Statement Against Political Profiling by Montreal's "GAMMA" Squad
Montréal –September 20th 2011
[translated from the original French]
We strongly condemn the most recent repressive offensive by the Montreal police (SPVM) whose aim is to criminalize, intimidate and isolate several political organizations. We also condemn the formation of a political police squad (entitled “GAMMA”) which is a unit of the SPVM’s organized crime division.
We are not preoccupied about whether the formation of GAMMA was planned long in advance, or whether it’s just another police blunder. We know very well that political profiling did not begin with the GAMMA squad, and it won’t end with its abolition; just as we know that the Eclipse squad does not target “street gangs” as much as youth of colour.
In a context of the tightening grip of capitalism and the deepening marginalization of social movements and political groups, it’s essential to take action against all attacks against our communities. If we let them attack one community, they will have free reign to target all social movements. Against the strategy of divide-and-rule, we must unite!
Our freedom of association, demonstration and speech is not only legal, but legitimate. Our freedom to dissent is not something we beg for, but something we assert daily.
Whereas:
* the economic and political elites hide behind a bankrupt pseudo-democratic system to profit themselves at exponential speed;
* this parasitic elite must justify its antisocial policies by increasing repression;
* that the various police agencies act as barrier to the mobilization and revolt of people against an unjust system;
* that the various police agencies not only protect their own abuses, but are political actors in destabilizing social movements;
- We denounce any political role by the SPVM and other police agencies.
- We denounce the criminalization and stigmatization of political dissidence and our opinions.
- We denounce all forms of political, racial or social profiling.
- We denounce all efforts to smear our movements.
By signing this statement, we are also engaging not to collaborate, in any way whatsoever, with police agencies in their tactics of division, profiling, snitching and dividing political movements.
This statement is distributed on the initiative of Montreal’s Anti-Capitalist Convergence (CLAC).