A-Infos (en) Canada, Quebec City FTAA Riot Trial: la C.L.A.C. appeal for your support and solidarity with Jaggi Sing

[la C.L.A.C. <clac@tao.ca>]

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 > From: Jaggi Singh <jaggi@tao.ca>
 > QUEBEC CITY FTAA RIOT TRIAL TO BEGIN IN JANUARY 2004
After many delays, and close to three years after the large-scale protests against
the Summit of the Americas and FTAA in Quebec City in April 2001, my trial in front
of a Quebec City jury will begin on January 19, 2004, in just a little more than two months.
The trial has been scheduled for three weeks, and I am facing a penalty of
up to two years in prison if convicted. A very likely sentence is at least
a few months in prison. In a recent Summit-related case in Quebec City,
the crown asked for four months in prison for a defendant convicted of the
same charge I'm facing. Sentencing is still pending in that case.

I was initially charged with possessing a dangerous weapon -- a teddy-bear
launching catapult -- as well as participating in a riot. The weapons
charge has been dropped, but the riot charge -- which is serious -- still
stands. I initially spent 17 days in prison waiting for bail on these
charges after being nabbed off the streets by an undercover police snatch
squad.

There were hundreds of protesters arrested and charged in Quebec City last
April 2001. Many were acquitted, others were convicted, and many others
made deals. The jury trials, which are for the more serious cases, began
only recently. To date, there has been at least one aquittal, but also one
conviction by a jury (an appeal is pending). Nothing can be taken for
granted at a trial, no matter how bogus the charges. The Libertas Legal
Collective continues to support Quebec City defendants, and they can be
contacted at legal@tao.ca. A legal update about other accused is
forthcoming.

Once again, I am making a personal appeal for your solidarity and support.
Recently, I was acquitted, along with two co-accused, in another trial by
a jury -- related to a protest in Montreal in 2000. One lesson I learned
from that trial, where I represented myself, was the importance of being
very assertive in asking for support beforehand, whether for witnesses or
people who possess video footage, or for financial and moral support. On
the eve of a very important trial, where I might face prison time if
convicted, I again ask for your support in various important ways.

If you were involved in the protests at Quebec City, or you know people
who were, please tell them to get in touch if they can help with any of
the points below:

--> VIDEO AND AUDIO EVIDENCE: The charges against me relate to the first
day of major protests in Quebec City, when the fence was taken down
(Friday, April 20, 2001). If you have footage of the Anti-Capitalist
Carnival March, or any footage of me from that day, please get in touch
ASAP. If you have already sent me your footage, please get in touch too; I
need to reference your footage. Please get in touch by e-mail at BOTH
jaggi@tao.ca and jaggisingh2003@yahoo.ca.

--> WITNESSES: If you were present at the Anti-Capitalist March on April
20, 2001 (when the fence was taken down, at a demo organized by the CASA
and CLAC), or you saw me on that day, your testimony could be very
valuable. Please get in touch ASAP. (E-mail both jaggi@tao.ca and
jaggisingh2003@yahoo.ca).

--> OTHER ARRESTEES: If you were arrested in Quebec City, please get in
touch.  Your trial experience, and the evidence used against you, could be
very useful to me at my trial. (E-mail both jaggi@tao.ca and
jaggisingh2003@yahoo.ca).

--> LEGAL TEAM: There is a lot of preparation to do BEFORE trial,
including reviewing stacks of evidence and hours of videotape, as well as
anticipating the crown's legal strategy. Whether you have formal legal
training or not, your work on the legal team could be very helpful. If you
live in Montreal or Quebec City and have some time to help prepare for
trial in the coming weeks (or the trials of other Quebec City defendants),
please get in touch. (E-mail both jaggi@tao.ca and
jaggisingh2003@yahoo.ca).

--> FINANCIAL SUPPORT: There will be significant costs involved with this
trial, especially travel costs for out-of-town witnesses, as well as
various costs in preparing a legal defence. Your donation, whether $10 or
$100 or more is much needed. If you can donate toward my legal expenses,
please get in touch at both jaggi@tao.ca and jaggisingh2003@yahoo.ca.
Please consider also an in kind donation to the Libertas Legal Collective,
which is supporting other defendants still facing trial. They can be
reached at legal@tao.ca.

--> MORAL SUPPORT: Even if you can't make a financial contribution,
knowing that I have your moral support is important. Don't hesitate to
e-mail any time during the trial process. I'll do my best to respond. You
can reach me at at both jaggi@tao.ca and jaggisingh2003@yahoo.ca. ALSO,
please do forward this appeal to any sympathetic contacts you might have.


UPDATE ABOUT OTHER TRIALS:

As many of you know, I have made previous appeals for support relating to
other trials I'm facing. In total, I have been dealing with six separate
trials. Here is a brief update about where things are at.

I won one of those trials -- related to the G20 protest in Montreal in
October 2000. A Montreal jury declared myself and two co-accused not
guilty of participating in a riot. The verdict in another G20 trial, on
lesser charges with 30 accused in front of a single judge, is expected to
be delivered in December.

Another trial, related to my participation in a protest against Benjamin
Netanyahu at Concordia University, is in progress. After three days of
trial in front of a judge, the case will resume on February 2004.

The Quebec City Trial in January (my fourth trial, in case you're keeping
track) will be the biggest challenge of them all. The other two trials
(for the grand total of six) relate to breaching conditions of release
from Quebec City (for speaking with a microphone at an anti-war
demonstration in September 2001, and for speaking at an immigrant rights
demo against the WTO this past July 2003). These trials have been
scheduled for next spring. The conditions against me have now been
expanded so that I am now forbidden to amplify my voice by any means at
any demo for any purpose whatsoever anywhere in Canada (I'm not making
this up). Those conditions will be challenged in the coming months (or
will be discarded if/when I win at trial, whichever comes first).

Despite all these trials, and other charges that have been withdrawn, I do
not have a criminal record, and I'm confident that with proper
preparation, I can win the other trials. More to the point, I'd like to
continue to organize effectively on the various issues that are so
important to all of us.

Your support and solidarity has been essential to winning these cases.
Thank you for reading this appeal, and do stay in touch.

In solidarity and struggle,
-- Jaggi Singh

November 1, 2003
Montreal
[Ed. Note: Jaggi is one of the most active anarchists in the social
class struggle in the East of Canada.]


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