Yesterday, March 12th, The Vancouver Board of Trade had a luncheon featuring
guest speaker Mayor Robertson at the Fairmont Hotel Ballroom,
co-sponsoring the event was Concord Pacific. Mayor Robertson's address was
titled "BUILDING VANCOUVER". The Vancouver Board of Trade has been
integral in pushing the city government in its attack on poor people in
the DTES through mass ticketing, street sweeps and harassment. Concord
Pacific is also pushing poor people further into the margins through its
massive condo developments throughout the city and specifically in the
DTES.
Shortly before Mayor Robertson spoke 5 APC members casually sauntered past
security into the meeting with a message for Mayor Robertson, Concord
Pacific and the Board of Trade. APC has been working on a campaign
against ticketing, and the civil city initiative for the past 8 months.
Demanding that the City and the VPD stop their discriminate ticketing and
street sweeps of the residents of the DTES. Today, this message was
brought to the tables, of the cities business leaders.
Despite the growing security apparatus as the city gets closer to the 2010
olympics, the members entered the ballroom and disrupted their event
unfettered.
For 10 minutes the APC distributed leaflets on top of the $85/plate
lunches and successfully crashed their party with a message to stop the
targeting of poor people, stop the ticketing and the street sweeps.
After realizing their security had been breached the APC members were
forcefully escorted out of the luncheon.
APC will continue its fight against any form of the civil city initiative,
the rampant ticketing and the blatant attack on poor people.
For more info check out apc.resist.ca
Today, the Anti Poverty Committee dropped a banner off the Cambie Street
Bridge stating: CIVIL CITY IS A HATE CRIME. Simultaneously members
attended the monthly police board meeting to address the ongoing
repression of poor people in the downtown eastside through mass ticketing,
street sweeps and a project of criminalization.
"In his campaigning mayor Robertson said, ' civil cities are created by
strong communities, they cannot be enforced or legislated' but in today's
police board meeting he seemed to have a different story." Stated Mitchell
Milne "So then why is he supporting the ongoing street sweeps and
ticketing of people in the Downtown Eastside (DTES)" said Milne.
In the last four months, there has been an increase in the number of
tickets given to people in the DTES for minor bylaw infractions such as,
jaywalking, vending without a licence, being in a park after 10pm and
riding a bicycle without a helmet.
"Basically, this is a strategic plan to criminalize the daily activities
of people living and surviving in the downtown eastside." stated Anna
Hunter, "they repeatedly ticket people and then when they obviously can't
pay the exorbitant fines, there is a warrant for their arrest, and they
are locked up."
Superintendent Warren Lemcke also spoke at the police board meeting, and
praised the New York plan, the "Broken Window's Theory". Arguing that by
targeting people for minor infractions and 'cleaning up the streets' of
unsightly people, the real problems will be dealt with.
"This project of social cleansing is criminalizing the daily activities of
people trying to survive. Trying to hide the image of homelessness will
not solve the problem." stated Anna Hunter during the police board
meeting.
"Members of the APC have dropped this banner to let the citizens of
Vancouver see what Project Civil City really is - a Hate Crime." Stated
Milne. The APC will continue it's fight against Project Civil City,
alongside of other organizations in the DTES as more and more people are
being targeted.
Parks are for people, not PIG$!
In a further escalation of the Olympic gentrification in Vancouver,
the Vancouver Police Department have been doing regular and
consistent sweeps of the Downtown Eastside, ensuring no
one feels safe in their own neighborhood. People scurry away from in
front of the Carnegie Center in fear of the police aggression that
patrols the neighborhood. The aggression embodied by state security
forces to serve their elite masters was well displayed in Pigeon Park
by badge #2060, on December the 23rd.
It was two days before Xmas, and the APC was serving hot
chocolate between 10:15pm and midnight at Peoples Pigeon Park.
We had above our heads a banner reading "PARKS FOR PEOPLE,
NOT PIG$!". We were there to draw attention to the escalating
police state, and the Carrall st greenway. We were also there to
serve hot chocolate, and to do our best to make Pigeon Park a
more comfortable place for people whose mere presence
apparently makes them targets for being "drug dealers". The
atmosphere was resoundingly positive and people were happy to
know that on this particular night not everyone was abandoning them
to the mercy of the historically murderous VPD.
At about 11:10pm, two beat cops showed up and immediately
demanded that we pack everything up declaring the park closed. We
of course refused pointing out that we were merely serving hot
chocolate. One of them(badge #2060) saw past our excuse to the
banner above our heads, determining that we were a threat. "Take
down the banner" he said, which was followed by a flat out "no!" from
our side. In a fit of rage, he threw our shopping cart to the side and
ripped down our banner slipping and sliding in the snow. He began to
leave taking our banner with him.
Led by the people who had joined us in the park we began to heckle
them and also sang "no more Pig$ in our community". Badge #2060
walked back towards us ripping his gloves off. After some time stalling
we were eventually forced to give them our identification, so they could
send in a squad car to run our names. After disappointingly finding out
that they had no good reason to arrest us, they departed. If Badge
#2060 had his way he would have us all down face first in cuffs and
hauled off to jail for the remainder of the holidays.
