BASICS Bulletin - 4 May 2009
BASICS Free Community Newsletter condemns the disgraceful conduct of
the Toronto Police Service in its treatment of of the Tamil community
and peaceful demonstrators attempting to join the Tamil rally at the
US consulate on May 2, 2009.
For the last two months the Tamil community has shown exemplary unity
and organization in demanding an end to the genocide of the Tamil
people being carried out by the Sri Lankan government, including the
use of military attacks on civilian targets and the use of chemical
weapons and concentration camps in an attempt to break their movement
for national liberation. The Tamil community has persevered despite
the silence of the Canadian government and corporate media and
undemocratic repression by the Toronto police. In the words of one
demonstrator, "We will not be treated like animals!"
On May 2, thousands of people, both Canadian-born and migrant workers,
marched to call for an end to the racist attacks of the Canadian
government against immigrant communities. After the No One Is Illegal
march ended at City Hall, a large group of marchers continued on to
join the rally organized by the Tamil community at the US consulate.
The police showed no respect for the peoples right to peaceful
assembly and freedom of speech as guaranteed by the Charter of Rights
and Freedoms. Even though there was no violence or even threat of
violence from the side of the demonstrators, police verbally and
physically assaulted the people, calling them "terrorists" and other
insults. The marchers were penned in between metal barricades and
rows of armed riot police, creating a tight bottleneck on one end of
the sidewalk while mounted police on horses assaulted marchers from
the other end. Tamils and non-Tamils alike were brutalized and
crushed together, including women and children. Police even assaulted
a young couple who were only passers-by and were complying with police
instructions to leave the area. The officer grabbed the woman with
both hands and threw her down on the pavement and threatened to arrest
her partner when he attempted to passively intervene.
Two marchers, including a correspondent for BASICS Free Community
Newsletter and a member of the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid,
were arrested for "disturbing the peace," even though their only crime
was speaking out in defense of the Tamil people and calling for
international solidarity. Footage now posted on YouTube clearly shows
that the CAIA member was arrested simply because he dared to make the
links between the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka to the occupation
and apartheid policies imposed on the Palestinian people by Israel and
correctly identifying the Canadian state as being complicit in both of
these international war crimes. Footage also clearly shows that there
was no basis for the arrest and mistreatment of the correspondent from
BASICS at the hands of the Toronto police.
The police have been attempting to break the growing unity between
Tamils and non-Tamils, by spreading rumours to each side that the
others are "trouble-makers." Anyone who views the footage of police
conduct at the demonstration will know the truth: that it is the
police who are the real "trouble-makers!"
As our arrested comrade from BASICS said, "The excessive response
against me – both at the time of my arrest and during the booking
procedure at the police station, was intended to humiliate and
intimidate me and thereby discourage my participation in the Tamil
protests. Needless to say, I will be back at the Tamil protest making
“trouble” as long as the Tamil community will be there."
We will not be intimidated! Our unity will not be broken! BASICS
Free Community Newsletter demands an impartial investigation into the
treatment of demonstrators by the Toronto police, disciplining of any
officers who violated peoples rights, as well as a public apology from
Chief of Police Bill Blair for the disgraceful and cowardly conduct of
his officers. Further, we demand that the Canadian government use any
and all means available to pressure the Sri Lankan government to stop
the genocide of the Tamil people! For more information, contact
basics.canada@gmail.com or visit our website at
basicsnewsletter.blogspot.com.
Showing posts with label mass organizations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mass organizations. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Hood 2 Hood Open Mic for Saturday Morning Live
Hood 2 Hood Movement presents
An Open Mic in Solidarity with
SATURDAY MORNING LIVE,
and all the former CKLN hosts dismissed by the illegitimate right-wing board.
Ellington's - 805 St. Clair West
Friday, February 20, 2009
5pm-8pm
W/ DJ L'Oqenz & DJ Akeen
With performances by Joel Harbans (Sax), Ania, Cookie, Wasun, Unsung, Quanche, Ginga, D-Squad, Huslebois, Ecclesiastic, Shing Shing Regime, and Thesis
Friday, January 16, 2009
Three T.O. Youth Orgs. Launch, Uniting the People for Change
by Alok Premjee
Basics Issue #12 (Jan/Feb 2009)
On the evening of December 10th, 2008, the Toronto-based organizations Hood 2 Hood, Set-It-Off, and NO COPS (the Newly Organized Coalition Opposing Police in Schools) held a triple launch party for their organizations at the AnitAFRIKA! Dub Theatre, working in conjunction with Black Action Defense Committee (BADC), BASICS, and the Strictly Roots Project. The event consisted of music provided by two tenth grade DJ’s from Sir Sanford Fleming Collegiate, dinner, poetry, and dance performances by talented artists from around the Greater Toronto Area.
The purpose of the event was to bring together groups that focus on organizing working class communities, primarily racialized working class communities. The Hood-2-Hood group is organizing in a number of low-income areas in Toronto to bring an end to the horizontal (youth-on-youth) violence that divides our communities and to redirect the attention of the youth towards the real enemies of the community, such as TCHC and the big development corporations conspiring to destroy social housing, or incessant police terrorism.
The Set-It-Off group is a rapidly growing young women’s organization with over 50 members, which is serving as a space for young women’s social networking and fulfilling a self-help function by dealing with issues of teen pregnancy and misogyny; providing a positive space to learn about black history; and organizing cultural activities like dancing, singing, and skills-building like writing.
Set-It-Off is working out of Sir Sanford Fleming, Westview Centennial, & Vaughn Road Academy. One of the important social and political roles that the group has been serving has been to raise political awareness around the planned demolition of Lawrence Heights by the City of Toronto.
NO COPS is a coalition of parents, teachers, students, and other allies which formed as a response to the Toronto Police Service’s and Toronto District School Board’s decision to place armed police in almost 30 high-schools across Toronto. The stated goal of the organization is to mobilize communities opposed to the police occupation of schools with the goal of getting the cops out.
After dinner and a series of presentations from the organizations, the performers hit the stage. Performances were kicked off by the Hustle Boyz, who represented Vaughn & Oakwood and Jane & Tretheweys, followed by Vaughn & Oakwood’s own and T-Dots finest MC Quanche, who performed solo and did a rap duet with the Original Wasun. Following these performers the audience was blessed with some female talent, with reggae artist Rakaya, some beautiful vocal performances from Set-If-Off performers. D’bi Young, one of Toronto’s finest dub poets and the owner of the AnitAFRIKA! Dub Theatre, also mesmorized the audience with one of her poems. Next, the mic was passed onto D-Squad, representing Jane and Tretheweys, who performed a couple of banging tracks, just before the Phantom Dancers arrived straight out of Scarborough, who showcased some of the latest dancehall moves. That set the scene for a dance off and a dance jam that broke out to end off the hype night.
Much respect to the anitAFRIKA! Dub Theatre for providing their extraordinary venue for the grassroots community event.
Basics Issue #12 (Jan/Feb 2009)
On the evening of December 10th, 2008, the Toronto-based organizations Hood 2 Hood, Set-It-Off, and NO COPS (the Newly Organized Coalition Opposing Police in Schools) held a triple launch party for their organizations at the AnitAFRIKA! Dub Theatre, working in conjunction with Black Action Defense Committee (BADC), BASICS, and the Strictly Roots Project. The event consisted of music provided by two tenth grade DJ’s from Sir Sanford Fleming Collegiate, dinner, poetry, and dance performances by talented artists from around the Greater Toronto Area.
The purpose of the event was to bring together groups that focus on organizing working class communities, primarily racialized working class communities. The Hood-2-Hood group is organizing in a number of low-income areas in Toronto to bring an end to the horizontal (youth-on-youth) violence that divides our communities and to redirect the attention of the youth towards the real enemies of the community, such as TCHC and the big development corporations conspiring to destroy social housing, or incessant police terrorism.
The Set-It-Off group is a rapidly growing young women’s organization with over 50 members, which is serving as a space for young women’s social networking and fulfilling a self-help function by dealing with issues of teen pregnancy and misogyny; providing a positive space to learn about black history; and organizing cultural activities like dancing, singing, and skills-building like writing.
Set-It-Off is working out of Sir Sanford Fleming, Westview Centennial, & Vaughn Road Academy. One of the important social and political roles that the group has been serving has been to raise political awareness around the planned demolition of Lawrence Heights by the City of Toronto.
NO COPS is a coalition of parents, teachers, students, and other allies which formed as a response to the Toronto Police Service’s and Toronto District School Board’s decision to place armed police in almost 30 high-schools across Toronto. The stated goal of the organization is to mobilize communities opposed to the police occupation of schools with the goal of getting the cops out.
After dinner and a series of presentations from the organizations, the performers hit the stage. Performances were kicked off by the Hustle Boyz, who represented Vaughn & Oakwood and Jane & Tretheweys, followed by Vaughn & Oakwood’s own and T-Dots finest MC Quanche, who performed solo and did a rap duet with the Original Wasun. Following these performers the audience was blessed with some female talent, with reggae artist Rakaya, some beautiful vocal performances from Set-If-Off performers. D’bi Young, one of Toronto’s finest dub poets and the owner of the AnitAFRIKA! Dub Theatre, also mesmorized the audience with one of her poems. Next, the mic was passed onto D-Squad, representing Jane and Tretheweys, who performed a couple of banging tracks, just before the Phantom Dancers arrived straight out of Scarborough, who showcased some of the latest dancehall moves. That set the scene for a dance off and a dance jam that broke out to end off the hype night.
Much respect to the anitAFRIKA! Dub Theatre for providing their extraordinary venue for the grassroots community event.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Hood-2-Hood, Set-It-Off, NO COPS Launch Rally and Party
Hood 2 Hood/Set it off/NO COPSLaunch Party and Rally
Wednesday, December 10th, 2008
4:30pm-9:30 pm
Do you want to talk about what’s goin’ on in your hood?
Do you wonder why there are armed cops in schools?
