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January 20, 2005 - 10:29pm — ant
Videos from the January 20th police attack as well as still images from the video are available for viewing here. Photos taken of the January 20th event are available here
To get involved in activism at York or to send messages of solidarity email GRAIN the group that organized these events.
To send an email of protest to York President Lorna Marsden please click here.
For all articles related to the events at York, please click here.
For more information about what is happening at York, and how you can get involved, please read more of this article and the others posted on the site.
On January 20th 2004, thousands of people around the world protested the inaugeration of US President George W. Bush. At York University in Toronto, the Grass Roots Anti-Imperialist Network (GRAIN) and allies from local unions and community groups in solidarity with a call for a global disruption of empire under the People's Global Action hallmarks, organized a speakout and mass leaflet at York University, under the demands of "No to Empire, No to Campus Repression, Killer Corporations off our Campus". Six hundred pamphlets detailing ties between Toronto's York University and various corporate oppressors (among them Lockheed Martin and Exxon Mobil) were distributed, amidst a backdrop of speeches from GRAIN members and various community groups.
The 50-100 students who had gathered to outline York's ties to global and local oppression, racism, and imperialist globalization, were then forcibly dispersed by police called in on the orders of the York Administration. The police with the aid of York security guards then proceeded to arrest and beat five organizers. The action, which represented the latest effort by York-based activists to stand up for free speech and resist corporate power on campus, was brutally repressed, with cops hospitalizing one young organizer. The events of the day exhibit the York insitution's willingness to clamp down on any organized resistance, and the need for more research, popular education and direct action to build a movement for real democracy and justice on campus. Autonomy and Solidarity brings you statements, photos and video related to this action and its aftermath.
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Comments
Revolution Anyone?
I will agree that there is such a thing as "freedom of speech". What does this actually mean? Probably at one point in history this meant something but in todays world it holds little significance. Do I think this is right? No. So all people of this country and countrys alike are left with two decisions.
1. Conform
2. Revolt
To conform is too live a simple life. By this I mean get a job, get married, buy a house, car, have some kids and enjoy holidays family and friends. You're going to pay taxes, vote and hopefully with little money you have been able to save, take the family on a vacation. Life's stressors will include; raising kids, paying your mortgage, bills, and keeping a happy marriage.
To revolt is to do what the students of York did, that leads only to arrests. They were asked to leave and they did not comply. Thus they were arrested, most likely be charged, appear in court(may or may not be made examples of) and then deal with having a criminal record. After all risiting arrest, and unlawful assembly are major offences.
So we all have two choices, too revolt or conform?
In this world I prefer conformity, because the idea of "THE GOVERNMENT IS FAILING! GET YOUR GUNS AND PITCHFORKS! WERE GONNA HAVE OURSELVES A REVOLUTION!" is complete lunacy.
Just because you are "in" this world, does not mean you have to be "of" this world. One day when we are old and grey and all of our friends have passed on, all we are left with is our shadows.
"If you were born in the West, you've won the only lottery that really counts from the very first moment you take air."(Rex Murphy)
hmmm
there is so many thoughts running in my head regarding your comment that i don't know whether i would finish if i tried to put them all here. but i will just comment on a couple or so (by no means the most important).
you say that in today's world freedom of speech holds little significance but at some point in the past it did. i wonder how many people, just like you, said the same thing at some point in the past. interestingly enough you think that in itself it is not right but you conform to it. the problem is that history is taught and learned as something restricted to the past, as if unrelated to the present. today is history, and at some point in the future people are going to look at today as some point in the past. what i'm trying to point at is that progress, the progress of humanity, is not restricted to the past. it is ongoing and it requires people to stay awake, you my friend have chosen to sleep. Don't forget, you can choose to conform to a "simple life" because of this progress that was surely not brought about by conformity. I guess it is possible to have a "simple life" without a care about the lives of other humans around the world when you choose to keep one eye shut. Now, people who choose to revolt have jobs, partners, houses, kids etc too, just like you.
"Just because you are "in" this world, does not mean you have to be "of" this world." where do we have to be from if we don't have to be "of" this world? is there any other worlds out there you're keeping from us?
now i will end it here so i can go and "conform" to a simple life of exams but i hope that you will find the time to investigate your decisions a bit more.
"...and did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?" (pink floyd)
I couldn't agree more
Do think I like the state of affairs that this country's in, and for that the world? I dont disagree with your comments. But do think some protest or demonstration is going to be the pedestal for change? You actually think that it is going to be the starting point for a new world? The problems of this world or so far away from anything you, myself or anyone like us can touch. Do you think the people at the top actually give a damn what you or I feel and think? Pipe dreams and fantasies.