It should be noted that while the VPD attempted to shake us down,
people were unafraid to gather in the park and drink hot chocolate on a
cold winter night, something that has been made illegal and consistently
enforced in the name of social cleansing. This victory will not be the last,
seeing as people are unafraid to face the police state and reclaim what is
rightfully theirs.
The VPD are an overbearing oppressive force in the downtown eastside. The
people in the community are considered "the problem" when it comes to
gentrification, while social cleansing along with the Olympic Police State
are what the ruling elites are hoping will be "the final solution". For this
reason they have earned the title pig$ to describe the police force in
their necessary role as the protectors of business interests.
The Class War is the Last War!!!!
Till next time, Pig!!!!!
Friday, December 19th
The APC is having fundraising holiday/non-holiday get together.
7pm, 524 Main St.
There will be music and food! (And lots of good cheer)
We are asking for a $2 'cover charge' (but no one turned away) OR a
donation of canned/boxed food that we will give to Food Not Bombs for
their holiday servings! (Please only vegetarian donations)
Presenting Ricky Lavallie:
7:00pm, Friday, December 12th
524 Main St.
All proceeds will go to the artist.
Please join us for a night of music and original artwork by Ricky Lavallie.
Refreshments will be served.
Activists Face Court Trial!
Wed/Thur, December 10th & 11th
9:30am
Last October six APC members were arrested during a housing demonstration,
as they tried to squat the abandoned Burns Block at 16 W. Hastings to draw
attention to the ongoing housing crisis in Vancouver, and the fact that
hundreds of rooms are empty, as people die on the street.
Three members who were arrested are facing charges of Break and Enter.
Their trials will be occurring over two days this week. The 3 accussed and the APC are asking for support and solidarity as they
face charges and two days of trial. Supporters are invited to attend any
or all of the trials. The exact courtroom has not yet been determined, but supporters will be
meeting outside of the courthouse before entering.
On Thursday November the 20th during what is known as the Anti-Olympic Days of Action. The Canadian Tourism Commission, Tourism British Columbia, and Tourism Vancouver held an extravagant nighttime reception for the world press who were in town for a tour of the different services and facilities that would greet them when they came to Vancouver in 2010. As they filed off of the tour busses into a giant hall with flashing lights and the fanciest bar anyone has ever laid eyes on they were completely unaware of who else would be receiving a red carpet entrance later on that night…..
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VANOC's 2010 mascot, "Quatchi", pictured above, was impersonated by members of APC. |
Eight APC members pulled into the parking lot where the nighttime reception was to take place, after having tirelessly worked on the identity of their newest member during the week prior. The newest member of the APC is a mascot named Squatchi, who is meant to mimic the official VANOC mascot named "Quatchi" (the sasquatch).
Having barely made it past the first wave of security claiming that Squatchi had been invited, the APC decended upon the decadent gala from which piercing screams of joy could be heard. Leading the pack was of course Squatchi who received a warm greeting at the red carpet. One greeter mistakenly shouted out "watch out for the puddle Quatchi!". With his out of place looking entourage Squatchi entered the building to roaring applause.
In absolute horror, organizers of the event were directing security to "get them, get them!" With Squachti by the arm, one APC member announced that Squatchi had arrived and had recently been kicked out of his home due to the 2010 Olympics. As boos echoed through the building, and stiffs in tuxedos stood stunned, two security personel grabbed them and started hauling them out of the building. One member yelled "another Olympic eviction everybody!" and another yelled out "fuck the Olympics". As we passed out anti-olympic leaflets we chanted "homes not games" following the laughing Squatchi to assure that he and his comrade were not harmed.
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"Squatchi" gets escorted out by security. |
Once outside the building, about thirty feet from the door, we chanted a number of anti-olympic slogans in a brief standoff with security. As the pigs finally pulled up we marched victoriously into the night not quite believing how easy it had been to fool the Olympic security.
Link to video of Squatchi's ejection (Quicktime .MP4 format)PUNK RIOT 2010!
Benefit punk show to help finance fucking-Olympic-shit-up!
Saturday Night 9pm
524 Main St. (APC office)
Bands include:
Iskra * Life Against Death *Justinomics
C h e a p B e e r ! ! ! !
HUNGER MARCH!
An Anti-Liberal Demonstration...
Sunday, February 17
2pm
Victory Square (Cambie & Hastings)
PICTURE THE STRUGGLE
A Night of Music, Resistance and Art
Silent Art Auction Fundraiser
Thursday, November 22nd
8:00pm
the Anza Club (3 W. 8th Ave at Ontario)
Cost: By donation
Beer and Wine will be sold.
Picture the Struggle is a night of music and art, showcasing local talent. There will also be a silent art auction to raise funds for the anti-poverty committee's campaigns around homelessness and housing in vancouver.
NEW APC OFFICE!
APC has moved offices. We have now bunkered down at 524 Main St.
Our new office is located one block south of the Carnegie center, between the blocks of Pender and Keefer on the East side of Main street (in Chinatown).
Unfortunately, at this time we are not wheelchair accessible (we are working on it!) . However, we are able to hold meetings across the street at the community center in the event that our meeting needs to be made more accessible.
The space is extremely child friendly and as always APC provides childcare upon request.
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
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