A-Infos (en) Canada, Quebek, Summit Protest Report of eye witness

[Gary Morton <command@interlog.com>]

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Summit Protest Report - Quebec 2001

Dancing with Teargas in our Eyes by Gary Morton
Written Report and Digital Photos by Gary Morton 
http://www.interlog.com/~command/quebec.htm

* forward and repost. Anyone can use the photos.

Photos
- Carrying the flag in Tears 
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1.jpg
- A few marchers 
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1a.jpg
- It's a gas 
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1b.jpg
- Smoked out 
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1c.jpg
- All wet 
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1d.jpg
- Gas hill 
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1e.jpg
-Water and Smoke 
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1g.jpg
- Column of Cops 
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1h.jpg
- Marchers
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1i.jpg
- Front Line
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1j.jpg
- Dancers
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1k.jpg
- Marchers
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1l.jpg
- Marchers
http://www.interlog.com/~command/sum1m.jpg
---------

Dancing with Teargas in our Eyes by Gary Morton Apr.21.2001 

   I headed into the Quebec OQP-2001 March with seven people from Tao
Toronto (tao.ca). The Plains of Abraham were sunny at noon with a crowd
building till about 1.30. In spite of all the hype about how protesters
should dress, the people showed as a mixed crowd … casual and eclectic
with costumed and alternative elements.
   
   The drumming and dancing began there and continued as the march
poured out into the streets. Then we reached Rene-Levesque Blvd and
confusion took over. A split developed with the main parade heading
straight through to link up with a union parade, and anarchists with the
other half heading for the wall and the riot police.

   Having lost my friends in the mob I ended up at the fence, getting
embroiled in a long encounter with the police. Shooting photos led to my
being gassed badly about 10 times.

   This battle raged all day long and into the night. It was still
underway when we left at ten p.m. Perhaps you've heard of the new world
order bombing Iraq and Yugoslavia into submission … this time their aim
was to bomb protesters and a large portion of downtown Quebec into
submission.

    They opened fire on us with tear gas rockets and water cannons and
the thoom and thud of the fire echoed across the city hour after hour.
Riot cops sent exploding canisters into streets, fields, down steep
alleys … everywhere … choking those up front and even ordinary citizens
and residents in the downhill streets.

   There weren't any brave groups of cops dashing out to make arrests.
When they came out to charge and try to pincer us it was always with
huge marching columns of riot guys that boomed out more tear gas
rockets. 

   Like in Iraq, they were afraid to risk a man, but had no problem with
bombing everyone in town. Protesters ran through the smoke with endless
energy tossing the canisters back at police. The crowd drummed and
pounded on everything … metal flag poles, guard rails, snare and other
drums … sending out an eerie din of war that reached its peak in the
night below the underpass … where a huge crowd danced wildly as the
battle continued at the top of the steep ravine. In the spotlights riot
cops and protesters clashed, huge curtains of gas floated and canisters
came right down the ravine side and exploded, leaving some people
overcome while others continued to dance furiously in the night and
firelight with tears in their eyes.

   In the afternoon I ran from scene to scene. Incredible stuff was
happening everywhere. Arriving at one spot I saw a guy run up and grab
the fence, only to have a gas canister fired into the chain links
explode in his face to send him flying to the pavement. Medics dragged
him up an embankment and I watched them treat his bleeding face and
arms. A few minutes later they were gone and I lobbed rocks and a beer
bottle down on the riot cops then ran off down an alley with tear gas
canisters exploding at my heels.

   In a different area I met up with anarchists in heavy gear going up a
narrow street and watched as they set a building inside the fence on
fire with Molotovs. At times people ran in panic on many of the streets
as gas firing riot cops charged. Protesters fought their way back to the
start point of the conflict. Tremendous waves of gas hit us there and
the huge police columns came back out and caused a panicked run to the
downhill streets. When the cop columns halted cheerleaders faced them at
the front, creating the odd scene of smoke and riot cops preparing to
rush girls dancing in tartan skirts.

   Protest drummers knocked out a steady beat, a Quebec City resident
blasted Pink Floyd's - All in All Your Just Another Brick in the Wall
from his balcony, and when it ended we were running downhill through
exploding gas.

   In the lower streets and downtown groups of protesters were
everywhere in circles - sitting, standing, crowding roadways. Yet the
only violence came with the police. I saw small fires, almost no
property damage … wrath was reserved for the police and the wall, and
each time the riot cops came the protesters showed the courage that the
police didn't have. People took tremendous risks grabbing the bombs,
running in to throw anything they could at the cops, preventing them
from getting a soft crowd they could surround and arrest.

   One guy had a whole column of cops crush him. It continues in the
night. Soon the cops will goose step to the bottom to claim arrests and
victory.

    And it will be democracy again - where bombs rule, and the new world
order is victorious. 

    You can only dance with teargas in your eyes.

    Fuck the FTAA!

Gary


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