State repression and borders

Interview With Nadim Fateh

Linchpin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:57:34 -0800

23 year old filmmaking student Nadim Fateh was born in Cairo,Egypt and moved to Toronto in his early life. After making it onto the Toronto Police's top 40 'wanted' list for his alleged role in the fiery G20 protests, he spent the last spring and summer in Cairo, Athens, and Madrid, participating and documenting the revolutionary movements there before becoming a part of Occupy Toronto.

When did you go back to Egypt?

I went back May of 2011 so everything had pretty much died down there but it wasn't really focused much on the actual revolution but the things that not many people were focusing on which is the post-revolution, that liquid state, that liquid area we don't usually talk about.

Was there much of an occupation when you went to Tahrir?

Interview with Ali Mikkawa

Linchpin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:40:29 -0800

34 year old architect ALI MIKKAWA was an active participant in the Egyptian uprising. He helped organize demonstrations and to establish the initial sit-in in Tahrir square. In December 2010, Linchpin conducted the following interview with Ali.

What were the first protests or meetings that you got involved with in Egypt?

I got involved with the Kefaya protests that started seven years ago. This movement was the first to take to the streets to protest against the long rule of Mubarak and it stands for “Enough”. The movement started to gain momentum slowly but surely... and I really got engaged later when [former IAEA head] Mohammed El Baradei returned to Egypt. From that point onwards I was more active campaigning for his One Million Signature campaign to change the constitution.

How did you and others build these protests under such intense police repression?

Lessons From Tahrir: An Interview with Nadim Fateh and Ali Mikkawa

Linchpin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:30:23 -0800

23 year old filmmaking student NADIM FATEH was born in Cairo, Egypt and moved to Toronto in his early life. After making it onto the Toronto Police’s “top 40 wanted list” for his alleged role in the fiery G20 protests, he spent the last spring and summer in Cairo, Athens, and Madrid, participating and documenting the revolutionary movements there before becoming a part of Occupy Toronto.

34 year old architect ALI MIKKAWA was an active participant in the Egyptian uprising. He helped organize demonstrations and to establish the initial sit-in in Tahrir square.

Both Nadim and Ali spoke with Linchpin separately.

Read Nadim's full interview
Read Ali's full interview

---

What were the first protests or meetings that got you involved with events in Egypt?

Ryan Rainville's Statement to the Courts

Linchpin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:27:22 -0800

Following the June 2010 G20 summit in Toronto, a wave of repression came down on anarchists and anti-authoritarians in Southern Ontario. Ryan Rainville was one of those arrested and held in jail for three months before being released into house arrest at a Native men's residence in Toronto called Sagatay.

Throughout his court proceedings, Ryan proudly proclaimed his anarchist values and defended the use of property destruction during anti-capitalist protests that weekend to disrupt the economy.

Ryan eventually plead guilty to three counts of Mischief Over $5000 and Breach of Peace. On October 31st, 2011 with at least a dozen supporters present, Ryan made the following statement to the court.

- Guelph Anarchist Black Cross (http://guelphprisonersolidarity.wordpress.com)

---

Fighting back against police violence, and uniting for alternatives

Linchpin — Sun, 15 May 2011 18:32:59 -0700

Article and videos from the Rally Against Police Violence, and the Forum on Police Violence, Incarceration and Alternatives, held in Ottawa in mid-March 2011.

Videos produced by M-Media for Common Cause Ottawa

Ottawa Rally Against Police Violence - March 15, 2011

by Krishna Bera, Tara Lyons & Greg Macdougall

On 15 March 2011, about 75 people demonstrated against police violence in downtown Ottawa, marking the International Day Against Police Brutality. This was the first year an event was held in Ottawa, taking the lead from the annual march in Montreal that started in 1997. Toronto and Halifax also saw marches commemorating the day this year, while Winnipeg held one the following Saturday.

Cops Pack Fat onto City Budget

Linchpin — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 09:56:47 -0700

By Devin K.

Hamilton Police Services and the Police Service board are currently attempting to force the city to approve a near 5% ($6.2 million) budget increase. The current process began after city council initially refused the proposed police budget and requested that it be scaled back and re-worked, with budget increases limited to inflation - a call made to all city boards and agencies, but ignored by the cops.

Year after year the police’s cut has consistently gotten fatter, despite a falling crime rate and with little deliberation at city hall. The primary motive behind this year’s increase is simply the cops giving themselves a raise – salary and benefit increases make up 4.41% of the 5%. This is particularly heinous within the context of a province wide wage freeze for public sector workers and the cost cutting other city agencies like hospitals have been forced to undertake.

Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners

Linchpin — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 12:32:49 -0800

From the Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar - Kevin "Rashid" Johnson (August)

By Sara Falconer

In many ways, the Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar is an attempt to reshape the dominant narrative of history. Instead of marking the fourth of July as a time to celebrate Independence Day, it invites us to observe that on that date in 1977: “Washington: George Jackson Brigade plants a bomb in main power substation in state capitol in support of striking segregation prisoners.” More than merely a calendar, it is a detailed resource, a constant reminder, and a true collaboration. Published by a collective based in Toronto and Montreal, the project was suggested by Black Panther Party (BPP) political prisoner Herman Bell, who helps shape it with political prisoners Robert Seth Hayes and David Gilbert.

G20 Policing in Toronto – Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue…

Linchpin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:11:12 -0700

by Lesley Wood
Toronto Media Co-op

During last week’s G20 summit, police arrested or detained over a thousand people. With guns drawn, they kicked people awake, they threatened, pepper sprayed, TASERed, tear gassed and beat those in the streets. Although the politicians declared the policing at the summit a success, popular anger at the police is at an all time high. At such moments, it is important to look closely at the tactics and strategy that were used to police dissent, not least because the models that are considered successful, tend to spread.

How was the summit in Toronto policed? The website for the Integrated Security Unit argues that “The approach to the Summit would be best described as an expanded version of our approach to previous events based on best practices and the lessons learned.” This seems obvious. However the ‘expansion’ included some new and worrying elements.

Their Laws—Our Loss

Linchpin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:02:00 -0700

by Jeff Shantz
State repression columnist

In events like the G20 protests and clampdown there emerge real opportunities for recognition and understanding that are not always so readily available behind the screen of “business as usual.” The learning curve shifts and some things become much more clear.

Free Our Friends! Community Update on G20 Detainees

Mick — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:23:15 -0700

by Direct Support Committees of G20 detainees

While G20 leaders met behind a steel cage and a 1-billion dollar Fortress Toronto operation, we witnessed an unprecedented coordinated police operation in the city of Toronto. Police brutality against protest participants, journalists, legal observers, medics, and random passersby came in the form of indiscriminate arrests, beatings, pepper spray, rubber bullets, police horse charges, illegal searches and seizures, and extended arbitrary detentions. While in custody, people were forced into steel cage cells with up to 40 people per cell; made to sleep on concrete floors with open bathrooms; denied food, water, toilet paper, and sanitary products; subjected to sexual harassment, threats, humiliation, and intimidation; and refused access to medical attention, phone calls, and legal counsel.