Now if these demonstrations/protest help you to get through your day then thats great. More power to you Pink Floyd.
If I'm not too rusty on my Floyd trivia, this song was written by Roger Waters specifically for Syd Barret, one of the brilliant, self-destructive original members of the band. Syd had to eventually leave because of his drug-related problems.
Take care.
first of all i don't see how
first of all i don't see how the fact that the song was written for syd takes away the meaning of the song. if anything, it adds more meaning to it. if the song had been written by syd himself than you could have a point, one which i would still debate. and i didn't quote pink floyd specifically for the reply to your message. every time i comment this quote comes out. my name is not pink floyd.
now i never claimed that a protest like this one would be "the starting point of a new world". i know it takes much more than a small protest at a university campus to bring about change, but none the less it has been protests at university campuses that have brought about change in the past. the protest at vari was successful in a few ways. it brought about awareness and it opened up a debate.
now you seem to feel hopeless because the people at the "top" don't actually give a damn. the people at the top are people just like you and i. just because they hold positions at the "top" doesnt make them superior to us and doesn't mean that we should give up our own selves and thoughts because of feelings of inferiority. the people at the top are nothing without the 'common' majority. the problem is that a lot of people lose hope to the idea that they are powerless to these people at the "top" which in turns gives the people at the "top" the excessive power they hold. now tell me, what would happen if all people who thought things are not right in this world felt that they have the power for change? they would make change. the people at the "top" are a very very small minority and there is a large majority suffering. the picture just isn't right. if all were to take your stand...we would be stuck in ancient political systems because things would just never change. maybe the starting point of a new world will not be in my lifetime but it is still important to keep these ideas alive and spread them around so those of feelings of hopeless get empowered. plus, any small change is a change. so if a protest brings about new policies towards freedom of speech on campus for example, there has been a change. the changes that are necessary don't happen overnight.
and by the way, demonstrations do not help me get through my day. don't insult me.
take care of yourself!
"...and did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?" (pink floyd)
Free Speech Film and Discussion in Vari Hall A Thurs Feb 10th
Film Showing:
"Berkeley In The Sixties"
40 Years Later
History Repeats Itself
FREE SPEECH MOVEMENT
Berkeley '64 ~ York '04-'05
Thursday, February 10, 2005
12:30-2:30
Vari Lecture Hall A
Discussion to follow
Presented by the SOSC 4810
Come out to see and discuss the eerie connections between the actions of the Berkeley administration in the 60s and the York U administration of today. See what students did in the 60s in response. Discuss what we can do today.
Massive Website Talks about York Incident
Whole front page special on it: http://www.jokaroo.com
Video with contact phone numbers to complain to and more:
http://www.jokaroo.com/extremevideos/policeattackyorkuniversitytoronto.html
another link of police brutality video 2 at York U(fast server)
http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=camera2_med
Vari Hall = The Terror Dome
Hello,
In conversation with DJ Bidet late last night it was suggested that Vari Hall, until the York University's policies of repression and intimidation tactics are stopped, regarding acts of freedom of speech and peaceful assembly at the aforementioned location, should be renamed the Terror Dome (with an appreciative nod to the creative talents of Public Enemy: perhaps new signage should be erected at the entrances of Vari Hall which makes use of the title of the groups seminal early recording "Welcome to the Terror Dome"). Just a suggestion.
best,
Suttree and DJ Bidet
I don't get it?
I'm becoming increasingly distraught at the realization that so many of my peers seem to be missing the point... this demonstration was supposed to be, at its core, a protest against administrations and corporations (affiliated with our own school!!!) which support global evils such as racism, child labour, war and so much more. So many of these protestors were clearly intelligent, eloquent, well-intentionned individuals, with the will to change injustices stemming so close to home. Indubitably, a handful of idiots ignorant to the cause was present- but in the end, the demonstration was opposing a much larger and more powerful group of idiots :) I don't understand why so many students seem to be siding with the authorities after what was a blatantly unnecessary display of police brutality. Why is society teaching us to reward conformity and punish alternative attempts for peace and justice? I applaude those who stood up for their beliefs on January 20- may your voices be heard and appreciated.
re: I don't get it
Why are we siding with the authorities? In this particular situation the police had reason to be there. Sure it is our campus... But there are rules in place that ban protesting in Vari Hall (where this took place) because of it's vacinity to classrooms. That has absolutely nothing to do with the police. If anybody has a problem with this, take it up with the administration.
