S26 Contact List

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This Site is still (always!?) under construction!
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anroriseup.net; prahamobilisationhotmail.com; resistancex21.org
actually we can translate from français, italiano, castellano, portuges, deutsch and turkish without problems! facilitators for other languages are welcome!

You should also send your reports to: imc_pragueziplip.com; ( Praha Independent Media Center). Please label your messages with "[global]" in the subject line to facilitate the processing. You can also use the following phone number: 00420-604-336158

Canada

contact WTO Action Coalition http://www.wtoaction.org or http://www.wtocaravan.org
sid_lacombeyahoo.com

S26-Montreal: manif, defile, atelier, assemblee et plus

1. Prorgamme (S26 rapport voir au dessous (english)!)

Le S26 (mardi, le 26 septembre), c'est la journée internationale de mobilisation contre le capitalisme, dans le cadre des manifs contre la réunion du FMI et Banque Mondiale à Prague. À Montréal, la mobilisation s'organise: nous vous invitons à venir manifester, à demontrer notre détermination à contrer la mondialisation de la pauvreté et des inéquités. La journée sera remplie: théatre, manifestations, ateliers et une assemblée générale. Venez en grand nombre!

=== mardi, le 26 septembre (S26) ===

-- 13h00 Rassemblement au Carré St-Louis --
(métro Sherbrooke, St-Denis et Prince-Arthur)

Table d'information; atelier "le G20 en 20 minutes"; fabrication de ce qu'on a besoin pour la manif: marionettes, banderoles, maquillage, etc.

-- 15h00 Départ de la manifestation --

... où nous nous rendrons à la Tour de la Bourse ...
Amenez votre pique-nique et AMENEZ DU BRUIT!

-- 16h00 Atelier sur la mondialisation --
(le centre de documentation de L'X, 178 Ste-Catherine est)

Un atelier sur "Mondialisation: Origine et Contexte."
Origines historiques, ses caractéristiques, les acteurs qui la soutiennent, les institutions, les gagnants et les perdants et le vocabulaire. Par le Collectif de Recherche Autonome et Critique (CRAC).

-- 18h00 Rencontre d'introduction de la CLAC --
(L'X, 182 Ste-Catherine est)

Pour les personnes qui assisteront pour la première fois à une assemblée de la CLAC (la Convergence des luttes anti-capitalistes), le « comité accueil » vous invite à assister dès 18h00 à une brève présentation de la CLAC, pour savoir ce qu'on a fait jusqu'à maintenant, comment les assemblées se déroulent, et autres questions que vous pourriez avoir.

-- 19h00 Assemblée Générale de la CLAC --
(L'X, 182 Ste-Catherine est)

Deux membres du Conseil de la Grève de l'UNAM — Alejandra Salas Tovar et Karla Garcia Rocha — donneront une présentation sur la situation au Mexique avant les rapports, discussions et débats à l'assemblée générale.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
La Convergence des luttes anti-capitalistes (CLAC)
The Anti-Capitalist Convergence
La Convergencia de las luchas anti-capitalistas
A Convergencia das lutas anti-capitalistas
clactaktic.org — 514-526-8946
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

2. S26 Montréal : Solidarité avec Prague

"DE PRAGUE A MONTREAL: ENSEMBLE CONTRE LE CAPITAL!"

EN ATTENDANT LE G-20 (MONTREAL, OCTOBRE) ET LE SOMMET DES AMÉRIQUES (QUÉBEC AVRIL)

UNE CONVERGENCE ANTI-CAPITALISTE À MONTRÉAL

MONTRÉAL, 27 Septembre 2000 - Entre 100 et 150 manifestantEs se sont rassembléEs à Montréal hier après-midi dans le cadre de la journée internationale d'action contre le capitalisme (S26) et en solidarité avec les manifs contre le FMI et la Banque Mondiale à Prague et dans le monde.

La manifestation s'ouvrait par des bannières disant "Smash Capitalism before it smashes you!" et "La rebellion est un droit! A bas le capitalisme!". La manif s'est promenée dans les rues du centre-ville de Montréal, finissant à la Tour de la Bourse dans le coeur du district financier. Tout le long de la marche, la police de Montréal était très présente, avec des douzaines de vans remplies d'anti-émeutes suivant la manif à distance.

