Against the War Machine
Direct Action against CANSEC in Ottawa
by Sarah Claudette (PGA Bloc)

Photo by Ryan Davies, http://www.ottawa.indymedia.org/images/2008/04/7296.jpg

Background

CANSEC is Canada's largest weapons fair, held annually in Ottawa during the month of April. The two day event brings together weapons and security systems manufacturers, brokers, lobbyists, military personnel, and government officials to showcase new technological developments and to schmooze. This year's gathering of war profiteers, including Boeing, Raytheon, Northrup Grumman, General Electric, and Blackwater, was held on April 9th-10th at the Ottawa Congress Centre. The event is closed to the public.

The Network to Oppose War and Racism - Pacte Contre l'Agression, l'Intolerence et la Xenophobie (NOWAR-PAIX) and the People's Global Action Bloc (PGA Bloc) organized a number of lead-up events and two days of protest and resistance to oppose CANSEC, the war machine and the brutal occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, Palestine and Turtle Island.

The Call-out to Shut Down the War Machine

The Solidarity & Action Committee of PGA Bloc began organizing resistance to CANSEC in late February. Educational events and active resistance were both on the menu. Call-out for autonomous actions, media interviews, and a youtube animation video set the tone for the confrontational style endorsed by the PGA Bloc.

In collaboration with NOWAR-PAIX, efforts were made to ensure that resistance to CANSEC was both well-informed and inclusive. Educational materials and events were planned out for the weeks leading up to the death market. The panel discussion, in particular, brought out over 45 folks from many activists circles. Common Cause's Anarchist Discussion Group also hosted a CANSEC-focused session.

Stand up – Fight Back!

Active and Direct action against the corporate profiteering began early – on the evening of the April 8th during CANSEC's set-up and first wine-and-dine. A fire alarm was pulled by "a group of nefarious anarchists" acting in response to the PGA Bloc's call-out for autonomous actions. This effective action saw the Ottawa Congress Centre evacuated and overtly disrupted evening activities. The action was claimed by "sexy anti-authoritarians " on Ottawa's Indymedia website.

Wednesday April 9th, the official opening of CANSEC, was designated as family friendly. Two marches, organized by NOWAR-PAIX and PGA Bloc, were accompanied by an overwhelming police presence. The lunch hour tour of War Profiteers in Ottawa had police outnumber demonstrators at least 3 to 1. The brief march followed a specific route past such war mongering enterprises and exploitation specialists as Mincom & Fleetway. The march made special stops at the Canadian Association of Defense and Security Industries (the lobby group that organizes CANSEC and represents over 500 weapons and surveillance manufactures) as well as the Canadian Forces Recruitment Centre.

The evening picket of 60 or so aimed to disrupt the Black Tie social, an event described to attendees as being "designed to optimize your interactions with current and potential contacts, clients and stakeholders." The rally stood out clearly as a co-organized event between PGA Bloc and NOWAR-PAIX, with homemade red & black flags flying above the crowd next to psychedelic peace sign flags. Speakers took the stage between "sounds of war" blasting on a portable sound system and lively condemnations and chanting. The picket came complete with a banner drop from the National Arts Centre, and another outnumbering by security forces. Despite the police presence, rather than disperse after the rally at the Congress Centre, a spontaneous snake march took to the rush-hour downtown streets – angry and boisterous – to demonstrate in the busy Market area, making it's final stop at the US Embassy.

Shut down CANSEC! Shut down the War Machine!

A crowd of about 70 gathered quickly at Dundonald Park, near Chinatown, at 11am the following morning. Following two very brief statements from organizers - on legal support and on the politics of opposing CANSEC - the march took to the streets with banners and chants. Cops were everywhere, as usual. Reaching the Ottawa Congress Centre, part of the crowd attacked and rattled barricades surrounding the OCC and a solid line of cops. Switching the focus to the Westin hotel, the protest continued for a short time before snake marching back downtown. Taking advantage of the police's confusion and inability to keep up with the front of the march – a small crew of militants successfully smashed the window of the Recruitment Centre. A scuffle ensued – no successful arrests were made.

Despite the dispersal of many who were targeted by police at the Recruitment Centre the march raged on to SNC-Lavelin. One arrest was made – solidarity and confrontation sparked in the crowd, as the car holding the captured comrade was blocked and unable to escape until riot cops cleared the entire block by pushing the rowdy crowd onto the adjoining intersection. The march eventually rerouted itself to the cop shop and devoted itself to jail solidarity.

At 3pm, about 15 people, nearly all of whom were clad in black, regrouped at the war monument at the northend of Elgin for a strategic meeting which led to a second jail solidarity march down Elgin. This march coincided with the concluding events at CANSEC.

Retaliation Under the Cover of Darkness & the Call to Continue the Fight

As CANSEC came and went, Ottawa anti-imperialists found themselves with only one solid attack and one direct action against CANSEC under their belts, and the arrest of an innocent comrade. According to two separate communiqués posted on Indymedia Ottawa and Infoshop News, windows at the downtown Recruitment Centre, a Scotiabank and the Somerset West police station were smashed in retaliation to the police presence and the earlier arrest. These autonomous actions of love, rage and solidarity brought resistance against CANSEC to a close, while opening a call to all who fight capitalist exploitation, imperialism, and authoritarianism to strike blows against the system that is killing us all and the planet that sustains us. Over the next year, confrontations with the capitalist system will only grow stronger -- when CANSEC returns in April 2009 we will be ready to stand up once again and take action.

CONTACT:
pgabloc@gmail.com
www.nowar-paix.ca