4TheRcrd Mag.

For those who aren’t flocking to any galleries this Friday, or soaking yourself in SoCo: take a stand against police and RCMP violence, abuse, and brutality. Bring your drum, wear red and wear a mask (so the cops won’t target you later!)! Dozens of speakers (see note A below) are featured in this 2nd Annual Anti-Violence March on Commercial Drive, this Friday, Sept. 7th, @ 5:00PM. Dubbed as an Anti- Police/RCMP Violence & Brutality Action March, it is, obviously a drug-free, non-violent event, with a lot of entertainment (see note B, below) to celebrate the seriousness of the cause.

This event revolves around the pivotal socio-political fact that indigenous people get beat, raped, tazered, shot, and killed by police everyday. It argues that police are a participating part of a continuum of violence promoted by the entire “justice” system. The life and death of Harriet Nahanee is one of many examples of the lengths the “justice” system will go to attempt to demonstrate its subjugation over Indigenous people. For instance, the most recent horrific violence the RCMP inflicted was on an 8 month year-old Aboriginal baby, in which they pepper sprayed the child and later attempted to justify the act as “protecting themselves” from violence.

This event was reported by the CBC no less, to their praise, among other articles (see note C, below). This case and obvious others (if you are keen enough to search it through Google) exemplify the seemingly arbitrary (yet racist) and violent nature of the Police and RCMP.

History of this Event:
This is an annual event that began last year when four young Indigenous women decided to stand up against police violence and brutality when they were accosted, death threatened and harassed by Vancouver Police, while peacefully singing traditional songs in the park.

They realized that the incident was embedded in racism, sexism, ageism and most acutely - hate. They also realized that the incident of racist police violence they underwent was not isolated, but part of a large experience of police brutality Indigenous people are subjected to daily, and decided to do something.

On September 7th last year, a ceremony was held in the same park the girls were accosted in and a rally and march on Commercial Drive followed. These young women have started an Indigenous day of action against police brutality. We hope many people living under the burden of the oppressive kkkanadian regime will also be inspired to Take back the Streets, Take back your Voice, and Take a Stand Against Police Brutality.

Contact Info:
Organized by Indigenous Peoples Free Skool and FTP.

contact, indigenous.free.school@gmail.com
http://harrietspirit.blogspot.com/

NOTES:
(A) *Speakers include:
Chusia and Naneek Graham: Southern Tutchone & John Graham Defence Committee
Lindsay Bomberry: Onondaga Nation of Six Nations
Kat Norris: Coast Salish Indigenous Action

Skundaal: Haida Nation
Laura Holland, Alunaye - Wetsuweten
Linda Charleson
Carol Martin: Downtown Eastside Women’s Center
Gladys Radek
Gord Hill: Kwakwaka’wakw Nation
Erika Del Carmen Fuchs: La Otra Campaña Vancouver
Mike Krebs: Blackfoot Nation
Harjap Grewal: No One is Illegal

Skeena Reece: Cree/Tsimshian/Gitxsan
Dustin Johnson: Gitkxaahla/Ts’msye’en
Ange Sterritt: Gitxsan Nation/Irish
And more…
(B) Entertainment includes:
Manik 1derful
Curtis Clearsky
The Dignified
JB the 1st Lady

Tswast
(C) Other articles include:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/07/04/pepper-spray.html

PHOTO CREDIT: Stephane Laviolette’s photostream