La marche fut forcée de changer son chemin planifié puisque les rues menant à un McDo local était complètement bloqués par des vans de la police, des motos et des anti-émeutes qui s'était déjà mobilisés avant même que la manif ne commence. Le McDo en question, sur la rue Saint-Denus dans le quartier latin, avait été attaqué le 15 mars dernier durant la manif de la journée internationale contre la brutalité policière. À cette manif aujourd'hui célèbre, un poste de police, deux banques et deux autres McDo avaient été " vandalisés " avec des graffiti et des vitres pêtés et plus de 100 personnes avaient été arrêtées pour une supposée participation à une émeute. Leur cas n'est toujours pas rêglé.

La manif du s26 d'hier fut capable de se regrouper et de continuer vers d'autres sites prévus, incluant le QG d'Hydro-Québec et le coeur du quartier financier et le World Commerce Center près de la Bourse. Près de la Tour de la Bourse, après quelques discours, la manif s'est dispersée dans une station de métro proche puisqu'il devenait clair que l'escouade anti-émeute était prête à se déployer. Il n'y a pas eu d'arrestations à notre connaissance.

Le S26 à Montréal est la suite de la dernière journée internationale contre le capitalisme le 1er mai dernier (M1). Ce jour là, un groupe d'environ 200 anarchistes avaient remplis 4 autobus pour aller sur la montagne de Westmount, un quartier riche fameux de Montréal. Le slogan de l'action était "deranger les riches dans leurs niches". Cette manif s'était transformé en un jeu de chat et souris avec l'escouade anti-émeute et éventuellement plus de 150 personnes avaient été arrêtées. Leurs cas sont toujours devant la court et devrait aller en procès plus tard cet automne.

Hier, la modeste mobilisation était également de plusieurs façons une action de préparation pour les rencontres à venir du G-20 à Montréal en octobre. Le G-20 est composé des ministres des finances et des gouverneurs de banques des nations du G-8 et de 12 autres marchés dit " émergeants ", incluant la Chine, le Mexique, l'Indonésie, la Turquie et l'Arabie Sahoudite, en plus de l'Union Européenne. De façon cruciale, le G-20 incluant comme membres à part entière les têtes de la Banque Mondiale et du FMI (qui faisait face hier à des manifs massives à Prague). Le G-20 est présidé par le ministre des finances canadiens et se rencontre dans un hôtel luxueux du centre-ville.

En réponse, un " comité d'accueil du G-20 " fut formé, composés de plusieurs des gens qui ont organisés l'action S26 d'hier. Il y aura un " party de bienvenue " le 23 octobre à 16h en dehors du Sheraton Center dans le centre-ville. D'autres activités incluse un teach-in . Le G-20 à Montréal fournit au anticapitalistes et antimondialisation locaux une autre occasion de confronter le FMI et la BM en solidarité avec les mobilisations de cette année à Prague et Washington (à laquelle près de 100 montréalaisES ont participés).

En retour, la mobilisation du G-20 est un peu un apéritif tandis que l'attention des militantEs locaux à Montréal, et un peu partout au Québec, commence à focusser sur le prochain Sommet des Amériques à Québec en avril prochain. Le Sommet rassemblera tous les chefs d'État de l'hémisphère (excepté Cuba) avec le but express de négocier un Zone de Libre Échange des Amériques (ZLÉA). La ZLÉA élargira l'ALÉNA (l'Accord de libre échange nord-américain) géographiquement à l'entière hémisphère, et étendra aussi la portée du fondamentlisme libre-échangiste à des secteurs tel que la santé et l'éducation. La rencontre du sommet sera la plus grande opération policière et de sécurité de l'histoire du Canada.

En réponse à la rencontre du Sommet, et avec le but de renforcir les mouvements de résistances locaux et de faire des efforts de conscientisation, une Convergence des luttes anticapitalistes (CLAC) a été formée. La CLAC s'est rassemblée sur une opposition claire au capitalisme, au patriarcat et à l'impérialisme; un respect de la diversité de tactiques; et la promotion de formes non-hiérarchiques, autonomes, d'organisation; une vraie démocratie; l'aide mutuelle et la solidarité internationale. Elle se réuni dans des AG publique depuis le mois d'avril et est composée d'un réseau de centaines de militantEs et d'organisateurs locaux.

La CLAC a fait une autre AG hier soir qui rassembla près de 100 personnes intéressées à s'impliquer dans de l'organisation anti-zléa. L'assemblée de la CLAC fut brièvement adressée par deux membres du Comité de grève générale de l'UNAM (Université nationale autonome de Mexico) et un militant colombien. Une organisatrice de la CLAC est également à Prague en ce moment, où elle participe aux manifs locales et aux rencontres du Réseau de l'Action mondiale des peuples.

Il commence à faire froids ici à Montréal, mais le militantisme local ne faitque commencer à se réchauffer.

