Support Halifax G7 Arrestees - Update & Appeal for Financial

Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 18:46:37 -0500
To: sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca
From: Aaron Koleszar <aaronk@isn.net>
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The G7 met in Halifax last year and supports environmental degradation 
around the world.
These people were targeted for voicing dissent and need support.
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From: <hfx-g7@ziplip.com>
Date:  February 18, 2003

Support Halifax G7 Arrestees
						February 18, 2003

         	Activist Legal Defence Fund
	317-2070 Quingate Pl
	Halifax, NS, B3L 4S1
	hfx-g7@ziplip.com


Dear friends, colleagues and supporters,

We are writing this letter to give you an update on our recent activities, 
and to ask for your support in our ongoing fundraising efforts.

As you may know, last June several hundred Nova Scotians and supporters 
from surrounding areas gathered in downtown Halifax to protest a meeting of 
the G7 Finance Ministers.  The protesters voiced their opposition to 
policies of the governments of the 7 countries represented (8 with Russia), 
their plans for further exploitation of Africa through the NEPAD program, 
and their links to those global brutalizers, the International Monetary 
Fund and the World Bank, who were also in attendance at the meeting.

Many people were arbitrarily attacked with tear-gas, pepper bullets, and 
tazer guns for voicing their views.  Claims made by the police of violence 
have not been substantiated, and in some cases are clearly fabricated.  In 
all, 31 protesters were arbitrarily arrested and 5 were charged with 
resisting arrest, unlawful assembly, and/or obstruction.  Many of the 
arrests were accompanied by police violence.  Several of the arrestees were 
left with multiple tazer burns and other wounds.
.
Most of those arrested were denied their right to legal counsel and were 
held in cold cells overnight with metal beds and no blankets or food.  Some 
arrestees were denied access to a bathroom despite repeated requests for up 
to five hours.  Some of the people facing charges have been given 
excessively restrictive release conditions, such as not attending public 
demonstrations and not leaving the Maritimes.  Their (and our) rights have 
been removed. These are only a few examples of the mistreatment and abuse.

The Activist Legal Defence Fund organized in the wake of the protests to 
raise money to cover legal costs associated with the actions of the police 
last June.  Since then, we have worked to support the charged individuals 
as they have attended hearings in Halifax.  Several people have launched 
complaints against the RCMP and Halifax Regional Police.  At least one is 
considering further legal action.  Additionally, as our vision is to 
develop long-term support for the activist community in Halifax, we have 
also supported several activists arrested during a recent housing protest 
in Halifax.

We need your help.  The trials are scheduled to begin in April, 2003 and 
money is needed well in advance of this to retain lawyers.  Please consider 
making a donation to the Activist Legal Defence Fund at your earliest 
convenience.  We anticipate the total cost of defending the G7 arrestees to 
total approximately $25,000.  We have raised about $5,000 so far, which has 
just allowed us to keep abreast of costs to date.

Some Halifax lawyers have generously agreed to work at a reduced rate, and 
a group of law students have offered their time and skills to 
assist.  Nonetheless, the legal costs have quickly mounted, and continue to 
rise.  Additional fundraising efforts have included concerts, passing the 
hat at events, CD and button sales, an art auction, and personal donations.

We ask that you consider contributing to this fund.  If you are able to do 
so, donations can be mailed to the address above, or deposit directly into 
the "Activist Legal Defence Fund" account at the Credit Union Atlantic, 
Spring Garden Rd. branch in Halifax, or get in touch for information about 
direct depositing into our account from elsewhere..

There are also many other things people can do to help raise money in their 
community, like passing a hat at a meeting or demonstration, spreading this 
letter to potential supporters, organizing a fundraiser, having donation 
jars at supportive businesses, or.anything else you think would help with 
legal costs.


Sincerely,

Heather Maxwell, for the
Activist Legal Defence Fund

PS. Please share this letter with others who might support our efforts. 

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