Seventh International Day Against Police Brutality March 15, 2003

March 15, 2003, marks the seventh year of this international day of
protest and solidarity against police brutality. It first began in 1997 as
an initiative of the Black Flag collective in Switzerland along with the
help of 'le Collective Opposé à la Brutalité Policière' (COBP-Montreal).
Since its first year, the International Day Against Police Brutality
(IDAPB) has been a success. This date was chosen because on March 15th,
two children, aged 11 and 12, were beaten by the Swiss police.

This day is also an opportunity to create and strengthen an indispensable
international solidarity against the ever-increasing collaboration amongst
global police forces. The IDAPB is one step in ending the isolation of
groups and individuals who, engaged in this struggle, are subjected to
daily repression.

The police, the right arm of the State, abuse their power on a daily basis
and exercise violence with total impunity. Within the police brotherhood,
the complicity of silence eradicates the possibility of one police
officer's innocence. Everywhere they continuously violate the very laws
that they are supposed to uphold. The police check I.D. without reason,
ticket, harass, steal, spy, beat, deport, arrest, imprison, torture and
kill. Their primary targets are "the undesirables of society": the poor,
the homeless, Indigenous peoples, people of colour, immigrants and persons
with irregular status ("illegal immigrants" and people working
under-the-table), sex workers, activists and student activists, the
marginalised, organised workers, queer, gender-based and feminist
activists and people who question and don't accept the legitimacy of the
authorities.

In response to the breadth and depth of anti-capitalist globalization
demonstrations opposing the fortress of capitalism, the widening gap
between the rich and the poor, the deepening of poverty, the generalised
misery and deterioration of living conditions, governments invest in their
police forces, in order to maintain, at whatever cost, law and order for
'social peace'.

The reactionary security craze following the September 11 events in the
U.S. gave free reign to world governments to create new fascist
anti-terrorist and racist anti-immigration laws. Systematic surveillance
of all means of communication, tougher border controls (if not their
closure) and total discretionary powers to all police forces directly
affect all "undesirables" (the 'dangerous' class).

Facing a global police state, we have the responsibility to act and
support all victims of State force. We urgently invite you to participate
in the International Day Against Police Brutality (IDAPB). Until now, this
event has taken place in several forms: street theatre, murals,
publications, demonstrations, conferences, postering, workshops,
exhibitions, radio and television shows and other cultural events. Some
groups have organised more than one activity while others have formed
coalitions. All collectives or individuals decide on what type of action,
depending on the political climate of their country, the energy and
willingness of people to organise an event, the resources available, etc.
The key thing is the imagination and the creativity of the people
involved.

POLICE = LEGAL TERROR!
DOWN WITH POLICE STATES EVERYWHERE!
ORGANISE THE INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY!

Some suggestions and needs:

* If you can't organise for March 15th, try to organise as close to the
date as possible.
* If you can't or don't want to participate, please spread and forward
this message.
* We need more languages, so any translation of the message is very much
appreciated. Could you please send the translations to the below email
addresses, so that we can publish them on our websites.
* If you organise anything, can you please let us know, in order to
strengthen solidarity and to be able to build a publication about this
worldwide event.
* For questions, commentaries, or to find out more about COBP-Montréal and
COPB-Vancouver please contact us and visit our websites.

COBP-Montréal and COPB-Van

Contacts:
Snail mail:
COBP
c/o The Alternative Bookshop
2035 St-Laurent, 2nd floor
Montreal, Quebec
H2X 2T3

arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)