock demonstrators breached the security >perimeters as a fifteen-foot section of the fence was toppled. Dozens of >officers armed with batons and guns moved to close the gap, firing >repeated rounds of tear gas. Smoke rolled over blocks in the heart of the >city, floating into the meeting centers of the summit, causing the opening >ceremonies to be delayed for an hour. > >Although the Black Bloc--an anarchist group that first made its >appearance in the Battle of Seattle in late 1999 against the World Trade >Organization--was present in the assaults on the fence, its members were >actually outnumbered by other militants. Even more notable was the fact >that the Black Bloc and other demonstrators were overwhelmingly home >grown, speaking French, the language of the people who reside in Quebec >City and the province of Quebec. As evening turned to night, many of the >demonstrators would regroup in homes near the old city, receiving >succor from local residents. The battle at the fence continued until 3 in >the morning, with scores injured and the police arresting approximately >150 demonstrators. > >The biggest protest occurred on Saturday, an even warmer day. >Then upwards of 50,000 people assembled from around the hemisphere >to participate in a mass demonstration. French-speaking Canadians once >again predominated. Trade unionists, not just from Quebec, constituted >the principal component of the demonstration. Auto workers from >Tennessee, public service unions from New York, trade unionists from >Chile, sweatshop organizers from the maquiladora regions on the >Mexican-US border, as well as trade unionists from the rest of Canada >participated with their anti-FTAA banners and slogans. > >The demonstrators began to gather in the morning near the port >of Quebec City. Before they marched, thousands gathered in a nearby >“People’s Tent” where a number of Canadian organizers and international >participants spoke. No one condemned the demonstrators who battled at >the fence the night before. Maude Barlow, the chair of the Council of >Canadians, one of the main organizations backing the march, opened her >address by declaring: “Welcome to the revolution.” She went on to state: >“We are a movement of non-violence,” but refused to criticize the >youthful demonstrators who assaulted the fence and battled with police >the night before. She said: “Our youth and children are born into a toxic >society run by the multinationals in the name of free trade. We are >poisoning them.” She rhetorically asked: “Are they vandals? The first >vandals are the ones who ordered the wall built. The real violence is being >carried out by those who are meeting behind the wall.” > >Marching six to ten abreast, it took well over two hours for all >the demonstrators to pass in front of the train station that was just beyond >the staging area near the docks. The banners of the demonstrators were >colorful and creative. Some environmentalists were dressed as black and >white cows, carrying a large sign saying “FTAA=Mad Cows. Others were >dressed as frogs to protest the use of animal genes in the creation of >genetically modified foods. Following a banner “Les Artistes pour la >Pax” came a mime troupe of about forty members who were dressed up >in black suits as bankers and multinational executives. They stopped in >unison every few steps to look at their wristwatches, mocking corporate >efficiency and profiteering. > >Quebec nationalism was a critical factor in the spirited and >militant march. Many trade unionists as well as other demonstrators >carried emblems of the Quebec provincial flag on their protest signs. >They view opposition to free trade as an extension of the Quebec >struggle to win independence from the Canadian federal government >based in Ottawa. The current Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chretien, >endorsed the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, after >first objecting to it in his campaign for Prime Minister in 1993. >Comprised of Canada, the United States and Mexico, this agreement is >the fundamental building block for the FTAA and is viewed as costing >tens of thousands of jobs in Quebec and being one more step in the >usurpation of the rights and livelihood of the Quebecois. > >As the huge march came to an end, many participants, including >trade unionists, headed for the chain link fence, intent on disrupting the >FTAA meetings. Many sat down in front of the barrier in acts of civil >disobedience, but many more taunted the police and tried to breach the >fence. The confrontation grew even more militant than the day before, as >wave after wave of protestors began to storm the fence. Proclaimed one >trade unionist: “This movement is going to keep growing, it’s not just >those few dressed in black who are at the barricades.” Stones, cans, >balloons filled with paint, hockey pucks, and golf balls flew over the >perimeter, while some demonstrators brought up battering rams to knock >down the fence. Clouds of tear gas engulfed the city and the police began >using plastic bullets to repel the demonstrators. The single exit gate from >the FTAA meetings was shut down, trapping reporters and functionaries >inside the perimeter. > >One of the peaceful demonstrators at the fence, Svend >Robinson, a member of the Canadian Parliament, was among those >injured as the police themselves jumped the perimeter in order to push >back demonstrators. He was hit point-blank by a tear gas canister, leaving >an ugly gash on his thigh. Others were struck in the face by plastic >bullets. Over 400 people were arrested. The League of Rights and >Liberties had about 25 official observers present with credentials. One >of the spokespersons for the League noted: “The militants who tried to >breach the fence were more agile at evading police sweeps, often >escaping down side streets. It was those engaging in civil disobedience >who were often attacked and arrested.” One young women college >student was charged with rioting for merely holding up her fingers in a >peace sign. > >The battle at the perimeter continued throughout the night and >well into Sunday morning. Bank windows were smashed and >demonstrators set bonfires as they grew even angrier. A loud explosion >echoed throughout the city. Helicopters hovered continually overhead, >providing guidance and coordination to police efforts to contain the >demonstrators. The city of Quebec was effectively under siege. > >On Sunday afternoon, the thirty-four hemispheric leaders >concluded their summit meeting by releasing their official declaration. >Pronouncing this “The Century of the Americas,” they called for the >conclusion of negotiations for the FTAA by January 1, 2005, and for the >official implementation of the new trade treaty by December 31, 2005. >The declaration also announced a “Program of Action.” Special social >funds would be set up by the governments of the hemisphere to alleviate >poverty, improve health and education, and to provide job training. > >This program was reminiscent of an ambitious plan for >improving education drafted at the last Summit of the Americas held in >Santiago Chile in 1998. A study by the Miami based Leadership Council >for Inter-American Summitry concluded that countries and multilateral >lenders actually provided less money for education projects after the >summit of 1998 than before it. > >President George W. Bush in his remarks to the press at the >conclusion of the summit made it clear that his main interests were the >trade provisions of the declaration. He said, “Skeptics should look at >NAFTA. I campaigned on a program of free trade. We will vigorously >pursue a program of free trade.” After the end of the FTAA gathering, >Bush held a special meeting with the other two presidents of NAFTA, >Chretien of Canada and Vincente Fox of Mexico. On their agenda, >according to Bush, was a discussion of an “electrical grid for the >Northern Hemisphere.” He added, “if other countries are looking for >markets, they should look to the US, especially for energy.” > >While Bush ignored the popular revolt that occurred outside the >chain fence perimeter, others at the meeting were visibly concerned. >Enrique Iglesias, the head of the Inter-American Development Bank told >the press: “We cannot ignore these kinds of things. The image >demonstrators create can undermine the capacity of leaders to implant >free trade.” Even Prime Minister Chretien was forced to admit: >“Democracies face a crisis of legitimacy and relevancy.” > >Special thanks to Eric Squire for his assistance in participating in the >battle of Quebec City. >