by David Bernans January 21, 2003
Just a few weeks ago Montreal-based activist Jaggi Singh was arrested and deported from Israel. Yesterday, Singh was arrested and banned from campus during an interview at Concordia University following a demonstration.
On January 20, 2003, about an hour after giving a speech in support of Concordia Palestinian human rights activists who are facing disciplinary hearings, Singh was arrested by Montreal police sergeant Donald Lemieux and removed from the communications office of the Concordia Student Union.
According to Singhs lawyer, Singh is being charged with assault, disturbing the peace and illegal assembly. All three charges stem from the September 9, 2002, demonstration at Concordia University that forced the cancellation of a speech by former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The arrest interrupted an interview this writer was doing with Singh and fellow activists Dexter X and Gabriel Babineau about their experiences with police brutality during the April 2001 Summit of the Americas in Quebec City. Singh gained notoriety during that mobilization for allegedly possessing a teddy bear catapult that may have been used to assault police. Those charges were later dropped, but he is still facing charges of participating in a riot. His trial by jury begins May 20.
The arrest of Montreals most famous anarchist is just the latest in a series of Middle-East-related events at the downtown campus of the Montreal university now known as Gaza U.
"Why is Gaza U a derogatory term? Singh asked during yesterdays speech. Concordia should be proud to be compared to Gaza. He praised the resistance of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and other occupied territories, and said that the struggle of Concordia students in the face of repression is important, but it cannot be compared to the heroic efforts of the Palestinian people.
The afternoon protest was held outside in bitter-cold temperatures because organizers were threatened with disciplinary and legal action from the university if the event were to occur on university property as originally planned.
One of the ten students being brought to the universitys disciplinary panel was conspicuous by his absence at the rally. Samer Elatrash is banned from participating in Concordia-related political activities as part of his conditions of release in relation to criminal charges stemming from the anti-Netanyahu protests. Elatrash said he does not expect a fair hearing at the university panel. We dont have access to video tapes that would contextualize the video montage being presented by the complainant. To get the security tapes we need for evidence, we have to ask the security investigator Jaques Lechance. He is the one making the complaint against us, so there is a conflict of interest."
Elatrash said that the security tapes would show the police brutality that occurred before students took a more confrontational approach.
Its a not-so-strange coincidence that Singh was arrested on the day that disciplinary hearings for students were to begin. Singh, who is not a Concordia student, will not be allowed to set foot on Concordia property for any reason whatsoever
Police had a chance to arrest Singh last week at another Concordia protest. Although very few Concordia students attended the action against Defence Minister John McCallum (reportedly for fear of tough new disciplinary regulations), Singh, along with students from other Montreal universities, made their presence felt. They chanted slogans like No blood for oil. At the time, a Montreal police officer on the scene told Singh, We will deal with you later.
Was Singhs arrest timed by police in consultation with the Concordia administration for maximum political impact? University Public Relations officer Chris Mota said that police came to arrest Singh because they saw him on TV [at the protest earlier in the day]."
University legal counsel Bram Freedman said that security personnel helped police locate Mr. Singh in the student union offices when they were told that there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Freedman also explained that the university had been trying without success to deliver a letter to Mr. Singh banning him from campus. I understand that he will be personally receiving the letter this afternoon, said Freedman. It is no doubt easier to serve papers on someone who is in police custody.
Singh was released yesterday evening with a promise to appear in court.
David Bernans is the researcher/archivist of the Concordia Student Union and a former faculty member in Concordias political science department. He is also the author of Con U Inc.: Privatization, Marketization and Globalization at Concordia University (and beyond).
-- Chuck0
------------------------------------------------------------ Personal homepage -> http://chuck.mahost.org/ Infoshop.org -> http://www.infoshop.org/ MutualAid.org -> http://www.mutualaid.org/ Alternative Press Review -> http://www.altpr.org/ Practical Anarchy Online -> http://www.practicalanarchy.org/ Anarchy: AJODA -> http://www.anarchymag.org/
"The state can't give you free speech, and the state can't take it away. You're born with it, like your eyes, like your ears. Freedom is something you assume, then you wait for someone to try to take it away. The degree to which you resist is the degree to which you are free..." ---Utah Phillips