I also find it amusing that this site is smeared with "Police attack" and "Police brutality". He was asked to stop using the megaphone and refused which gave the police reason to act. Plus if he didn't resist arrest (which he was obviously doing) it wouldn't be such a big deal
police brutality or propaganda?
Just like any other piece of news information you receive perhaps you should first look into both sides of the debate and evidence. The fact that the videos shown by the protestors are much shorter than those provided by other sources is because they have taken out the inital reasons for the police attacks... The videos hosted here were longer on their inital posting as well. Now that's why all of the people I know who have looked into it are siding with administration. The worst part about all of this is how a good and valid protest wasn't organized properly and they ended up holding it in a classroom space, thus taking away from the actual issues. -A-
hold on now
now you can't make such implications and give vague explanations. I can only talk about myself when i say that i have indeed looked into both sides of the debate and evidence (although i'm quite sure that a lot of other people who have posted here have done the same). you claim that there are other longer videos from other sources. first, please let me know where these sources are because i have watched, surfed, read everywhere trying to get both sides of the story and i can say that only auto_sol and their friends (this includes the screenings at vari) have actually shown decent video footage of the events. now you also claim that the reason why this videos are this short is because they have taken out the initial reasons for the attack. that's interesting because the same videos available on this website clearly show cops walking towards the students and from there on its history. see, when you make that claim it gives the impression that the attacks from the police were a reaction when the videos on this website clearly show the attacks as an initial action. now obviously if you look at it from the perspective of rules and laws and what have you, the cops had "legal" rights to try and stop the protest but none the less, the actual attack(violence) was not a reaction and is not justifiable so be careful.
See, you post a message that will only be credible to someone who has only looked at one side of the debate, namely yours, but contradicts itself since you call for a wider and wholesided consideration of the issue. Thus if we were to take your advise in the first sentence (advice that seems necessary to you), we would/have concluded that you fail to follow your own advice since the rest of your argument is completely flawed.
You also imply that the video footage has been manouvered for...propaganda???? Why would these people show these videos (the full version) all week long at vari if here they're trying to deceive us? Have you considered that maybe the footage here is short because of technological constraints? afterall it took over a day to try and get this much up. and have you actually looked at the videos available here because to me it provides enough evidence on what took place.
"Now that's why all of the people I know who have looked into it are siding with administration". Does this mean that YOU haven't actually looked into it bur are just taking this conclusions from the people you know? gotta be careful there and look into it yourself!!!
and finally, "The worst part about all of this is how a good and valid protest wasn't organized properly and they ended up holding it in a classroom space, thus taking away from the actual issues". i encourage you to actually find out what made this protest good and valid and what the issues were and hopefully then you will understand why the protest was held where it was held and how it was held. Hopefully if you can achieve this, you will reconsider your comments.
"...and did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?" (pink floyd)
opening a space for putting yr activism where your mouth is
the "aftermath" of the police brutality at York University has been one/can be one of a profound opening for emerging discussions on the participatory aspects of doing the everyday work of being a student at York, and learning from not just textbooks and course-kits, but from the *relational struggles* we are engaged in on a day-to-day level. This is certainly a moment in which we can "come alive to the continual reality of awakening". Since thursday, i've had the opportunity to discuss this in both tutorials and lectures, and i encourage all activists to keep bringing this into class time on university campuses. Take over the classrooms that the York administration wants to deafen to it's corporate and repressive agendas. This is NOT an isolated incident, and says much about the increasing corporatisation of the public spaces of universities in the Canadian context -- and beyond. Voice your dissent in the actions planned, and voice your dissent in everyday interactions: encourage faculty and students you work with to engage in this struggle on University time. This is a space that we are all part of. York is NOT "private property" -- it is OUR SPACE, and we must struggle to (re)claim it as this. Thanks to all who have been actively struggling against this repressive shit thus far, and in solidarity with those whose bodies were beaten by the cops on the front lines of this struggle last week.
The struggle continues.
xx, and in solidarity
Rhetoric around York University as "private property" is counter-revolutionary!!
I believe Chief Fantino is go
I believe Chief Fantino is going to be on cp24 this tuesday night at either 8 or 9 p.m. Let's question him on his lies regarding the events of last Thursday. It's a long shot, for I doubt they would let this issue come on air, but I think people should try and call in and confront Fantino on the ugly conduct of his police officers.
"...and did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?" (pink floyd)
Hospitalization?