Do you ask yourself why there isn’t a space for girls to talk about
the issues facing them?
Then come to the Hood-2-Hood / Set-It-Off / NO COPS Launch Party
AnitAfrika Dub Theatre
62 Fraser Avenue (King & Dufferin)
Two blocks east of Dufferin St., South of Liberty St. on Fraser Ave.
FREE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
$5 Donation encouraged for others
Perfomances by: D-Squad, Queen Tyssential, Thesis, The Voyce, and Rakaya
MC: Wasun, hip hop artist, organizer with Hood 2 Hood
Speakers from community organizations
For transportation assistance to venue, call 647-818-1355
Sponsored by: BASICS Community Newsletter and Strictly Roots
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Pelham Park Teams Champs at J4A Tourney Against Police Brutality
by Elijah Whitaker
Basics #11 (November 2008)
‘Pelham Park Young Set’: The Youth Division's championship team of the Justice for Alwy Basketball tournament. From left to right: Rushown, J.R., Gordel, Daniel, and Marvin.
‘5 Point’: The Adult Division's championship team of the Justice for Alwy Basketball tournament. From left to right: Richard Campbell, (non-player), P-Nise, East-Ca$h, & Bravo.
On September 13, 2008 the Justice for Alwy Campaign held its first ever Annual 3-on-3-Basketball Tournament. ‘The 1st Annual Justice for Alwy 3-on-3-Basketball Tournament’ was borne out of community concerns over police brutality – namely after Alwy al-Nadhir, an unarmed Toronto youth, was shot and killed by Toronto Police last Halloween. Out of this tragedy, Alwy’s family, friends, and other local community organizers saw the need to get organized to put an end to the siege on our communities. Together, they created the Justice for Alwy Campaign Against Police Brutality.
The Tournament was held at Carlton Park, located in the south west side of the city near Symington and Dupont. Teams registered from all over the city, including teams from Pelham Park, Jane and Finch, Markham, Scarborough, Regent Park and many more areas throughout the city. With players, spectators, volunteers and organizers, the event drew over 100 people. And despite the pouring rain and a slippery court, the tournament saw high-level competition and intense games, accompanied with music and a BBQ to top it off.
As for the tournament itself, teams from Pelham Park dominated both the adult and youth divisions. In the youth division, Pelham Park Young Set went undefeated throughout the entire tournament. With stellar performances from Gordel, Rushown, Daniel, J.R, and Marvin, they were able to tear through the competition eventually beating neighbourhood counterparts Clinton, Pedro, and Squid of Triple Threat in the finals.
In the adult division, another team representing Pelham Park went undefeated. 5-Point, which consisted of Richard Campbell, East Ka$h, P Nise and Bravo proved to be too much for the adult division, beating another local team Trend-Setters (Chevy X, Marbles, Prince, Kevin Campbell, Kris Neptune ) in the finals.
Congratulations to both teams!
Basketball aside, the political purposes of the event itself - uniting to express our opposition to police brutality - was not lost. Being at the event, it was clear from the discussions many of the youth were having that there are serious tensions between many youth and Toronto police. The frustration was palpable – many expressed discontent over the overall policy of community policing, many exchanged experiences about the daily harassment, false arrests, brutal beatings and verbal confrontations many have with the police.
Community concerns over police brutality and racial profiling are, of course, not new to the city. The Black Action Defence Committee has been organizing around the issue of police brutality for a number of years, and with the recent police killings of Freddy Villanueva, Alwy al-Nadhir, Byron Debassiege and the 2004 murder of Jeoffrey Reodica, the already frayed relationship between youth and the police might be worsening.
In the end, organizers thought the event was a great success and are excited about next year’s tourney.
‘Trendsetters’: The Adult Division's 2nd place team. Marbles, Prince, Chevy X, and Kevin Campbell, and Kris Neptune.
‘Triple Threat’: The Youth Division's 2nd place team. From left to right: Pedro, Clinton, and Squid.
Basics #11 (November 2008)
‘Pelham Park Young Set’: The Youth Division's championship team of the Justice for Alwy Basketball tournament. From left to right: Rushown, J.R., Gordel, Daniel, and Marvin.
‘5 Point’: The Adult Division's championship team of the Justice for Alwy Basketball tournament. From left to right: Richard Campbell, (non-player), P-Nise, East-Ca$h, & Bravo.On September 13, 2008 the Justice for Alwy Campaign held its first ever Annual 3-on-3-Basketball Tournament. ‘The 1st Annual Justice for Alwy 3-on-3-Basketball Tournament’ was borne out of community concerns over police brutality – namely after Alwy al-Nadhir, an unarmed Toronto youth, was shot and killed by Toronto Police last Halloween. Out of this tragedy, Alwy’s family, friends, and other local community organizers saw the need to get organized to put an end to the siege on our communities. Together, they created the Justice for Alwy Campaign Against Police Brutality.
The Tournament was held at Carlton Park, located in the south west side of the city near Symington and Dupont. Teams registered from all over the city, including teams from Pelham Park, Jane and Finch, Markham, Scarborough, Regent Park and many more areas throughout the city. With players, spectators, volunteers and organizers, the event drew over 100 people. And despite the pouring rain and a slippery court, the tournament saw high-level competition and intense games, accompanied with music and a BBQ to top it off.
As for the tournament itself, teams from Pelham Park dominated both the adult and youth divisions. In the youth division, Pelham Park Young Set went undefeated throughout the entire tournament. With stellar performances from Gordel, Rushown, Daniel, J.R, and Marvin, they were able to tear through the competition eventually beating neighbourhood counterparts Clinton, Pedro, and Squid of Triple Threat in the finals.
In the adult division, another team representing Pelham Park went undefeated. 5-Point, which consisted of Richard Campbell, East Ka$h, P Nise and Bravo proved to be too much for the adult division, beating another local team Trend-Setters (Chevy X, Marbles, Prince, Kevin Campbell, Kris Neptune ) in the finals.
Congratulations to both teams!
Basketball aside, the political purposes of the event itself - uniting to express our opposition to police brutality - was not lost. Being at the event, it was clear from the discussions many of the youth were having that there are serious tensions between many youth and Toronto police. The frustration was palpable – many expressed discontent over the overall policy of community policing, many exchanged experiences about the daily harassment, false arrests, brutal beatings and verbal confrontations many have with the police.
Community concerns over police brutality and racial profiling are, of course, not new to the city. The Black Action Defence Committee has been organizing around the issue of police brutality for a number of years, and with the recent police killings of Freddy Villanueva, Alwy al-Nadhir, Byron Debassiege and the 2004 murder of Jeoffrey Reodica, the already frayed relationship between youth and the police might be worsening.
In the end, organizers thought the event was a great success and are excited about next year’s tourney.
‘Trendsetters’: The Adult Division's 2nd place team. Marbles, Prince, Chevy X, and Kevin Campbell, and Kris Neptune.
‘Triple Threat’: The Youth Division's 2nd place team. From left to right: Pedro, Clinton, and Squid.
Mural Painting of Incan Prophecy at Jane-Finch
by Lucho Granados Ceja (of Barrio Nuevo) Basics #11 (November 2008)On September 21st, 2008 community activists from Barrio Nuevo teamed up with several Latin American artists to paint a mural on a wall at 40 Driftwood Avenue, in the Jane-Finch community. The mural was painted in honour of the Incan prophecy of the 10th Pachacuti. The prophecy speaks of the reunification of the Eagle (the peoples of North America) and the Condor (the peoples of South America) in order to bring peace and balance to the world.
Cecilia Alejo, one the artists, said “Arts-based initiatives such as this one offer an opportunity
for self expression, while at the same time providing a reflection of the community and an expression of unity.” The mural, a mixed media piece with graffiti art elements, even attracted the attention of local youth who spontaneously lent a hand. These youth not only took ownership of the mural but their street as well and provided a culturally-relevant community landmark.Where the reality is that our neighbourhoods face decades of neglect, these sorts of initiatives allow artists to beautify them and at the same time display an element of our history on the street for the community to appreciate. Barrio Nuevo plans on securing more space for this sort of activity in more neighbourhoods in the future.
To get involved is future initiatives like this, people are encouraged to contact us at barrionuevo.canada@gmail.com.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Montréal-Nord Républik: “Born in the Line of Fire”
"Montréal-Nord Républik est né sous le signe du feu"
by Will Prosper (Basics #11 - November 2008)
« Montréal-Nord Républik est né sous le signe du feu », dit Rony Bastien. En effet, c'est durant l'émeute que les deux membres fondateurs se sont rencontrés. « Pour un évènement qui est né sous le feu, c'est une belle image, mais c'est aussi la vérité », déclarent-ils en interview à la Radio du Collectif No One Is Illegal. D'autres s'y sont greffés petit à petit, par contact ou parce qu'ils ont envoyé un courriel. Ce qui les rassemble, c'est qu'ils sont tous résidants de Montréal-Nord et conscients des problèmes sociaux de leur quartier.
“Montreal North Republik was born in the line of fire”, says Rony Bastien. Actually, the two founding members met during the riot. “For an event that was born under fire, it’s a beautiful image and it’s also the truth,” they said in an interview on No One Is Illegal Radio, Montreal. Little by little, others came around either through face-to-face meetings or because they sent an email. What brings them together is that they are all residents of Montreal North and are conscious of the social problems of their neighbourhood.
En effet, M-NR s'est formé pour faire entendre la voix de la rue. «On voit que Montréal-Nord Républik, c'est pas moi, c'est tous vous autres, c'est tout le monde ensemble », déclare Will Prosper, un des porte-paroles du mouvement. Ensemble, ils veulent briser la censure faite par ceux qu'ils appellent la « Sainte alliance » (c'est-à-dire les élus, les groupes communautaires et la police) qui tentent d'imposer des barrières à toute autre initiative qui ne vient pas de ces derniers.
