STORY posted on March 3, 2010 by dawn
Four more anti-Olympics activists arrested in Vancouver
Cops comment on catching "a whole paddywagon full of anarchists"
Four people were arrested in Vancouver Tuesday evening upon exiting a Gastown restaurant. Three were released in the early hours of Wednesday and one person held overnight.
"We were arrested for allegedly writing anti-Olympic slogans at the restaurant we were at," said one of the four, who was arrested and later released.
According to those involved, the three arrested were picked out by police because of prior police intelligence. All four of the arrested have been active during the two week long tent village at 58 W. Hastings.
"At one point [the cops] said 'oh, we've got a whole paddywagon full of anarchists'," said an arrestee. The four were later taken to the jail at Main and Cordova.
"They just fed the typical bullshit about like 'we understand the political nature of this', and 'we understand where you're coming from, but there are right and wrong ways to go about things,' yadda yadda, yadda," said an arrestee.
Two of those arrested and later released had their cellular phones removed by the police.
There is one person who will have a court hearing tomorrow morning at 9am. Jail solidarity at Cordova and Main has been requested.
The site for the Vancouver local of The Media Co-op has been archived and will no longer be updated. Please visit the main Media Co-op website to learn more about the organization.
Comments
Solidarity
Now that the international media is gone, the VPD / ISU / Fascists are going to try and stifle our movement. The only way to stifle our movement is for them to heed our demands (and respect those with whom the real power belongs; the people!) Solidaritas forever! -maxim
Support from the east coast
for what it's worth, sending jail support and love to all of you still out there! your efforts are important and respected very much!!!
Also strength and encouragement! Be well friends!!
SOLIDARITY!!!
Who are the fascists? These
Who are the fascists? These protesters are children acting in child ways, some born in early 90's they haven't been around to be so angry they don't even know what oppression is. I am the people and you the angry child protestors don't support my views speak for yourself you just need a cause any case to protest and lay out demands how do you represent the homeless you haven't experience hardship in your short lives, you have watched to many movies and shows from the past and think progress is handled with violence you are wrong, get a job, and see what real life struggles are to pay bills and look after your family.
The VPD dont mean nothing to
The VPD dont mean nothing to me!
These young, fresh outta high school cops think they can get away with anything! United the people will never be defeated! leep an eye out much more is coming donw the pipes to Vancouver.
Update
Update is that the last person was released from jail this afternoon.
Solidarity II
Wanted to let people know that I am out of jail and that I am fine and feeling good.
I also wanted to say a public thank you to Dave Eby and the BCCLA. Despite the fact that I have given Dave a real hard time for his comments denouncing the Black Bloc (which he deserved, by the way), I do want to recognize and respect that he came out on the street last night to witness the arrests, he was there when I was finally allowed to call a lawyer at 4am, and a BCCLA lawyer was there to get me out on bail this morning.
Finally, and most importantly, I wanted to thank everyone who came out for support last night and today. Coming out of jail to a packed courtroom full of friends and allies is a wonderful feeling that helps me and others to keep on fightin. Much love and respect to all of y'all.
ps. Fuck the Olympics. Fuck the Police. Fuck the State. Because when we fight, we win.
something is wrong
Okay, they were arrested for "allegedly writing anti-Olympic slogans at the restaurant"? Did the restaurant call the police because they were causing a problem?
Or did the police arrest them without grounds or because of prior criminal activity? This is either a case of wrongful arrest/detention or of arrest with cause. I would love to know the story here as I don't want to get worked up about it if there was provocation.
Pick your battles people! Either we act appropriately and can say the "enemy" is engaged in malicious tactics or we forfeit our right to being right. There are many who will say "they obviously deserved to be arrested" unless we can start to show that we are law-abiding concerned citizens who want justice and fair treatment. Don't blow it by acting without maturity!
T
"unless we can start to show
"unless we can start to show that we are law-abiding concerned citizens"
So if a person breaks a law in opposition to an injustice, you no longer support that person? Look... We need to show solidarity with political prisoners PERIOD, no matter what they were charged with or whether they are guilty or not. This is Solidarity 101.
bias
Hello
In the interest of presenting a story not completely biased towards the point of view of those arrested, it would have been good to ask someone else — eg the police or the restaurant staff — about the incident. This reads like unmitigated propaganda, as bad as the worst Fox News or CNN story. For all we know they could have been arrested for being drunk and disorderly, and then made up some story about it being related to the Olympics.
If this is an attempt at journalism, it's a miserable failure.
not a failure
This piece was posted at 3am on the morning of the arrests. Instead of doing what the mainstream media does every single day by essentially re-writing police press releases, I interviewed three of those arrested and got something out immediately.
That said, if you'd like to do a more "balanced" piece by talking to cops or restaurant staff, go right ahead. Or, you could just read the Globe and Mail or something. Your choice.