Hello,
I was just wondering if someone could verify the fact that a student was hospitalized. I'm slightly (but not overly) surprised that it wasn't reported in the mainstream press (other than the Toronto Star saying that an organizer 'claimed' a student needed hospital treatment) but the most amazing thing is that all of the releases from this website have been "updated" and the information surrounding the student that was hospitalized and the female student that was allegedly strip searched has been taken down.
Was a student hospitalized and a female student strip searched, like you said? If so, why was that information removed from this website?
info on hospitalization
one of the arrested students was hospitalized. that information has not been removed from the website, but the post was moved off the front page to make room for new information. the original post is still available at http://auto_sol.tao.ca/node/view/1120 or by selecting it from the 'Latest Articles' section in the right-hand column.
I thought this post would be more visible here...
If you visit the link at the bottom, you will experience first hand the complete misinterpretation of what happened on Thursday...Not WEDNESDAY as CBC has put it on their website.
They also seem to have forgotten to mention that a student was hopitalized.
This just shows how the press, which is supposed to be the voice of the people, is the opposite from democratic. I bet some of the people who own the media out there have provided some funding for York, therefore this will really hurt them. Did anyone else notice that even a helicopter was at the event on Thursday, and yet nothing of it was published on Friday in any of the main newspapers?
We are taught to "think critically" in university, but at the same time students are being repressed by administration...this is supposed to be our own "public institution" but sadly it is erroded with advertisements...not to mention walking billboards.
I used to see "radicals" as people who just want to stand out...but after listening to them, I see exactly where they are coming from.
http://toronto.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/to-protest20050121.html
actually, here...
Five arrested in anti-Bush protest
Last Updated Jan 21 2005 11:21 AM EST
CBC News
TORONTO – Three police officers were hurt and five demonstrators arrested after a protest turned violent Wednesday at York University.
Police say two officers were punched and a third had coffee poured on him as they tried to remove an anti-war group protesting the inauguration of U.S. president George Bush.
The protestors were charged with assaulting police and obstructing police.
One of them was also charged with attempting to disarm a police officer after allegedly trying to grab one officer's handgun.
None of the officers was seriously injured.
The suspects were all scheduled to make court appearances Friday.
Bullshit.
So where, exactly, are the "vicious beatings"?
to view video of the vicious beatings
Click here
I see the guy in plaid jump o
I see the guy in plaid jump on an officer and his fellow officer kick him off. Then 3 officers try to restrain the guy as he resists. The course of events before that seem pretty unclear from the camera angles.
Ummm....on the videotape of a
Ummm....on the videotape of at least 3 different people who filmed the incident.
Are you blind?
Interesting to read the relea
Interesting to read the release from the Toronto Police Services:
January 20, 2005 - 07:53 pm
Chief Fantino calls rally violence “regrettable”
31 Division
416-808-3100
Three paid duty officers were injured after being attacked by several peace and anti-war demonstrators at York University this afternoon.
Constables Chris Commission, Steven Camponi and Eric Reimer were attacked as they tried to remove a group of protesters for trespassing. Two of the officers were punched in the head while a third had hot coffee poured on him. Further, one of the accused tried to seize Reimer’s Glock pistol.
None of the officers was seriously injured. Five people were arrested at the scene.
“It was highly ironic and regrettable that the officers whose sole purpose was to watch over a peaceful anti-war demonstration were subjected to any violence,” Chief Fantino said.
Charged with assault police and obstruct police are: Gregory Bird, 26, Nicholas Birtig, 19, Alissa Watt, 18, Erin Gray, 22 and Konstantine Kilibarda, 26.
Bird is further charged with attempt to disarm a police officer. Gray is also charged with fail to comply with recognizance.
The accused are scheduled to appear at the 1000 Finch Ave. W. courthouse tomorrow.
.
Constable Isabelle Cotton, Corporate Communications
Well, I'm not blind, but I ha
Well, I'm not blind, but I haven't seen any videos from people who filmed the incident.
I'm seeing pictures of nice-looking police officers (http://fr.freeshell.org/york/jan20/york-Pages/Image19.html) trying to control someone who was clearly flailing around and resisting arrest (http://fr.freeshell.org/york/jan20/york-Pages/Image23.html - I don't see that as a "violent beating" so much as trying to stop that guy from freaking out). I see a lot of pictures of police officers standing around.
What's the story of the person who tried to disarm a police officer? Were they going to give him a slap on the wrist or send him for a time out? No. Looks to me like they were doing their jobs.