Actually, Montreal North Republik (M-NR) formed in order to give voice to the word on the street. “We see that Montreal North Republik isn’t me, it’s all of you, it’s all of us together,” says Will Prosper, a spokesperson for the movement. Together, they want to break the censure of those they call the “Holy Alliance” (elected officials, community groups and the police) who attempt to block any initiative that does not come from them.
Les actions de M-NR leur ont amené une « grande vague de sympathie » de la part de la population et ont prouvé qu'elle était de leur côté.
M-NR’s actions have brought on “a great wave of sympathy” from the local population and has proven that the locals are on their side.
Après avoir organisé une conférence de presse, une visite au conseil d'arrondissement de Montréal-Nord pour déposer leurs revendications devant le maire et les conseillers et une assemblée populaire avec la population du quartier, Montréal-Nord Républik joint la nouvelle Coalition contre la répression et les abus policiers afin de mettre sur pied la manifestation du 11 octobre 2008.
After organizing a press conference, visiting the mayor’s office of Montreal North to drop off a list of demands and having a popular assembly with the local population, M-NR joined the new Coalition Against Police Brutality and Repression in order to organize the rally and march that took place on October 11, 2008.
Ce qu'ils revendiquent ...
The demands are as follows:
- La démission du Maire. Selon eux, il est la cause des problèmes de Montréal-Nord.
-The resignation of the mayor. According to M-NR, he is the cause of the problems in Montreal North.
- Une enquête publique et indépendante. Le mouvement ne croit pas à la police qui enquête sur la police. D'ailleurs, selon un sondage, les québécois ne font pas confiance à l'enquête. C'est révélateur du manque de transparence et du conflit d'intérêts, selon M-NR.
-An independent public inquiry. The movement does not believe in police investigating police. In fact, according to a survey, Quebecers do not have confidence in the current inquiry. According to Montreal North Republik, this reveals a lack of transparency and a conflict of interest.
- La fin des pratiques abusives de la police. Avec Éclipse, la nouvelle escouade qui tente de lutter contre les gangs de rue, les abus ne font que s'amplifier. D'ailleurs, ce nouveau groupe policier serait déjà détesté de tous les citoyens : jeunes, vieux, enfants, blancs et noirs, même chez les commerçants.
-An end to police brutality. With ‘Eclipse’, the new police squad attempting to fight against street gangs, the brutality is actually escalating. In fact, this new police squad is already hated by all: youth, elders, children, white and black, even small business owners.
- Une œuvre produite par des artistes du quartier à la mémoire de Fredy mise en valeur par l'arrondissement.
-A work of art produced by the artists of the neighbourhood to commemorate Fredy.
- La reconnaissance du principe selon lequel tant qu'il y aura de l'insécurité économique, il y aura de l'insécurité sociale.
-A recognition of the principle that as long as there is economic insecurity, there will be social insecurity.
Mais les membres de Montréal-Nord Républik restent réalistes. Ils savent bien que le remplacement du maire n'est pas la solution au problème. Par contre, ils reconnaissent que s'ils arrivent à faire tomber des morceaux de la clique, ça prouvera que, collectivement, nous pouvons arriver à bien des choses. Ils poursuivent en disant que le Maire mérite de perdre son emploi et que son changement ne sera qu'une étape au processus. Ils savent également que la fin des pratiques abusives de la police est quelque chose de difficilement réalisable, mais les membres de M-NR trouvent tout de même nécessaire de mettre ce principe de l'avant.
But the members of M-NR are realistic. They know that replacing the mayor is not the solution to the problem. On the other hand, they recognize that if they are able to get rid of little pieces of the clique, it proves that collectively we can get things done. They continue by saying that the mayor deserves to lose his job and that replacing him is only a step in the process. They also know that an end to police brutality is a difficult goal but the members of M-NR find it necessary to recognize this as a leading principle.
Pour ce qui est du futur, on ne sait pas ce qu'il leur réserve. Les membres ont beaucoup d'idées mais aussi beaucoup de décisions à prendre. Malgré ça, ils ont prouvé que leur organisation est une force de démocratisation, de partage et de renouvellement culturel.
As for the future, we don’t know what is in store. Members have a lot of ideas but also a lot of decisions to make. Despite this, they have proven that their organization is a democratizing force, a space for sharing and cultural renewal.
FRENTE NORMAN BETHUNE: Building People-to-People Solidarity Between Canada and Venezuela
by Erica Peña & Nico Lopez
Basics #11 - November 2008
As a launching initiative for Frente Norman Bethune [FNB], this past October several community organizers and hip hop artists visited Canada from Venezuela for an 18-day tour. The Venezuelan delegation included members of Comite Nacional de los Sin Techos (National Homeless Committee), and rap-groups Familia Negra, and Area 23. They came to our corner of the world to learn a little more of what hip-hop group Familia Negra poetically refers to as Babylon. During very intense and important times they had the opportunity to compare the social, economic and political situation in their homeland with what they experienced in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Haudenesaunee (Six Nations Confederacy). Surprised and curious about the rich cultural diversity in our neck of the woods, the delegates of FNB shared their revolutionary messages not through hip hop music, but also during discussions and meetings with local organizations.
Besides opening dialogue with diverse groups of people to inform them on the positive changes in Venezuela, which our mass media rarely mentions (if at all), visiting FNB delegates met with grassroots collectives and student organizations, inviting them to participate in this Toronto-based exchange project that can bring us closer to their people’s movement. The exchange will initially allow people from Canada, Quebec , and indigenous territories to travel to Venezuela to volunteer in specific tasks during 3 or 4 weeks, during which they will be exposed to a vibrant social and cultural urban (or semi-rural) landscape. Set out to take organizers and activists to a country that has been in the spotlight of international news during the past decade, FNB is not just a solidarity effort to build stronger North-South ties: it is also an amazing learning opportunity for those actively involved in progressive social change, and especially for those who intending to increase their community organizing involvement in the future.
The visit of FNB delegates could not have happened at a more opportune time as Canada was in the midst of electing its next Prime Minister. The electoral context surrounding their stay allowed the Venezuelans, who have strengthened their system of participatory democracy for almost a decade now, to witness “the celebration of representative democracy”. In the case of Canada, they could notice that voter turnout is way lower compared to their own country, where millions flock the voting centers on the day to choose or even recall the head of Government. Additionally, they were able to see that the mechanisms to avoid electoral fraud did not seem as rigid as they are in Venezuela, where elections are enhanced by voting machines and others that verify your fingerprint coincides with the one on your identification, plus there is a paper track for every vote to avoid any discrepancies when the time to count comes. Finally, the Bolivarian visitors inquired about the lack of “international observers”, who seem to flood their country on every election, “to ensure the transparency of the voting process”.
While visiting various communities and organizations, the delegates gained insight into the many local issues we’re facing in Canada. For instance, their visit to St. Jamestown was useful to learn about the current efforts going towards organizing resident involvement in Toronto’s Mayor Tower Renewal project in North America’s most densely populated neighbourhood. Familia Negra performed at an anti-poverty rally at Jane & Finch, galvanizing the atmosphere as its residents “sung out against poverty and inequality.” They also performed in Montreal during a demonstration in solidarity with police-slain youth, Freddy Villanueva. FNB delegates were invited to speak at radio shows from four different stations, sharing with the local audience their insight on the important role community media has played in strengthening their Bolivarian Revolution. By visiting indigenous communities in struggle at Six Nations near Caledonia, ON and meeting with solidarity groups such as Students Against Israeli Apartheid, the FNB delegates increased their awareness of our local struggles and solidarity initiatives and were able to parallel to theirs while opening doors to possible mutual exchanges.
The Frente Norman Bethune campaign is demonstrating that the time has come to take a closer look at successful efforts for change in other parts of the world and learn from their positive experiences. Given the global socio-economic turmoil and its local effects, community groups and organizations in Toronto are building international solidarity links to find collaborative solutions to global problems.
For more Info on the FRENTE NORMAN BETHUNE initiative contact Barrio Nuevo at barrio.nuevo@gmail.com.
FRENTE NORMAN BETHUNE delegation of Venezuelans with Barrio Buevo and BASICS being given a tour at the Kanawakhe Mohawk Territory (just outside of Montreal).
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Hip-Hop Unites Revolutionary Native, Black, and White Youth at Six Nations
by Wasun
Basics Issue #10 (Aug / Sep 2008)
On Friday, July 11, 2008 youth from the Black Action Defense Committee (BADC) attended the Six Nations Youth Rally at Chiefswood Park in Ohsweken, Ontario. The rally was organized by Six Nations youth organizers to mobilize local youth to fight for a youth recreation center on the reserve, which is long overdue. The opening evening of the concert was dominated by revolutionary rappers from across Ontario.
BADC organized a diverse group of artists to perform at the rally. Toronto-based Wasun and Lameck Williams performed new tracks from the Underground Railroad Mixtape, Volume 1. Shing Shing Regime out of Hamilton, Ontario, representing the Nations of Gods and Earths, performed their new tracks.
Testament, an Arab anti-poverty activist from London, Ontario blessed the mic with hard hitting anti-imperialist lyrics drawing connections between the struggle for Palestinian liberation and the Six Nations land reclamation against Canadian colonialism. Finally, School of Thought, a group of white working-class youth from Barrie, Ontario came together with all of the MCs present to do a throwback freestyle set on a series of classic Wu-Tang Clan instrumentals. The Six Nations Youth Rally Concert was a good example of how revolutionary hip hop is being used to unify native, black, and white working-class youth in our common struggles for liberation.
Basics Issue #10 (Aug / Sep 2008)
On Friday, July 11, 2008 youth from the Black Action Defense Committee (BADC) attended the Six Nations Youth Rally at Chiefswood Park in Ohsweken, Ontario. The rally was organized by Six Nations youth organizers to mobilize local youth to fight for a youth recreation center on the reserve, which is long overdue. The opening evening of the concert was dominated by revolutionary rappers from across Ontario.
