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Hello,

This message is to ask you to contribute financially to the liberation of Juan Pablo Lepore, the last person to have been arrested following the G20 events. Since he has been arrested, he's been detained and we obtained a short extension to raise some money to bail him out. We have currently about $3000 and we need $5000, so WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Juan Pablo is an Argentinian documentary film-maker and independent journalist visiting Canada for several months.

For immediate release – August 23, 2010

TORONTO/MONTREAL – This Monday, August 23, close to 300 individuals, including approximately 100 from Quebec, will be making their first court appearances since the mass arrests and detention of more than 1000 protesters (and bystanders) during the G20 in Toronto in June.

The Anti-Capitalist Convergence of Montreal (CLAC) joins with allies in Toronto and beyond in mobilizing to support all arrested protesters. We continue to demand that all criminal charges related to the G20 be dropped. We also call for the immediate release of those G20 prisoners who remain in custody, including some who have been detained for close to two months. We offer our tangible support and solidarity to all who were arrested and face charges, as well as their friends and family.

The real crime scene in Toronto was the Convention Center, where the G20 leaders, ministers, and bureaucrats -- in complicity with major corporations – gathered to continue their transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich, while agreeing to deepen violent “austerity” measures. The decisions of the G20 leaders have had, and will continue to have, devastating consequences in our communities and for the planet.

We look ahead to the inspiring mobilizations being organized against the G20 to take place in Seoul, South Korea this November to continue the resistance against capitalism.

We came to Toronto in June to oppose the G8/G20’s agenda of unabashed military and economic aggression. We came from diverse local struggles that mutually support each other. We are allies of indigenous sovereignty and migrant justice struggles; we are queers, feminists, youth, students, workers, environmentalists, immigrants, anti-racists and anti-sexists; we organize against police brutality, poverty, cutbacks, privatization and precarity, and for housing rights and environmental justice. We are active in international solidarity, from Colombia to Palestine to Mexico and beyond, and against all borders. We are united in our opposition to a fundamentally unjust capitalist economic system. It is our day-to-day organizing in our communities that motivates our opposition to the G20 and related institutions and gatherings.

The G20 hid behind a $1 billion dollar-plus security operation in the streets of Toronto. That unprecedented expense is also reflected in the charges now faced by hundreds of protesters in courtrooms. Those charges, including serious “conspiracy” charges against many protesters (including dozens from Montreal), are nothing more than an escalated attempt to criminalize dissent and organizing. In response, we know that it is not about who is guilty or innocent, but rather how we struggle and fight together for justice.

[NOTE to all media: CLAC spokespersons will be available for comment and interviews, in both Toronto and Montreal.]

courriel: blocampmontreal @ gmail.com

La CLAC2010 exige la libération immédiate de touTEs les prisonierEs politiques et l’annulation immédiate de toutes les accusations portées contre les personnes arrêtées lors du G20.

Nous n’accepterons jamais la criminalisation de la dissidence.
Nous ne nous tairons pas face à la répression politique.
Libérez nos camarades!

Demonstration against police repression and in solidarity with the G20 resistance
THURSDAY, JULY 1st, NOON in MONTREAL
*** new starting point: Square St-Louis ***
(St-Denis & Rue du Square St-Louis, métro Sherbrooke)

PROTEST THE CRIMINALIZATION OF DISSENT IN TORONTO!
ORGANIZE A SOLIDARITY PROTEST IN YOUR CITY!

Ottawa (J30), Hamilton (J30), London (J30), Windsor (J30), Winnipeg (Ll1), Québec City (JL1), Lyon (France, JL1) and others cities will also hold solidarity demonstrations

To all news editors; to all independent and alternative media
For Immediate Release

The Anti-Capitalist Convergence of Montreal (CLAC 2010):
Organizing in our communities and neighborhoods, mobilizing against the G8/G20 in Toronto
Capitalism is the crisis!

June 14, 2010 -- The Anti-Capitalist Convergence of Montreal (CLAC 2010) is a network of community organizations and individuals who have come together to reinforce day-to-day anti-capitalist social justice struggles in our community, and to mobilize against the upcoming G8/G20 meetings in Toronto.

Together, CLAC 2010 members and allies represent diverse local struggles that mutually support each other. We are of allies indigenous sovereignty and migrant justice struggles; we are queers, feminists, youth, students, workers,environmentalists, immigrants, anti-racists and anti-sexists; we organize against police brutality, poverty, cutbacks, privatization and precarity, and for housing rights and environmental justice. We are active in international solidarity, from Colombia to Palestine to Mexico and beyond, and against all borders. We are united in our opposition to a fundamentally unjust capitalist economic system.

In recent months, CLAC 2010, in collaboration with allies like the Regroupement anti-G20 étudiant (RAGE), la Coalition des féministes radicales contre le G20, the queer group Politi-Q and others, has focused our attention on popular education work. We have published an anti-capitalist reader called “Coup de Semonce”, organized over a dozen workshops locally, and hosted a two-day Anti-Capitalist Teach-In. We mobilize against the G8/G20 linked to our day-to-day organizing locally for justice and dignity.

Now, with the G8/G20 meetings slated to begin in two weeks, we are focusing our attention on mobilizing to oppose and confront the G8/G20 in Toronto between June 25-27.

We will be organizing buses and cars to transport demonstrators to Toronto. We are also supporting all efforts by Toronto and Southern Ontario groups to disrupt the Summit, despite the billion-dollar security measures meant to intimidate protesters.

CLAC 2010 Media will be active is addressing the issues that impact our communities, and making the links between our local struggles and the destructive agendas of the G8 and G20. Mediarepresentatives can stay in touch with CLAC 2010 Media by e-mail or phone and get in touch to speak with a media representative . We especially encourage alternative and independent media outlets to make contact, so we can share our anti-capitalist, popular education, direct action perspective against the G8/G20, as well as background about our local struggles and organizing.

CLAC 2010 MEDIA:
telephone: 438-838-8498
e-mail: media@clac2010.net
twitter: www.twitter.com/CLACMontreal
web: www.clac2010.net
[We can respond to interview requests in French, English and Spanish.]