Police had no right to attack
Police had no right to attack or arrest in the first place.
Students were breaking the la
Students were breaking the law.
The LAW! IDIOT
you are a moron, reformism is a failed plan, its time to fight the governments one molotov at a time. The police are the front line workers of oppression get it through your skull or one day a baton will give you that realization the hard way, or maybe you will be enlightened when you inhale tear gas, oh wait a law abider like you would never dissent anyway. The concept of law is intrinsically flawed, no one has the right to legitslate your body or mind or its expressions, the rule of law could not be independent of morality anyway, you have the right to voice your opposition. Even John LOcke said you have the right to revolt, break the laws of the tyrannical rulers if you must. Police protect business, the council of chief executives in canada admits they control policy in canada, they take credit for free trade, balanced budgets, and tax cuts. The police exist to maintain power of the elite. Police are a punishment force. Police rarely ever prevent crime, they find and attack those who have already commited crime, just as the war on terror is a form of punishment not prevention. If you want to prevent violence create a more equitable society. Do not have the police kick people out of buildings, like they do to OCAP. Look at our choice of police officers they are big generally intimidating. carry weapons, have you seen pictures of riot police. To serve and protect the elite interest. Police officers do not come and build house like habitat for humanity, they carry gubs and batons and shoot and hurt people, whether they are a bumb at nathan philips or a york student.
For the love of big brother...
Interesting perspective as I feel it reflects an increasing level of tolerance for repression in our society. This trend among young people is particularly disturbing as youthful rebelliousness and idealism gives way to a corporate mindset that automatically defaults to authority and control, rather than peer solidarity and a hunger for social change.
It's as if all the progress in the cause of free speech and civil liberties never happened. Even US universities have more freedom of speech on their campuses. All this comes as York is desparately trying to squash any dissent on campus so that it can bill itself as a model for the future corporate education centre. However, inviting police on to campus to shut down an innocuous protest does far worse harm to its already tattered image that earns low marks from undergraduates who are overcrowded on campus.
However, from the perspectives shared on this list (some of which can just be net surfing busy bodies with atrophying legs like me!) it seems as if the corporate media has become the primary educator in society with the university as its physical adjunct, proving most succinctly the demonstrators' point about the increased paramilitarization and privatization of the university grounds. That even a video clearly showing the heavy handed overreaction of the administration still elicits skeptical responses, reflects how difficult this work has become in the face of a student body desparately needing an education in the real civic values of questioning authority and sacrificing for a good cause. It is thus heartening to see so many turning out on Friday to contest the media bias and administration's actions.
Fantino was right -- this was a regrettable incident, but not for the reasons he cited.
democracy?
What just happened is just a small scale model of what happens in many other cases. In a larger scale, people are killed for trying to voice their opinion which DOES NOT legitimize the status quo...scroll up and check my other post. I think people just generalize about activists because of the image they portray. Just because they don't wear the latest logos or the most expensive piece of clothing available does not mean that they are not ordinary people...I bet I look "normal" to most people, but that has nothing to do with my beliefs.
Helicopter
I determined the black and red helicopter circling campus actually belonged to Global News upon visual inspection. Toronto police does not have a helicopter. York Region does, but theirs is painted red and white.
Just thought I'd add a small correction.
The fact that York Security g
The fact that York Security guards were involved proves that any efforts to demand for more powers to York Security should be opposed. It will only make the job of the cops, and York administration easier to repress further demonstrations.
helicopter
I'd heard conflicting accounts of this. Some people said for sure it was tv news, others said they saw markings that said police. I didn't see it, but if you're for sure about that, we can change that up...
I am positive this is the hel
I am positive this is the helicopter I saw.
http://www.nbpa.rotor.com/pictures/ciiiglb1.jpg
i think we should not be supr
i think we should not be suprised, however im distressed to hear people saying a deserved response from the police, as usual property is more important than the citizen, to serve and protect property. I think we should seriously evaluate on police, they are tools of control and derserve nothing but a smashed skull. Oh yes thats violent resistance, of course. Better sooner than later! Public Enemy and NWA had it right, FUCK THE POLICE!
fuck the police indeed
it is EVIDENT from the video that the police used unneccessary force. all of you ignorant people that are on the cops side are either just brainwashed or NOT a visible minority. try being a visible minority for one night and notice how differently the police will treat you.
trust me. cops are CROOKS OPERATING PUBLICLY. and although there are some good cops out there.. there's more bastards that are caught up in a power struggle.