Well, the point is that
Well, the point is that you're doing basically the same thing as the worst of the mainstream and right-wing media: taking one version of a story and immediately publishing it without doing any investigation. Maybe you know these people personally and consider them good for their word; maybe other reporters feel the same way about their contacts at the police department. Maybe you don't know them at all. We don't know. Do two wrongs make a right? Does fire fight fire? Is spinning for the truth unlike warring for peace?
The story itself is a bit vague. What was it about their writing of slogans that was illegal? I wasn't under the impression that writing something could be considered illegal, at least not in Canada. I am aware of the ominous laws against public display of writings critical of the Olympics. However I don't see how simply writing something in a restaurant (a private establishment) could be considered a violation of this law. Maybe they were writing out signs and holding them up in the window. Or maybe not. If the police are really arresting people on completely trumped-up charges of crimes that don't even exist, then it's especially important to get some third-party accounts of the situation as soon as possible.
For the benefit of your readers and your reputation as a truly "independent" news source, it seems important to get at least one other version of the story, and ask some penetrating questions, rather than simply acting as someone's mouthpiece. Certainly it's difficult to maintain a balanced viewpoint when you are deeply involved in one side of a disagreement, and it's great that these arrestees have a place to make their story heard, but without some sort of context it doesn't really stand up as a news story.
Stories like this one, should they be read by critically-minded and undecided members of the public, seem likely to simply exacerbate the prevalent tendency to dismiss the protest movement as about as relevant and clear-headed as Don Cherry. But then maybe such people are not the Vancouver Media Co-op's target audience; at least in this instance, it seems be more an organizational tool for protest than a bona fide news source. Which is great, but it's rather hypocritical to label such a site as a news source, especially in light of the heavy criticism you direct towards other news outlets for similar behaviour.
I appreciate your offer to contribute to the co-op; however for one thing I don't live in Vancouver; for another I'm not sure that I would want to be part of it; and finally, I feel that each writer of an article in such a publication is responsible for the journalistic integrity of the pieces that she writes.
Thanks for your response.
Vague, Yes
Vague, yes, as the story was posted at 3am the morning of the arrests. There will be more comprehensive stories documenting this case. Unfortunately because of budget constraints (at the moment we are all volunteer) we are unable to assign a reporter to follow up. Please keep checking in for updates, if you're interested.
By the way
Sometimes fire is used to fight fire.
Also, many of the conventions and techniques that we use at the Co-op are adapted from / similar to the way the mainstream media reports on things. I'm not saying it's perfect, but it's where we're at. If you know of alternative media sources that don't borrow conventions from the mainstream, I'd be interested to read about them.
What a great way for Eby to
What a great way for Eby to buy his cred back. Don't be fooled Alex, this punk is a politician.
i guess my word means
i guess my word means nothing. Just publish what you feel makes them look oppressed.
if you are
the person that anonymously posted a second hand account describing the alleged acts, then yes, I took your post down. I did so beacuse the post could have been considered libellous.
Hello to Alex, i have left
Hello to Alex, i have left town and had no idea who the paddywagon of anarchists were. glad to hear you're out and about. don't let those shitty bologna sandwiches wreck the victories we all share. see you around.
i whole heartedly support
i whole heartedly support the anti-olympic campaign but as far as i can tell you telling your second hand account on the story and not letting me tell mine seems pretty biased. And yes i can see that you may think it looks "libellous" but it wasnt, it was an honest rendition of the events. I felt that there actions shouldnt speak for everyone in this movement. They are making us look like fools. Lets try to be honest with our statements, instead of rediculously one sided, how many different readers noticed how biased the statements made were?
"bias"
I have responded to allegations of "bias" above. Thanks for your legal advice, but I think I'll pass. Cheers.
lame try
Seriously people think a little more here. All of you saying that the people united cannot be stopped and the people are in charge, think a bit. Yes the people are in charge! and most of those people wanted and enjoyed the olympics. I you guys are so united and powerful, and cannot be stopped how come the olympics were a success, how come you great protests and such didn't defeat the vanoc? Also I am pretty sure vancouver had a vote to decide to pursue the olympics and it passed, oh and something like 85% of Canadians watched the mens olympics team win gold! My point is the people united are for the olympics.
A bunch of small time trouble makers aren't going to make a difference, I dont normally post hings, just thought I'd bring a reality check for some of you, not all, some seem sensible. thanks for listening to my opinion
VPD
ok....now what....people are still going missing...my people(first nations)their is poverty on our oppressed reserves that your elected government imposes....their is still a over representation in your jails and still on welfare....your streets are not safe and your elected officials are all sell outs which is passed on to our people....your ripped off in school as the truth is not being told their either.....this lists goes on and on and in the end we are getting ripped off by your system....my system had no jails had no polution and no alcoholism.....we had no doors to lock at nights and all our children were safe from you...your problems are now ours to fix cause you don't care as this is not your problem.....mother earth is not for sale and not owned...jayson fleury Saulteaux Nation