BADC organized a diverse group of artists to perform at the rally. Toronto-based Wasun and Lameck Williams performed new tracks from the Underground Railroad Mixtape, Volume 1. Shing Shing Regime out of Hamilton, Ontario, representing the Nations of Gods and Earths, performed their new tracks.
Testament, an Arab anti-poverty activist from London, Ontario blessed the mic with hard hitting anti-imperialist lyrics drawing connections between the struggle for Palestinian liberation and the Six Nations land reclamation against Canadian colonialism. Finally, School of Thought, a group of white working-class youth from Barrie, Ontario came together with all of the MCs present to do a throwback freestyle set on a series of classic Wu-Tang Clan instrumentals. The Six Nations Youth Rally Concert was a good example of how revolutionary hip hop is being used to unify native, black, and white working-class youth in our common struggles for liberation.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Justice for Alwy B-Ball Tournament - Saturday, Sep 13, 2008
Register Now for the Justice for Alwy basketball tournament!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
On Saturday, September 13, the Justice for Alwy campaign against police brutality will be holding its first annual Justice for Alwy 3-on-3 basketball tournament. The tournament will consist of two separate divisions: "16 and under" and "17 and over". Proof of age will be necessary to compete in the "16 and under" division. First prize for the tournament will be $500 for the "17 and over" Senior division and at least $150 for the "16 and under" Junior division.
Registration cost is $50 per team for the Senior Division, and $25 per team for the junior division (a maximum of 5 players per team). The event will be held in Carlton Park, which is two blocks west of Symington and one block north of Dupont.
Registration deadline is September 5 - and the number of teams allowed to compete is limited, so register now!
Contact justiceforalwy@gmail.com to register or call 647.202.0805. Or join the Justice for Alwy Facebook group, and see the Justice for Alwy B-Ball Tournament Event in that group.
Organized by: The Justice for Alwy Campaign Against Police Brutality, Basics Community Newsletter, and the Hood to Hood Movement
Saturday, September 13, 2008
On Saturday, September 13, the Justice for Alwy campaign against police brutality will be holding its first annual Justice for Alwy 3-on-3 basketball tournament. The tournament will consist of two separate divisions: "16 and under" and "17 and over". Proof of age will be necessary to compete in the "16 and under" division. First prize for the tournament will be $500 for the "17 and over" Senior division and at least $150 for the "16 and under" Junior division.
Registration cost is $50 per team for the Senior Division, and $25 per team for the junior division (a maximum of 5 players per team). The event will be held in Carlton Park, which is two blocks west of Symington and one block north of Dupont.
Registration deadline is September 5 - and the number of teams allowed to compete is limited, so register now!
Contact justiceforalwy@gmail.com to register or call 647.202.0805. Or join the Justice for Alwy Facebook group, and see the Justice for Alwy B-Ball Tournament Event in that group.
Organized by: The Justice for Alwy Campaign Against Police Brutality, Basics Community Newsletter, and the Hood to Hood Movement
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
No Justice for Alwy at the Arab Community Centre of Toronto
Basics Editorial
Basics Issue #9 (May 2008)
Quite often cultural and religious identities like “Black”, “Arab”, “Christian”, or “Muslim” are used by organizations to rally an identity group in such a way that hides serious class differences and political differences within those organizations. Often, though not always, the leaders of such organizations are individuals who maintain cozy relationships with government or big business. The Justice for Alwy (J4A) campaign recently learned this lesson the hard way when it was blocked from speaking at a conference organized by the Arab Community Centre of Toronto (ACCT).
Upon learning of the J4A Campaign against police brutality, an individual from the ACCT requested that the J4A Campaign have speakers at one of its upcoming conferences. The May 3rd conference was entitled “Arab and Muslim Identities on Trial: Youth Step Up and Speak Out”. Only days before the conference, members of the J4A campaign were contacted and told that they would no longer be allowed to speak at the conference because of “liability issues”. It seems like Arab and Muslim youth are allowed to step up and speak out only on those issues that really don’t matter in the community.
Upon further investigation, members of the campaign learned that the ACCT is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and also receives money from the City of Toronto. Furthermore, the RCMP were among the panellists at the conference.
Following in the footsteps of Toronto Parks and Rec. Manager Lucky Booth of the Regent Park Community Centre South, once again a Toronto Community Centre has closed its doors on the struggle of youth and mothers in the community trying to expose and resist police brutality.
In an Open Letter to the ACCT, the J4A campaign wrote, “We are more and more coming to understand that entities funded by the government cannot be relied upon to be apolitical organizations, and thus can not fully serve the people and the communities under whose name they work..”
The Arab Community Centre of Toronto cannot claim to represent the interests of Arabs if when one of their community members is senselessly murdered by the state the result is that organization takes the side of the state.
The people should not expect government-funded “community”centres to work for them unless the community itself has control over those centres. ∗
Basics Issue #9 (May 2008)
Quite often cultural and religious identities like “Black”, “Arab”, “Christian”, or “Muslim” are used by organizations to rally an identity group in such a way that hides serious class differences and political differences within those organizations. Often, though not always, the leaders of such organizations are individuals who maintain cozy relationships with government or big business. The Justice for Alwy (J4A) campaign recently learned this lesson the hard way when it was blocked from speaking at a conference organized by the Arab Community Centre of Toronto (ACCT).
Upon learning of the J4A Campaign against police brutality, an individual from the ACCT requested that the J4A Campaign have speakers at one of its upcoming conferences. The May 3rd conference was entitled “Arab and Muslim Identities on Trial: Youth Step Up and Speak Out”. Only days before the conference, members of the J4A campaign were contacted and told that they would no longer be allowed to speak at the conference because of “liability issues”. It seems like Arab and Muslim youth are allowed to step up and speak out only on those issues that really don’t matter in the community.
Upon further investigation, members of the campaign learned that the ACCT is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and also receives money from the City of Toronto. Furthermore, the RCMP were among the panellists at the conference.
Following in the footsteps of Toronto Parks and Rec. Manager Lucky Booth of the Regent Park Community Centre South, once again a Toronto Community Centre has closed its doors on the struggle of youth and mothers in the community trying to expose and resist police brutality.
In an Open Letter to the ACCT, the J4A campaign wrote, “We are more and more coming to understand that entities funded by the government cannot be relied upon to be apolitical organizations, and thus can not fully serve the people and the communities under whose name they work..”
The Arab Community Centre of Toronto cannot claim to represent the interests of Arabs if when one of their community members is senselessly murdered by the state the result is that organization takes the side of the state.
The people should not expect government-funded “community”centres to work for them unless the community itself has control over those centres. ∗
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Justice for Alwy Open Letter to the Arab Community Centre of Toronto
May 15, 2008
Arab Community Centre of Toronto
555 Burnhamthorpe Road, Suite 209
Etobicoke, Ontario M9C 2Y3
(Head Office)
Tel:(416)231-7746 Fax:(416)231-4770
Email: info@arabnewcomers.org
To Whom It May Concern:
As members of the Justice for Alwy (J4A) Campaign, we wish to express our dismay and condemnation at the decision of the Executive Director of the Arab Community Centre of Toronto, Laila Bondugjie, to block our organization from speaking at their May 3rd conference, ‘Arab and Muslim Identities on Trial: Youth Step Up and Speak Out.’
Following the murder by Toronto Police of 18-year-old Alwy al-Nadhir on October 31st, 2007, his family, friends and allies came together to demand justice and to educate others about police brutality. Since then they have been spreading their message and speaking out against police brutality with the help and support of many community organizations and allies.
After hearing us speak out at one of our events, we were approached by a staff member at the Arab Community Centre in charge of organizing the conference. This individual thought Alwy’s story and our message against police brutality was a perfect fit for a conference on Arab and Muslim youth. Afterall, Alwy was a young Arab and Muslim man who was murdered by the Toronto Police.
J4A Campaign members readily agreed to participate and were busy preparing until we were contacted a couple of days before the conference. We were told that the Executive Director of the Arab Community Centre did not want us to speak because of ‘liability issues.’ She further expressed the opinion that our message was too ‘political’ and that we might offend the ‘Arab’ community, the RCMP and others who were in attendance at the conference.
We asked ourselves the question, how can a conference on Arab and Muslim Youth not be political in the current in the current atmosphere of Islamophobia in our society? Which ‘Arab’ community is she referring to, given that Alwy and his family are Arab Canadians? Finally, we must ask, was the conference organized for the RCMP or for Arab and Muslim youth?
Upon further investigation, we found out that the Arab Community Centre of Toronto is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and has received funding from the City of Toronto’s Access and Equity Advisory Committee.
Once again, as with Regent Park Communtiy Centre South, a government funded entity has closed its doors in our faces. We are more and more coming to understand that entities funded by the government cannot be relied upon to be apolitical organizations, and thus can not fully serve the people and the communities under whose name they work.
We find the behavior of the Executive Director, Laila Bondugjie, unacceptable and shameful. We demand a full explanation as to why we were barred from speaking at the conference. We can be contacted at info@justiceforalwy.ca.
Justice for Alwy Now!!!
Sincerely,
Members of the Justice for Alwy Campaign
Arab Community Centre of Toronto
555 Burnhamthorpe Road, Suite 209
Etobicoke, Ontario M9C 2Y3
(Head Office)
Tel:(416)231-7746 Fax:(416)231-4770
Email: info@arabnewcomers.org
To Whom It May Concern:
As members of the Justice for Alwy (J4A) Campaign, we wish to express our dismay and condemnation at the decision of the Executive Director of the Arab Community Centre of Toronto, Laila Bondugjie, to block our organization from speaking at their May 3rd conference, ‘Arab and Muslim Identities on Trial: Youth Step Up and Speak Out.’
Following the murder by Toronto Police of 18-year-old Alwy al-Nadhir on October 31st, 2007, his family, friends and allies came together to demand justice and to educate others about police brutality. Since then they have been spreading their message and speaking out against police brutality with the help and support of many community organizations and allies.