=======================================
un reportage de par Jaggi Singh <jaggitao.ca>
pour act-mtl, a-infos et indymedia.org

Traduction : nicolas phébus pour A-Infos

Pour plus d'infos sur le comité d'accueil du g20, contactez :
<stopftaa-mtl@tao.ca>

pour plus d'infos sur la CLAC, contactez :
<clactaktic.org>

S26 Montreal: Solidarity with Prague ... Looking ahead (english)
by Jaggi Singh 2:30am Wed Sep 27 '00
lombrenoiretao.ca

"DE PRAGUE À MONTREAL: ENSEMBLE CONTRE LE CAPITAL!"
[tr: From Prague to Montreal, together against capital!"]

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE G-20 (MONTREAL, OCTOBER 2000) AND THE SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS (QUEBEC CITY, APRIL 2001)

AN ANTI-CAPITALIST CONVERGENCE IN MONTREAL

MONTREAL, September 27, 2000 — Between 100-150 demonstrators gathered in Montreal yesterday afternoon as part of the International Day Against Capitalism (S26), and in solidarity with the protests against the IMF and the World Bank in Prague and worldwide.

The demonstration was led by banners reading "Smash Capitalism before it smashes you!" and "La rebellion est un droit! À bas le capitalisme!" [tr. Rebellion is a right! Down with capitalism!"]. The protest parade wound its way through Montreal's downtown streets, ending at the Stock Exchange Tower in the heart of the financial district. Throughout the parade, the Montreal police were ever-present, with dozens of vans crammed with riot police in full gear following the protest at a distance.

The parade was forced to change its planned route as the streets to a local McDonald's outlet were completely blocked off by police vans, motorbikes and riot police who had already mobilized before the demo even began. The McDonald's outlet in question, on St-Denis Street in the Latin Quarter, was attacked last March 15 as part of a demo during the International Day Against Police Brutality. At that infamous protest, a police station, two banks and two other McDonald's were "vandalized" with graffiti and smashed windows, and over one hundred people were arrested for alleged participation in a riot. Their cases are still before the courts.

The S26 parade yesterday was able to regroup and continue on to other planned sites, including the Hydro Quebec building, as well as the heart of the banking district and the World Commerce Center near the Stock Exchange. Near the Stock Exchange Tower, after a few speeches, the protest dispersed into a nearby metro station as it became clear that the riot squad was ready to deploy. There were no reported arrests.

S26 in Montreal follows up on the last International Day Against Capitalism on May 1st (M1). On that day, a group of about 200 anarchists crammed four buses and headed up the mountain to Westmount, a famously rich neighborhood in Montreal. The slogan of the action was "déranger les riches dans leurs niches" [tr: "bother the rich in their niche"]. That demo became a cat-and-mouse game with the riot squad, and eventually over 150 people were arrested. Their cases are still pending, and due to go to trial later this fall.

Yesterday's modest mobilization was also in many ways a building action for the upcoming Group of 20 meeting (G-20) in Montreal this October. The G-20 is comprised of the finance ministers and bank governors of the G-8 nations, as well as 11 other so-called "emerging markets" including China, Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, and the European Union. Crucially, the G-20 also includes as full members the heads of the World Bank and IMF (who were facing massive protests today in Prague). The G-20 is chaired by Canada's minister of finance, and meets at a local luxury hotel downtown.

In response, a "G-20 Welcoming Committee" has formed, comprised of many of the people who organized today's S26 action. There will be a "Welcoming Party" on October 23rd at 4pm outside the Sheraton Center Hotel in downtown Montreal. Other activities include a grassroots teach-in. The G-20 in Montreal provides local anti-capitalist, anti-globalization activists with a tangible example of international finance, as well as another occasion to confront the IMF and World Bank in solidarity with the mobilizations this year in Prague and Washington (which was attended by over 100 Montrealers).

In turn, the G-20 mobilization is something of an appetizer as the attention of local activists in Montreal, and all over Quebec, begins to focus on the upcoming Summit of the Americas meeting in Quebec City next April. The Summit brings together all the heads of state of the hemisphere (except Cuba) with the express goal of negotiating the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The FTAA extends the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) geographically to the entire hemisphere, as well as extending the reach of free market fundamentalism to sectors such as health care and education. The Summit meeting will be largest police and security operation in Canadian history.

