Anti-oppression

London fascist group’s “rebirth” stillborn

Linchpin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:29:43 -0700

Carrying a banner reading "These faggots kill fascists" anti-fascists send a different message in front of homophobic signs held by bigots at the London, Ontario pride parade on July 25, 2010. Photo: Toban Black

By Alex Balch

London, Ont. - On Sunday July 25, fifty anti-fascist activists from southern Ontario joined hundreds of Londoners to show their support for the London Pride Parade. By all accounts, the day was a great success; the weather was excellent, the floats were fun and creative, the atmosphere was great – and the fascists were nowhere to be seen.

Out Against Apartheid and Marching with Pride

Mick — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:41:21 -0700

By Sue Goldstein,
6 July 2009, Toronto
Queers Against Israeli Apartheid

This year’s Pride march was marked by intense pressure from pro-Zionist forces to keep Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA) from participating.

In the News...Local media respond to police surveillance of anarchist book fair, local activists

Alex_Hamilton — Sat, 30 May 2009 06:24:25 -0700

Local media have responded to our press release (see below) that drew attention to local police manipulating hate crime laws to criminalize activism. The following articles appeared in the May 29, 2009 edition of MountainNews.com, the Dundas Star News and the Ancaster News.

Anarchists cry foul over police targetting of book fair Monitoring seeks to criminalize political dissent, organizer says.

Hug a cop or be charged
By Hamilton Community News Editorial
Editorial

Anarchists call Police report comparing activism to hate crime "chilling"

Alex_Hamilton — Sun, 24 May 2009 06:12:33 -0700

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Anarchists call Police report comparing activism to hate crime "chilling"

May 24, 2009

HAMILTON- Local members of the provincial anarchist organization
Common Cause fear Hamilton police are seeking to criminalize local
organizers after a Hamilton police report identified the 2nd annual
Hamilton Anarchist Book Fair as a potential source of hate crime.

While presenting the Year-End Hate Crime report (available online)
to the Hamilton Police Board on May 19, acting sergeant Michael Goch
stated police would be “actively monitoring” the book fair scheduled to
take place on June 6.

Alex Diceanu, Ontario Treasurer of Common Cause responded, "As the
organizers of the annual book fair, and as local anarchists and
activists, Common Cause is deeply disturbed by these statements.

"This is a manipulation of hate crime laws to criminalize activism. At
this time of economic and environmental crisis, alongside increasing

2nd annual Hamilton Anarchist Book Fair, June 6

Alex_Hamilton — Sat, 23 May 2009 04:22:47 -0700

For the second year in a row, Hamilton will be home to Ontario's only Anarchist Book Fair, happening June 6, from 10am to 4pm at Westdale Collegiate, 700 Main St. West . Over 300 people from all over southern Ontario took part in Hamilton's first anarchist book fair, held last June.

For those not familiar with anarchist book fairs you can expect a couple dozen or so publishers and book stores to be on hand offering literature in various forms (as well as the occasional t-shirt) at affordable prices. You can expect to find just about every social justice issue covered from the environment, to women's struggles to radical history and theory. Many local activist groups will also be on hand to share information about important struggles happening in our community and beyond.

Mohawk Anarcha-Indigenist Taiaiake Alfred Speaks at McMaster University

Alex_Hamilton — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:04:32 -0800

By Petre Marin
November 29, 2008

A Kanienkeha (Mohawk) militant, intellectual and professor at the University of Victoria, Taiaiake Alfred was invited to McMaster University because he is widely acknowledged as among the most renowned scholars in indigenous studies on the continent. But Taiaiake is not a typical academic nor was he here to give an academic talk as he made clear right away. Speaking at Convocation Hall surrounded by portraits of bearded upper class white men, the wealthy elite of McMaster's past, Taiaiake, a former US marine had this to say: “In the marines we have a saying. 'The enemy is in front of us, behind us, on our left and on our right. We have the SOBs right where we want them.” The scene captured perfectly the situation of all rebels today: within and against the system that exploits and oppresses us.

Caravan against torture hits southern Ontario

Alex_Hamilton — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:22:42 -0700

By Chris Shannon

Oct 19, 2008 marks the 7th anniversary of the detention of Hassan Almrei. Almrei has been locked up under Canada’s infamous Security Certificate legislation, which allows refugees and landed immigrants to be deported to their home countries or be held indefinitely.

Almrei is currently being held at the Kingston Immigration Holding Centre, or “Gantanamo North” as dubbed by critics. The facility cost $3.2 million to build and is staffed by 23 guards and administrators. Almrei is the centre’s only prisoner.

The federal court is currently in the process of hearing Almrei’s bail application. His attempts at gaining freedom have been unsuccessful three times so far making him cautious in his outlook.

“ I’m optimistic but realistic at the same time” he says. “At first I didn’t want to go through another bail hearing but the Judge told me if I didn’t I wouldn’t be allowed to have another one”

Anarchism 101: Anarchafeminism

Alex_Hamilton — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:15:55 -0700

By Andrew Loucks

As with anarchism, there are many ways to think of anarchafeminism. It can be thought of as a way to promote anarchist ideas within the feminist movement or vice versa - to promote feminist ideas within the anarchist movement. But anarchafeminism is not simply spun together by people involved in both. Anarchism and feminism share deep connections.

Both combine values of individual autonomy with collective good and collective action. An anarchafeminist women's health clinic, for instance, would necessarily include abortion in its services or referrals because women should control their own bodies. It would value equitable service for all, which means it could never be a privatized, never charge fees or institute practices that would exclude lower-income, immigrant or marginalized women from its service. And it would be organized by women, for women in a non-hierarchical fashion.

The state can’t stop rape

Alex_Hamilton — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:01:25 -0700

The state can’t stop rape
by Rev (Sudbury)

We need to stop imagining the government and police as being able to prevent women from being sexually assaulted. The police operate as an organized force to punish crimes and investigate other possible crimes. Very rarely do they prevent crimes or assaults from happening. Common statistics that come across the Canadian media proclaim that between 1 in 5 and 1 in 3 women experience sexual assault in their lifetime. Obviously the government, through the police service, is choosing or not able to investigate or prosecute all of these offences. Often people who are forced into sex or are drugged without witnesses are left without legal recourse to pursue. Often the police will actually tell women what happened to them was morally wrong but not legally wrong, leaving them to deal with their pain themselves.

The state can’t stop rape

Rev — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:56:00 -0700

The state can’t stop rape
by Rev (Sudbury)