After hearing us speak out at one of our events, we were approached by a staff member at the Arab Community Centre in charge of organizing the conference. This individual thought Alwy’s story and our message against police brutality was a perfect fit for a conference on Arab and Muslim youth. Afterall, Alwy was a young Arab and Muslim man who was murdered by the Toronto Police.
J4A Campaign members readily agreed to participate and were busy preparing until we were contacted a couple of days before the conference. We were told that the Executive Director of the Arab Community Centre did not want us to speak because of ‘liability issues.’ She further expressed the opinion that our message was too ‘political’ and that we might offend the ‘Arab’ community, the RCMP and others who were in attendance at the conference.
We asked ourselves the question, how can a conference on Arab and Muslim Youth not be political in the current in the current atmosphere of Islamophobia in our society? Which ‘Arab’ community is she referring to, given that Alwy and his family are Arab Canadians? Finally, we must ask, was the conference organized for the RCMP or for Arab and Muslim youth?
Upon further investigation, we found out that the Arab Community Centre of Toronto is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and has received funding from the City of Toronto’s Access and Equity Advisory Committee.
Once again, as with Regent Park Communtiy Centre South, a government funded entity has closed its doors in our faces. We are more and more coming to understand that entities funded by the government cannot be relied upon to be apolitical organizations, and thus can not fully serve the people and the communities under whose name they work.
We find the behavior of the Executive Director, Laila Bondugjie, unacceptable and shameful. We demand a full explanation as to why we were barred from speaking at the conference. We can be contacted at info@justiceforalwy.ca.
Justice for Alwy Now!!!
Sincerely,
Members of the Justice for Alwy Campaign
Thursday, March 20, 2008
A Short History of Community Organizing Against Police Brutality in Toronto: The History of B.A.D.C. and Beyond
by Wasun
The Black Action Defense Committee (BADC) emerged in the late 1970s to become a powerful force in the struggle against police brutality. At the organization’s first meeting, BADC founder Dudley Laws affirmed: “Canada is a racist state. If you have a racist state, then you have racist police”. The murder of Buddy Evans August 9, 1978, and Albert Johnson August 26, 1979 marked the beginning of BADC’s mass demonstrations against police brutality. Evans was a 24 year-old Black man shot at a downtown bar, and no charges were laid against the officer who shot him. Johnson was a 35-year-old Black man shot by Constables William Inglis and Walter Cargnelli at a rooming house in the Vaughn/Oakwood area.
In response to the Johnson murder, BADC mobilized the Black community, and their efforts culminated in 2000 people marching from Vaughn/Oakwood to 13 Division headquarters to protest his death. When Johnson was killed Dudley Laws formed the Albert Johnson Defense Committee Against Police Brutality.
On October 14, 1979, 1000 people rallied at Nathan Phillips Square. The Albert Johnson Committee had three demands in their struggle for justice. One, that constables Inglis and Cargnelli become charged with murder instead of manslaughter. Two, they formed the Albert Johnson Family Fund and requested that Toronto police provide full compensation to his wife and four children. Three, they demanded the Province and Ontario Attorney-General Roy McMurty establish an independent civilian review board for complaints against the police.
On November 13, 1980, Cargnelli and Inglis were both acquitted of their manslaughter charge after a four-week trial, and this resulted in more protests organized by BADC’s organizers. The following week at Nathan Phillips Square, 300 demonstrators protested the Cargnelli and Inglis acquittal. As a result of BADC’s protests, Toronto police made a secret settlement in court in 1988 when the Johnson family filed a civil lawsuit against them.
The government responded to BADC’s mass mobilizations against the Evans and Johnson murders with the following institutional reform: In 1981 the Province enacted a three-year pilot project called the Office of the Public Complaints Commissioner (OPCC) under the Metro Toronto Police Force Complaints Project Act, 1981. The OPCC was a new and improved civilian complaints system to report incidents of police brutality and increase accountability. Under this act the Toronto Police Chief was required to set up a Public Complaints Board that would conduct case hearings referred by the chief or commissioner. The OPCC faced much criticism from the Black community because it was still biased in favor of police without community-control of the police complaints process.
Despite the militant protest of Dudley Laws and others dating back to the late 1970s, the Black Action Defense Committee (BADC) as a formal anti-racist organization was formed days after the shooting of Lester Donaldson on August 9, 1988. According to Metro Police, the shooting occurred when they responded to a call stating Donaldson was holding people hostage in his rooming house. However, Donaldson was shot dead while alone in his apartment in a confrontation with five police officers. On Saturday, August 13, 1000 people demonstrated in front of 13 Division where Constable Deviney worked. Although Deviny was arrested and charged with manslaughter on January 11, 1989; he was acquitted in November 1990.
A second police murder later that year enraged the Black community even further and increased racial tensions in the city. On December 8, 1988, 17 year-old, Michael Wade Lawson was shot in the back of the head by the Peel Constable Anthony Lelaragni, age 24, who was charged with manslaughter; and Constable Darren Longpre, age 27, who was charged with aggravated assault. Lawson was shot in the back of the head by an illegal 38-calibre slug known as a “hot bullet” which expands on contact, banned in Ontario by the Ontario Police Act.
Later that year, in October 1989, 23 year-old Sophia Cook was shot and paralyzed by police. The third Black person shot by Toronto police in 15 months, Cook was a Brampton resident and mother of a 2 ½ year-old son when she was shot in the back. The bullet narrowly missing her spine and paralyzing her from the waist down. Cook was in a reported stolen car with two men whom she accepted a ride from after missing a bus at Jane/Grandravine. During the investigation, police confirmed Cook had never been involved in any criminal activity.
After a decade of militant anti-racist mobilization, the province implemented its second major police reform. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was created in the 1990 Police Service Act to increase police accountability in the investigation of civilian murders. The SIU was set up to be the first organization staffed by civilians instead of police homicide investigators. However, it ended up being staffed by retired officers who were promoted by the force as the only “civilians” competent enough to investigate these incidents. Despite the limitations of the SIU, the reform was a victory for the Black community because it indicated the Canadian state admitted that anti-Black racism and police brutality was a systemic problem that required institutional reform.
In the early 1990s, racial tensions heated up again with the acquittal of Michael Wade Lawson’s killers. On April 7, 1992, Constables Melaragni and Longpre were acquitted of their charges in the Lawson murder by an all-white jury. In the upcoming month, race relations declined even further when 22 year-old Raymond Lawrence was shot by Constable Timothy Gallant on Saturday May 2, 1992, just days after the Rodney King riots erupted in Los Angeles on April 29, 1992.
On Monday, May 4, 1992 BADC organized its largest anti-racist demonstration in a decade to protest the murder of Raymond Lawrence. Dubbed the “Yonge St. Riots” by the media, 1000 people demonstrated in a peaceful march that began at the U.S. Consulate and ended with 30 arrests, 200 windows smashed on Yonge St. and City Hall, and a hundred thousand dollars in damages. Hundreds of Black youth and others vandalized the Yonge St. strip and fought with police in the streets.
The history of BADC’s struggles formed a legacy of militant protest and organizing against police brutality in Toronto that has continued into the 21st century. In response to the police murder of Jeffrey Reodica, the Filipino community and its allies mobilized for years and created the organization ‘Justice for Jeffrey’. And today, with the police murder of 18-year-old Alwy Al Nadhir, communities demanding an end to police brutality have come together to form the Justice for Alwy Campaign Against Police Brutality. Through learning the lessons that organizations like BADC and the Justice for Jeffrey campaign have to offer, we should expect that our movement in the 21st Century will be even stronger. ∗
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Feb 16 Legal Clinic in Lawrence Heights a Success!
On Saturday, February 16, Lawrence Heights residents attended a free Legal Clinic at Lawrence Heights Community Centre, set up by BASICS Community Newsletter, with support from allies at the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) and the Roach, Schwartz and Associates law firm. It took place between 1-4 PM and demonstrated that tenants don’t have to sit back and put up with cockroaches, rodents, water leaks, and holes in their walls anymore.
Since the forms are notoriously confusing, BASICS organizers alongside the lawyers helped people learn about their legal rights as tenants and how to challenge the slumlord policies of TCHC. Residents were instructed on how to fill out the T2 (Tenant Rights) and T6 (Maintenance) forms of the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board, which can be downloaded from the Board’s website.
TCHC residents who have maintenance issues that have been ignored by TCHC can contact BASICS for assistance in filling out the T2 and T6. If you are interested in having BASICS aid you in filling out these forms, please contact us at basics.canada@gmail.com or at 416-800-0823. However, so that we can all save time and be better organized, you must organize 5 or more of your neighbours who are facing similar problems so that we can fill out many forms at once.
All working people deserve decent social housing and BASICS will continue to work alongside Lawrence Heights residents to build a stronger community that can stand up to the slumlord policies of TCHC. But this process begins with Lawrence Heights residents organizing themselves.
Since the forms are notoriously confusing, BASICS organizers alongside the lawyers helped people learn about their legal rights as tenants and how to challenge the slumlord policies of TCHC. Residents were instructed on how to fill out the T2 (Tenant Rights) and T6 (Maintenance) forms of the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board, which can be downloaded from the Board’s website.
TCHC residents who have maintenance issues that have been ignored by TCHC can contact BASICS for assistance in filling out the T2 and T6. If you are interested in having BASICS aid you in filling out these forms, please contact us at basics.canada@gmail.com or at 416-800-0823. However, so that we can all save time and be better organized, you must organize 5 or more of your neighbours who are facing similar problems so that we can fill out many forms at once.
All working people deserve decent social housing and BASICS will continue to work alongside Lawrence Heights residents to build a stronger community that can stand up to the slumlord policies of TCHC. But this process begins with Lawrence Heights residents organizing themselves.
Interview with an African-American Revolutionary: Muhammad Ahmad
Basics: This is Basics Community Newsletter, and I’m here with Muhammad Ahmad, a long time revolutionary brother from the U.S., involved in a number of organizations, including the Black Panther Party, the Revolutionary Action Movement, and the African People’s Party. I’m with him here at Ryerson University tonight, after finishing up a presentation. Good evening, Muhammad.