In response to the Summit meeting, and with the goal of strengthening local resistance movements and awareness-raising efforts, an Anti-Capitalist Convergence (La Convergence des luttes anti-capitalistes, or CLAC) has formed. The CLAC comes together with a clear opposition to capitalism, patriarchy and imperialism, a respect for a diversity of tactics, and the promotion of anti-hierarchical, autonomous forms of organizing, genuine democracy, mutual aid and international solidarity. It has been meeting in public, decisional General Assemblies since last April, and is made up of a network of hundreds of local activists and organizers.

CLAC convened another General Assembly yesterday evening which was attended by close to 100 people interested in getting involved in anti-FTAA organizing. The CLAC Assembly was briefly addressed by two members of the General Strike Committee from the National Autonomous University in Mexico (UNAM), as well as an activist from Colombia. A CLAC organizer is also currently in Prague, where she is participating in the local demonstrations, as well as the People's Global Action (PGA) network meetings.

It's quickly getting cold here in Montreal, but local activism is just beginning to heat up.

=======================================
reported by Jaggi Singh <jaggitao.ca>

for act-mtl, a-infos and indymedia.org

for more information about the G-20 Welcoming Committee, contact stopftaa-mtltao.ca

for more information about the Anti-Capitalist Convergence, contact clactaktic.org

Hurrying out of the subway, I wondered if the march had taken off without me. I soon figured it hadn't - why else would there be an armoured mounted division hanging around? Not to mention the rest of the cops, some armoured, some not, all throughout the vicinity. At least a hundred, by my count, with paddy wagons and cruisers in tow. And that's not counting the plainclothes, of course. Considering this is Toronto, the turnout was pretty impressive - at least 200 people, assembled on a busy street corner across from the US embassy, surrounded by cops. There was the usual brand of speeches, and with spirits high, banners flying, and noisemakers ready, we took off to march through the maddeningly clean and shiny financial district. Just as we started walking, the cops mobbed someone and carried him off to throw him in a paddy wagon. Tension has been higher than usual between cops and the activist community ever since a fiteen-hundred-strong anti-poverty demo turned into a massive and bloody police riot back in the summer (if anyone wants a detailed account, do let me know). In typical Toronto fashion, everyone seemed to feel it was best to just stay on the sidewalk, even though our numbers seemed to swell as we continued. We stopped at the stock exchange and some speakers vehemently condemned the IMF's Structural Adjustment Plans, to the vocal agreement of the crowd. We continued on after a while, and the buildings got bigger and shinier and the cars and suits got more and more expensive. I also found it ironic that, in light of our decision not to take the streets, the cops were basically making a self-fulfilling prophecy - they would block off intersections at the far corners from the march, angering motorists for no reason, seemingly enjoying their own power. Another stop, near one of the infamous 'Moose In The City', another insipid corporate tourism lark by our huckster mayor - from which supposed charity money is being funneled to fund the Olympic bid (which, if successful, will mean an even harsher enforcement of the "Safe Streets Act" which literally outlaws vagrancy and panhandling. There we expressed solidarity with the brave souls in Prague, and cheered to the story of our brothers and sisters in Bolivia. We marched on, to the jeers of the suits, to City Hall, for a brief but emotional closing rally. We also found out at this point that the man arrested had been targeted for his involvement in the (police) riot in June (scores of people have been targetted, and people are still being swept up, seemingly randomly, and media footage has been seized). With this, a contingent of us went down to 52 Division, where political prisoners are usually taken. Though there were only ten of us, there were bulletproof-vest clad cops barricading the entrance, and generally trying to look scary. Eventually we found out from the cops what the charges were, and I heard it said from someone that he had not even been at the riot. Not that it matters. Activists are regularly surveilled and targetted, as in any city. The rally was good, if a bit small (this may be due to the fact that so many activists have been arrested just for showing their faces at rallies lately). Though it would have been nice if there had been more than a lone anarchist flying the black flag. When the problems are global, so is the resistance. We here in Toronto offer our solidarity, because with solidarity we will overcome! See you at the FTAA protests in Quebec City, next fall. Canada needs a ruckus! Cheers.