Muhammad Ahmad: Good evening.
Basics: During your presentation tonight, one brother came up during question period, trying to suggest the problems African peoples face on this continent in terms of the breakdown of the Black family. You had a good response to that question. What was it?
MA: The capitalist system is extracting more and more profit from the African-American community, because it is in structural crisis right now. Being in a structural crisis right now, it has to lower the wages of its domestic working-class. Now, whoever is on the lowest rung of the domestic working-class in each capitalist country receives the brunt of the exploitation. So you have the disintegration of the African-American, or African-Canadian family first…
Basics: And the indigenous peoples too…
MA: Definitely the indigenous peoples too. The market is such that to get around paying higher wages they have created the prison-industrial complex. Prisoners are put to work through the privatization of prisons and paid slave wages. This leads to a complete ruinization of the community. At the same time then, those on the outside – women – are reduced into the service economy being paid the lowest of wages in the domestic working-class.
Basics: Well those social forces would certainly ruin any family… Now the people up here, African-Canadians, indigenous peoples, new migrants from around the world, are facing the same sorts of victimization and brutalization as in the United States. What do people facing police brutality, gentrification, and exploitation need to do?
MA: Well, one: we need to build organizations that are based on collective leadership. Those organization that have been most successful have studied Marxism [dialectical and historical materialism] in conjunction with their own histories. The need is to develop cadre and leadership. One problem in the development of organizations has been the uneven level of development in organizations: you need to be able to have people who can carry on the organization if anything happens to the leadership, and that takes time.
More importantly is the choosing of issues that are winnable. Some of our biggest mistake is that we have attacked the stronger points of the system and been defeated, and this has demoralized people. So once building that organization we have to pick our issues strategically in order to get small victories, because getting five small victories is better than getting one big defeat. For the time being, we have to rebuild the people’s will now. We have to rebuild the movement now, picking our issues carefully so that we can see what we can win. We need to train people.
One really important thing is to get young people off of drugs, so that they can struggle to get into the working-class. In my day, we didn’t have to struggle to get into the working-class. You know, I could quit a job, and walk across the street and get another job. When I talk about ruinization, I’m talking about the young brothers and sisters today who have to fight and train themselves to even get a job. We have to struggle to even reach parity with white workers wherever they are.
Basics: I know that some of the work of organizations like the Black Panther Party, or the Puerto Rican Young Lords Party, back in your day where doing work to organize street gangs into revolutionary cadre. There are some groups in Toronto trying to do similar peace work amongst street gangs, such as the Bloods and the Crips. Can you say a few words about the history of that kind of work?
MA: First of all, those of us who have come through the struggle have come to the consensus that we have to be drug free. You can’t be a revolutionary and drink alcohol. You can’t be a revolutionary and smoke marijuana, or do other drugs.
Also, we have to teach basics, we have to teach reading and writing; we have to teach scientific thinking, and we have to teach leadership. And to do all this you have to have absolute moral superiority to the system that your fighting against. The Bloods and the Crips should know a little something about this: the esprit de corps. To break any military establishment you have to be able to break the esprit de corps. When you break the esprit de corps of your enemy, you have won 90% of the battle.
Basics: One of the terms that the Black Panther movement popularized was the term “Blaxploitation”, which was what they called capitalism and white supremacy culturally exploiting African-American peoples through images and music. You mentioned something in your presentation tonight about gangster rap and its relationship to capitalism. Can you elaborate?
MA: Well, gangster rap serves as a negative role model sending out counter-revolutionary message to young people and turning them against themselves. Its all about the glorification of gangsters, and there’s a big difference between a gangster and a revolutionary. A gangster is all about him or herself, against the people, and a gangster subdues the people through what he or she sells the people. It’s all about getting rich in capitalist society by any means. As revolutionaries, we are socialists and communists, and so we are anti-capitalists, anti-imperialists, anti-colonialists, and anti-oppression. And a revolutionary does this out of the spiritual will to serve the people. A revolutionary comes from the people and serves the people, not hurts the people. And the hope is that your work advances the interests of the people. So that’s the difference: a revolutionary is a positive role model, working for the collective, not money.
Basics: There are some more radical groups popping up in Toronto – anti-colonial, anti-imperialist, anti-gentrification, anti-police. Would you have any words of wisdom for them from your own history of revolutionary struggle?
MA: All I would say is that everything in the universe is constantly changing, and that we should not think about things abstractly or in sectarian terms, but to think dialectically: that we learn through change in our tactics and strategy as conditions change. If we do not change, if we do not constantly assess our work, constantly do criticism and self-criticism, as Fidel Castro said, our movement will not be around for long.
Basics: Well, let’s leave it at that then Mr. Ahmad.
MA: Salaam-aleykum
Basics: Wa-aleykum a salaam.
The Modern Slavery of Ontario's Migrant Farm Workers
by Chris Ramsaroop of the Justicia for Migrant Workers Campaign
Over the past few months glossy TV ads have promoted Ontario’s agricultural industry through the campaign “Good Things Grow Here in Ontario”. With a catchy tune these ads encourage consumers to buy Ontario fruits and vegetables. Missing, however, from these commercials are the images of those responsible for putting fruits and vegetables on our tables.
For over forty years Canada has relied on Caribbean and Mexican migrant workers to harvest our fruits and vegetables. These workers are employed under the auspices of the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (CSAWP), an employment scheme of our government that hires Mexican and Caribbean Workers to work in our agricultural industry for up to eight months annually. The program operates in Canada in every province with the exception of Newfoundland. The overwhelming majority of these workers are employed in Ontario. However, there is increasing demand for these workers in other provinces, particularly in British Colombia and Quebec.
While the Canadian government alleges that the migrant worker program represents ‘best practices’ – a model program for migration in Canada. However, what is a ‘best practice’ for the farming industry and the Canadian government is far from what would be considered a best practice from the perspective of the average worker.
It is quite common for migrant workers to compare the CSAWP as a form of modern day slavery, and they are demanding an end to conditions where they are treated worse than animals in Ontario’s fields. These workers, despite their contributions to the Ontario economy, can never apply for permanent residency in Canada. The farm worker program prohibits workers from applying for status. Furthermore, if workers speak out against the injustices they face they can be ‘repatriated’ (deported).
Along with their precarious immigration status, workers are subjected to working and living conditions that are heavily exploitative.
In our experiences, workers have reported being forced to work in fields that had recently been sprayed with dangerous chemicals and pesticides, being forced to work up to 18 or 19 hours a day, not being provided with water while working, nor being provided with bathroom facilities at their site of employment. Many of these workers experience racial harassment from supervisors and are denied breaks while at work – this despite working under temperatures reaching close to 40oC.
Instead of workers receiving medical attention for injuries sustained at work, many of them are simply ‘repatriated’ back to their countries. These workers have no medical assistance while working under extremely harsh conditions in Canada. As a result of these repatriations our organizers at Justicia for Migrant Workers (J4MW) has heard of numerous stories where workers have either died or have become permanently disabled as a result of injuries sustained in Canada.
Despite these injustices, workers and their allies in organizations such J4MW are fighting back against these injustices. Emphasizing a workers-led model of organizing, J4MW co-ordinates campaigns with workers to address the numerous complaints they have pertaining to the CSAWP program. From advocating for reforms in migrant worker accommodations to demanding the legal right to organize, J4MW works to build solidarity amongst migrant communities as well as developing educational campaigns to raise awareness on the conditions faced by migrant workers to the greater community many of who have no idea of who represents the real face of our agricultural industry.
Recently J4MW and several community organizations have come together to demand changes to Canada’s two tiered healthcare system. While universal for permanent residents, migrant workers have been denied the basic right to access our healthcare system.
For more information to get involved with J4MW, you can visit www.justicia4migrantworkers.org.
Over the past few months glossy TV ads have promoted Ontario’s agricultural industry through the campaign “Good Things Grow Here in Ontario”. With a catchy tune these ads encourage consumers to buy Ontario fruits and vegetables. Missing, however, from these commercials are the images of those responsible for putting fruits and vegetables on our tables.
For over forty years Canada has relied on Caribbean and Mexican migrant workers to harvest our fruits and vegetables. These workers are employed under the auspices of the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (CSAWP), an employment scheme of our government that hires Mexican and Caribbean Workers to work in our agricultural industry for up to eight months annually. The program operates in Canada in every province with the exception of Newfoundland. The overwhelming majority of these workers are employed in Ontario. However, there is increasing demand for these workers in other provinces, particularly in British Colombia and Quebec.
While the Canadian government alleges that the migrant worker program represents ‘best practices’ – a model program for migration in Canada. However, what is a ‘best practice’ for the farming industry and the Canadian government is far from what would be considered a best practice from the perspective of the average worker.
It is quite common for migrant workers to compare the CSAWP as a form of modern day slavery, and they are demanding an end to conditions where they are treated worse than animals in Ontario’s fields. These workers, despite their contributions to the Ontario economy, can never apply for permanent residency in Canada. The farm worker program prohibits workers from applying for status. Furthermore, if workers speak out against the injustices they face they can be ‘repatriated’ (deported).
Along with their precarious immigration status, workers are subjected to working and living conditions that are heavily exploitative.
In our experiences, workers have reported being forced to work in fields that had recently been sprayed with dangerous chemicals and pesticides, being forced to work up to 18 or 19 hours a day, not being provided with water while working, nor being provided with bathroom facilities at their site of employment. Many of these workers experience racial harassment from supervisors and are denied breaks while at work – this despite working under temperatures reaching close to 40oC.
Instead of workers receiving medical attention for injuries sustained at work, many of them are simply ‘repatriated’ back to their countries. These workers have no medical assistance while working under extremely harsh conditions in Canada. As a result of these repatriations our organizers at Justicia for Migrant Workers (J4MW) has heard of numerous stories where workers have either died or have become permanently disabled as a result of injuries sustained in Canada.
Despite these injustices, workers and their allies in organizations such J4MW are fighting back against these injustices. Emphasizing a workers-led model of organizing, J4MW co-ordinates campaigns with workers to address the numerous complaints they have pertaining to the CSAWP program. From advocating for reforms in migrant worker accommodations to demanding the legal right to organize, J4MW works to build solidarity amongst migrant communities as well as developing educational campaigns to raise awareness on the conditions faced by migrant workers to the greater community many of who have no idea of who represents the real face of our agricultural industry.
Recently J4MW and several community organizations have come together to demand changes to Canada’s two tiered healthcare system. While universal for permanent residents, migrant workers have been denied the basic right to access our healthcare system.
For more information to get involved with J4MW, you can visit www.justicia4migrantworkers.org.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Saving Toronto Housing from the Condo Developers
by John Clarke
of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Buildings owned by Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) are being run into the ground. A lack of repairs and maintenance has created a crisis for tenants. The neglect is so bad that housing stock will be lost for good if the situation is not turned around.
TCHC admits that they would have to spend some $300 million to get their properties up to a decent standard. The City of Toronto owns the housing but claims that Queen’s Park is to blame for the problems. Actually, both levels of Government want to see the housing deteriorate so that it can be given over to developers to build condos. The process of gentrification has already begun in Don Mount Court and Regent Park and they have planned to do it at Lawrence Heights and in many other places as well.
Tenants who lose their homes to condo developers are told that they will have the right to return once the rebuilding phase is over. However, in Regent Park, they are already reducing the rent-geared-to-income (RGI) portion of the new development. Middle class homeowners will want their property values increased. This means that RGI units will be eliminated over time, and the City knows it. The Regent Park model is a blueprint for destroying public housing.
Obviously, the more the City can run down TCHC communities, the easier it is to hand them over to the condo developers. Buildings pass the point where they can be fixed up and tenants give up on them.
Over the last months, having received many calls from angry TCHC tenants, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) has taken up the fight against their abusive landlord. We have taken action to demand repairs for families and communities. We’ve organized community meetings, petitions and delegations to TCHC offices. This work has led to some important successes. We have gone around the City photographing and documenting the shameful conditions that many TCH tenants have to endure and will use this to expose TCHC as a slum landlord. We realize, however, that the developers and their political friends at City Hall will not be stopped unless can find a very serious way to stand up to them.
Currently, OCAP is taking a letter into TCHC communities that tenants can sign. It includes a fill-in portion in which the tenant explains the problems with her/his unit and how long they have been going on. The letter then informs TCHC that they are expected to meet their responsibilities as a landlord and fix the unit to a decent standard. If this is not done, however, the tenant says that it may be necessary to use rent money to do those repairs.
If you would like to sign the ‘rent for repairs’ letter or help organize in your community to challenge the neglect and defend it from the developers, then call OCAP today. ∗
ONTARIO COALITION AGAINST POVERTY (OCAP)
416-925-6939 www.ocap.ca
of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Buildings owned by Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) are being run into the ground. A lack of repairs and maintenance has created a crisis for tenants. The neglect is so bad that housing stock will be lost for good if the situation is not turned around.
TCHC admits that they would have to spend some $300 million to get their properties up to a decent standard. The City of Toronto owns the housing but claims that Queen’s Park is to blame for the problems. Actually, both levels of Government want to see the housing deteriorate so that it can be given over to developers to build condos. The process of gentrification has already begun in Don Mount Court and Regent Park and they have planned to do it at Lawrence Heights and in many other places as well.
Tenants who lose their homes to condo developers are told that they will have the right to return once the rebuilding phase is over. However, in Regent Park, they are already reducing the rent-geared-to-income (RGI) portion of the new development. Middle class homeowners will want their property values increased. This means that RGI units will be eliminated over time, and the City knows it. The Regent Park model is a blueprint for destroying public housing.
Obviously, the more the City can run down TCHC communities, the easier it is to hand them over to the condo developers. Buildings pass the point where they can be fixed up and tenants give up on them.
Over the last months, having received many calls from angry TCHC tenants, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) has taken up the fight against their abusive landlord. We have taken action to demand repairs for families and communities. We’ve organized community meetings, petitions and delegations to TCHC offices. This work has led to some important successes. We have gone around the City photographing and documenting the shameful conditions that many TCH tenants have to endure and will use this to expose TCHC as a slum landlord. We realize, however, that the developers and their political friends at City Hall will not be stopped unless can find a very serious way to stand up to them.
Currently, OCAP is taking a letter into TCHC communities that tenants can sign. It includes a fill-in portion in which the tenant explains the problems with her/his unit and how long they have been going on. The letter then informs TCHC that they are expected to meet their responsibilities as a landlord and fix the unit to a decent standard. If this is not done, however, the tenant says that it may be necessary to use rent money to do those repairs.If you would like to sign the ‘rent for repairs’ letter or help organize in your community to challenge the neglect and defend it from the developers, then call OCAP today. ∗
ONTARIO COALITION AGAINST POVERTY (OCAP)
416-925-6939 www.ocap.ca
A Short History of Police Brutality in T.O.
The History of the Black Action Defense Committeee and Community Resistance to Police Brutality,
by Wasun - March 2008
The Black Action Defense Committee (BADC) emerged in the late 1970s to become a powerful force in the struggle against police brutality. At the organization’s first meeting, BADC founder Dudley Laws affirmed: “Canada is a racist state. If you have a racist state, then you have racist police”. The murder of Buddy Evans August 9, 1978, and Albert Johnson August 26, 1979 marked the beginning of BADC’s mass demonstrations against police brutality. Evans was a 24 year-old Black man shot at a downtown bar, and no charges were laid against the officer who shot him. Johnson was a 35-year-old Black man shot by Constables William Inglis and Walter Cargnelli at a rooming house in the Vaughn/Oakwood area.
In response to the Johnson murder, BADC mobilized the Black community, and their efforts culminated in 2000 people marching from Vaughn/Oakwood to 13 Division headquarters to protest his death. When Johnson was killed Dudley Laws formed the Albert Johnson Defense Committee Against Police Brutality.
On October 14, 1979, 1000 people rallied at Nathan Phillips Square. The Albert Johnson Committee had three demands in their struggle for justice. One, that constables Inglis and Cargnelli become charged with murder instead of manslaughter. Two, they formed the Albert Johnson Family Fund and requested that Toronto police provide full compensation to his wife and four children. Three, they demanded the Province and Ontario Attorney-General Roy McMurty establish an independent civilian review board for complaints against the police.
On November 13, 1980, Cargnelli and Inglis were both acquitted of their manslaughter charge after a four-week trial, and this resulted in more protests organized by BADC’s organizers. The following week at Nathan Phillips Square, 300 demonstrators protested the Cargnelli and Inglis acquittal. As a result of BADC’s protests, Toronto police made a secret settlement in court in 1988 when the Johnson family filed a civil lawsuit against them.
The government responded to BADC’s mass mobilizations against the Evans and Johnson murders with the following institutional reform: In 1981 the Province enacted a three-year pilot project called the Office of the Public Complaints Commissioner (OPCC) under the Metro Toronto Police Force Complaints Project Act, 1981. The OPCC was a new and improved civilian complaints system to report incidents of police brutality and increase accountability. Under this act the Toronto Police Chief was required to set up a Public Complaints Board that would conduct case hearings referred by the chief or commissioner. The OPCC faced much criticism from the Black community because it was still biased in favor of police without community-control of the police complaints process.
Despite the militant protest of Dudley Laws and others dating back to the late 1970s, the Black Action Defense Committee (BADC) as a formal anti-racist organization was formed days after the shooting of Lester Donaldson on August 9, 1988. According to Metro Police, the shooting occurred when they responded to a call stating Donaldson was holding people hostage in his rooming house. However, Donaldson was shot dead while alone in his apartment in a confrontation with five police officers. On Saturday, August 13, 1000 people demonstrated in front of 13 Division where Constable Deviney worked. Although Deviny was arrested and charged with manslaughter on January 11, 1989; he was acquitted in November 1990.
A second police murder later that year enraged the Black community even further and increased racial tensions in the city. On December 8, 1988, 17 year-old, Michael Wade Lawson was shot in the back of the head by the Peel Constable Anthony Lelaragni, age 24, who was charged with manslaughter; and Constable Darren Longpre, age 27, who was charged with aggravated assault. Lawson was shot in the back of the head by an illegal 38-calibre slug known as a “hot bullet” which expands on contact, banned in Ontario by the Ontario Police Act.
Later that year, in October 1989, 23 year-old Sophia Cook was shot and paralyzed by police. The third Black person shot by Toronto police in 15 months, Cook was a Brampton resident and mother of a 2 ½ year-old son when she was shot in the back. The bullet narrowly missing her spine and paralyzing her from the waist down. Cook was in a reported stolen car with two men whom she accepted a ride from after missing a bus at Jane/Grandravine. During the investigation, police confirmed Cook had never been involved in any criminal activity.
After a decade of militant anti-racist mobilization, the province implemented its second major police reform. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was created in the 1990 Police Service Act to increase police accountability in the investigation of civilian murders. The SIU was set up to be the first organization staffed by civilians instead of police homicide investigators. However, it ended up being staffed by retired officers who were promoted by the force as the only “civilians” competent enough to investigate these incidents. Despite the limitations of the SIU, the reform was a victory for the Black community because it indicated the Canadian state admitted that anti-Black racism and police brutality was a systemic problem that required institutional reform.
In the early 1990s, racial tensions heated up again with the acquittal of Michael Wade Lawson’s killers. On April 7, 1992, Constables Melaragni and Longpre were acquitted of their charges in the Lawson murder by an all-white jury. In the upcoming month, race relations declined even further when 22 year-old Raymond Lawrence was shot by Constable Timothy Gallant on Saturday May 2, 1992, just days after the Rodney King riots erupted in Los Angeles on April 29, 1992.