A group of protesters gathered in front of the United States Embassy in Cape Town under the banner of Jubilee 2000 to protest against the debt relief policy of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund today. The protest coincides with the international protest in Prague where the World Bank and the IMF are meeting. Jubilee 2000 is a lobby calling for the cancellation of the debt of heavily indebted nations. The protesters, which included representatives of various non-governmental organisations and the labour movement in the Western Cape, called for the abolition of the World Bank and the IMF. They also called for an end to Gear, the government's macro-economic policy, saying that it is just another World Bank programme causing job losses. The once-mighty Western Cape textile industry has suffered extensive job losses in the past few years. Jubilee 2000 says the industry, which employs mostly women, needs more protection. The protesters became agitated when the US embassy declined to accept the memorandum. Protest leaders instead had to take the memorandum inside, accusing the US of being both the protector and benefactor of the World Bank and the IMF. In Gauteng, scenes reminiscent of anti-apartheid protests played out outside Anglo American's head office in Johannesburg, when anti-globalisation protesters clashed with company security officers. Under the banner of the September 26th Collective, a broad coalition of political parties, non-governmental organisations and South Africa's largest trade union federation, Cosatu, marched through downtown Johannesburg. The protesters say the secret policy formulation process of the IMF and World Bank are designed to serve the interests of the world's most powerful nations and individuals. The plight of the poor and the unemployed are relegated to the back burner, they say. Earlier, speakers slammed the policies of the IMF and World Bank and those of the South African ministers of trade and industry, and environmental affairs.

JOHANNESBURG - As part of the global protests to coincide with the September 26 (S26) protests in Prague against the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, more than 300 activists from numerous South African political and community organisations and trade unions held a rally and march in Johannesburg.

The rally took place in the heart of the city from late morning. Hundreds of participants and observers witnessed a colourful and lively anti-capitalist "festival" that included much toyi-toying, poetry, music and several speeches by activists, including representatives of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, South African Communist Party, the Socialist Party of Azania, Workers' Organisation for Socialist Action, the Campaign Against Neo-Liberalism in South Africa, Earthlife Africa, Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee, Keep Left, the Pan Africanist Congress, the Anti-Privatisation Forum and many others from South Africa's left.

After the rally, hundreds marched through downtown Johannesburg, accompanied by street puppets, a maze of political banners and colourful placards decrying the oppression and injustice of the IMF and World Bank. The rallying call of the participants was to "shut down" both imperialist institutions, to cancel the apartheid debt and for the South African government to abandon its neo-liberal GEAR economic policy that is slowly strangling the workers and poor of South Africa.

The march stopped at various government buildings, such as the departments of health and local government, where protesters did the famous toyi-toyi and handed over memorandums outlining their demands. The last stop on the peaceful and festive march was the headquarters of South Africa's largest capitalist conglomerate, Anglo-American.

When the marchers attempted to enter the foyer of the building to deliver a memorandum, Anglo-American security guards attacked them with tear gas and truncheons. The attack by the guards created a very volatile situation. Most of the protesters inside at the time were overcome by the tear gas and in the pandemonium that followed one protester was slightly injured and a glass door smashed. Some protesters made it clear to the security guards that if the unwarranted behaviour continued, they would fight back.

After a tense standoff, Anglo-American management arrived and were lambasted by the protesters who then left peacefully. It came as no surprise that South Africa's national print and electronic media reported widely on the protest the following day, however, they offered a sensationalised version of the protest, focusing on the "violence" at Anglo-American.

In Cape Town, 200 protesters mobilised against the IMF and the World Bank at the US consulate. Watched by a large number of police, the demonstrators, many from the Western Cape Jubilee 2000 branch, chanted "Away with the IMF", "World Bank corrupt" and "Scrap all Third World debt". The US consulate refused to receive a memorandum from the protesters "for security reasons".

BY DALE T. MCKINLEY

[source: Green Left Weekly]

Epilogue

From Volkskrant, a main Dutch newspaper...

BOSS WORLDBANK DEADLY TIRED OF SECURITY

And there went Worldbank-president Jim Wolfensohn, again sealed of by a few hundred riot policemen. This time it were the Dutch policemen who sealed off Amsterdam's Spui-square to make it possible for Wolfensohn to enter the Lutheran Church. There he was supposed to speak on the povertycongress of the Amsterdam Universities. A few hundred demonstrators tried to prevent him from entering the church.

"I'm getting so tired of all the security," says Wolfensohn. He recently met popstar Bono and noticed that his security by far outmatches that of the Irish popstar. The American is not opposed to the demonstrations. "I have much respect for the constructive demonstrants who have the same worries as I do." To the 'destructive' demonstrators Wolfensohn has nothing to say.

Wolfensohn doesn't enjoy any privacy anymore because of the protests. "Friends say I shouldn't take them personally, but that's hard when people say you're responsible for the death of millions of children."

Several hundreds of activists made protests at several places on Tuesday in Amsterdam against the way Worldbank and IMF work against poverty. Police arrested 43 people, who were released later in the day. The activist group 'Stank voor Bank' has also announced actions for Wednesday. Participating in the actions were also Germans, Brits and Americans coming over from actions against the IMF/Worldbank summit in Prague last week.

----
More info on http://stank.huizen.dds.nl