On Monday, May 4, 1992 BADC organized its largest anti-racist demonstration in a decade to protest the murder of Raymond Lawrence. Dubbed the “Yonge St. Riots” by the media, 1000 people demonstrated in a peaceful march that began at the U.S. Consulate and ended with 30 arrests, 200 windows smashed on Yonge St. and City Hall, and a hundred thousand dollars in damages. Hundreds of Black youth and others vandalized the Yonge St. strip and fought with police in the streets.
The history of BADC’s struggles formed a legacy of militant protest and organizing against police brutality in Toronto that has continued into the 21st century. In response to the police murder of Jeffrey Reodica, the Filipino community and its allies mobilized for years and created the organization ‘Justice for Jeffrey’. And today, with the police murder of 18-year-old Alwy Al Nadhir, communities demanding an end to police brutality have come together to form the Justice for Alwy Campaign Against Police Brutality. Through learning the lessons that organizations like BADC and the Justice for Jeffrey campaign have to offer, we should expect that our movement in the 21st Century will be even stronger. ∗
by Wasun - March 2008
The Black Action Defense Committee (BADC) emerged in the late 1970s to become a powerful force in the struggle against police brutality. At the organization’s first meeting, BADC founder Dudley Laws affirmed: “Canada is a racist state. If you have a racist state, then you have racist police”. The murder of Buddy Evans August 9, 1978, and Albert Johnson August 26, 1979 marked the beginning of BADC’s mass demonstrations against police brutality. Evans was a 24 year-old Black man shot at a downtown bar, and no charges were laid against the officer who shot him. Johnson was a 35-year-old Black man shot by Constables William Inglis and Walter Cargnelli at a rooming house in the Vaughn/Oakwood area.
In response to the Johnson murder, BADC mobilized the Black community, and their efforts culminated in 2000 people marching from Vaughn/Oakwood to 13 Division headquarters to protest his death. When Johnson was killed Dudley Laws formed the Albert Johnson Defense Committee Against Police Brutality.
On October 14, 1979, 1000 people rallied at Nathan Phillips Square. The Albert Johnson Committee had three demands in their struggle for justice. One, that constables Inglis and Cargnelli become charged with murder instead of manslaughter. Two, they formed the Albert Johnson Family Fund and requested that Toronto police provide full compensation to his wife and four children. Three, they demanded the Province and Ontario Attorney-General Roy McMurty establish an independent civilian review board for complaints against the police.
On November 13, 1980, Cargnelli and Inglis were both acquitted of their manslaughter charge after a four-week trial, and this resulted in more protests organized by BADC’s organizers. The following week at Nathan Phillips Square, 300 demonstrators protested the Cargnelli and Inglis acquittal. As a result of BADC’s protests, Toronto police made a secret settlement in court in 1988 when the Johnson family filed a civil lawsuit against them.
The government responded to BADC’s mass mobilizations against the Evans and Johnson murders with the following institutional reform: In 1981 the Province enacted a three-year pilot project called the Office of the Public Complaints Commissioner (OPCC) under the Metro Toronto Police Force Complaints Project Act, 1981. The OPCC was a new and improved civilian complaints system to report incidents of police brutality and increase accountability. Under this act the Toronto Police Chief was required to set up a Public Complaints Board that would conduct case hearings referred by the chief or commissioner. The OPCC faced much criticism from the Black community because it was still biased in favor of police without community-control of the police complaints process.
Despite the militant protest of Dudley Laws and others dating back to the late 1970s, the Black Action Defense Committee (BADC) as a formal anti-racist organization was formed days after the shooting of Lester Donaldson on August 9, 1988. According to Metro Police, the shooting occurred when they responded to a call stating Donaldson was holding people hostage in his rooming house. However, Donaldson was shot dead while alone in his apartment in a confrontation with five police officers. On Saturday, August 13, 1000 people demonstrated in front of 13 Division where Constable Deviney worked. Although Deviny was arrested and charged with manslaughter on January 11, 1989; he was acquitted in November 1990.
A second police murder later that year enraged the Black community even further and increased racial tensions in the city. On December 8, 1988, 17 year-old, Michael Wade Lawson was shot in the back of the head by the Peel Constable Anthony Lelaragni, age 24, who was charged with manslaughter; and Constable Darren Longpre, age 27, who was charged with aggravated assault. Lawson was shot in the back of the head by an illegal 38-calibre slug known as a “hot bullet” which expands on contact, banned in Ontario by the Ontario Police Act.
Later that year, in October 1989, 23 year-old Sophia Cook was shot and paralyzed by police. The third Black person shot by Toronto police in 15 months, Cook was a Brampton resident and mother of a 2 ½ year-old son when she was shot in the back. The bullet narrowly missing her spine and paralyzing her from the waist down. Cook was in a reported stolen car with two men whom she accepted a ride from after missing a bus at Jane/Grandravine. During the investigation, police confirmed Cook had never been involved in any criminal activity.
After a decade of militant anti-racist mobilization, the province implemented its second major police reform. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was created in the 1990 Police Service Act to increase police accountability in the investigation of civilian murders. The SIU was set up to be the first organization staffed by civilians instead of police homicide investigators. However, it ended up being staffed by retired officers who were promoted by the force as the only “civilians” competent enough to investigate these incidents. Despite the limitations of the SIU, the reform was a victory for the Black community because it indicated the Canadian state admitted that anti-Black racism and police brutality was a systemic problem that required institutional reform.
In the early 1990s, racial tensions heated up again with the acquittal of Michael Wade Lawson’s killers. On April 7, 1992, Constables Melaragni and Longpre were acquitted of their charges in the Lawson murder by an all-white jury. In the upcoming month, race relations declined even further when 22 year-old Raymond Lawrence was shot by Constable Timothy Gallant on Saturday May 2, 1992, just days after the Rodney King riots erupted in Los Angeles on April 29, 1992.
On Monday, May 4, 1992 BADC organized its largest anti-racist demonstration in a decade to protest the murder of Raymond Lawrence. Dubbed the “Yonge St. Riots” by the media, 1000 people demonstrated in a peaceful march that began at the U.S. Consulate and ended with 30 arrests, 200 windows smashed on Yonge St. and City Hall, and a hundred thousand dollars in damages. Hundreds of Black youth and others vandalized the Yonge St. strip and fought with police in the streets.
The history of BADC’s struggles formed a legacy of militant protest and organizing against police brutality in Toronto that has continued into the 21st century. In response to the police murder of Jeffrey Reodica, the Filipino community and its allies mobilized for years and created the organization ‘Justice for Jeffrey’. And today, with the police murder of 18-year-old Alwy Al Nadhir, communities demanding an end to police brutality have come together to form the Justice for Alwy Campaign Against Police Brutality. Through learning the lessons that organizations like BADC and the Justice for Jeffrey campaign have to offer, we should expect that our movement in the 21st Century will be even stronger. ∗
Friday, February 29, 2008
Pro-Cop Regent Park Community Centre Blocks J4A Campaign from having event...
Open Letter to the Regent Park South Community Centre
February 23, 2008
Regent Park South Community Centre
415 Gerrard St E
Toronto, ON
M5A 2H4 (416) 392-0753
To Whom It May Concern:
As members of the Justice for Alwy Campaign, we wish to express our dismay and condemnation at the decision of the manager(s) of Regent Park South Community Centre to block our organization from using the Community Centre to host our March 1 Justice for Alwy campaign launch.
Following the murder by Toronto Police of 18-year-old Alwy al-Nadhir, his family, friends and allies came together to organize a memorial for Alwy in the neighbourhood where he spent most of his time - that is, Regent Park. For us, the natural choice for a venue was the Regent Park South Community Centre, a place designated by the city as a gathering place for the neighbourhood, especially for its youth.
The initial reaction of certain Community Centre staff was positive and supportive. They said it would be no problem to have the event at the Community Centre. However, after this verbal confirmation, and after our organization had done much leaflet distribution in the neighbourhood with all the event’s information, our organization’s members were met with almost two weeks of utter silence by Community Centre staff. The staff would not return our calls, and when we did speak to them over the phone or in person, we were told that a decision had not yet been made.
Finally, about two weeks after our organization was given informal approval to use the facilities, an employee of the Community Centre told us that her boss, Lucky Booth, had denied our access to the space. When asked why, the employee responded that it was a “delicate situation” since the police was involved and that no one knew what really happened the night Alwy was murdered.
But we know very well what happened, and we know even better what’s happening now! An unarmed youth was shot and killed by police, the police are withholding details about the murder, and now the community is being stonewalled from organizing for truth and justice.
Upon further investigation, we discovered that Toronto City Councillor Pam McConnell of Ward 28 (in which the Regent Park Community Centre is located) is the Vice-Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board. We can only conclude then that the Community Centre refused to host the memorial for Alwy because Parks and Recreation officials would sooner work on behalf of the interests of the police over and against the interests of the community and of Alwy’s family.
Toronto Police Services and Parks and Recreation are supposed to be separate and distinct bodies in the City of Toronto, and the one should not influence, bully, or direct the other. The Justice for Alwy Campaign demands answers from the Regent Park South Community Centre staff as to why exactly we were refused space for our community event and who is to be held accountable for this decision. We can be contacted at info@justiceforalwy.ca, and we will be expecting your forthright response.
Despite our setback, the Campaign is moving forward with or without the help of the Regent Park South Community Centre.
Justice for Alwy Now!!!
Sincerely,
Organizers of the Justice for Alwy Campaign
Muna Bafagih, Mother of Alwy al-Nadhir
Salma al-Nadhir, Sister of Alwy al-Nadhir
Fatma al-Nadhir, Sister of Alwy al-Nadhir
Basma al-Nadhir, Sister of Alwy al-Nadhir
Sabrin Sagaaf , Cousin of Alwy al-Nadhir
Steve da Silva, Basics Community Newsletter
Friday, February 15, 2008
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