HCAP Confronts Tories, Faces Police Brutality : IMC Maritimes

HCAP members met on the front steps of the World Trade and Convention
Centre to rally and confront the Conservative Party and their
supporters as they attended a $5000 per table fundraising and
networking event. Another group of HCAP members dressed up as Robin
Hoods, tiptoed up to the meeting room, and then disrupted the dinner
with chants and merriment. The Robin Hoods made HCAP's demands known
to the attendees until they were forcefully removed in what turned
into one of the worst displays of police brutality that this
anti-poverty organization has faced.

HCAP had organized the rally upon a platform of five central demands:

1. A doubling of current social assistance rates
2. That the minimum wage be raised to $9, hourly
3. Immediate implementation of the 1% solution, whereby 1% of provincial revenues are allocated to the construction of affordable housing.
4. Immediate implementation of rent control.
5. Free Post-Secondary education for all students.

At the beginning of the rally, chants of "The cost of one table
here could feed a family for a year!" and "Stop the war on the poor,
make the rich pay!" were complimented by passionate speeches form HCAP
members who feel the brunt of the legislated poverty that the
government imposes. Supporting organizations such as the
Halifax-Dartmouth District Labour Council and the Nova Scotia Public
Interest Research Group spoke as well.

Tory supporters who entered the event were given information
about why HCAP was there, and what it was demanding. As he walked into
the event, former minister of Community Services David Morse was put
on the spot about how he had been part of destroying the dignity of
working class and low income Nova Scotians. He sputtered something
about his parents teaching him to respect everyone and then scurried
into the elite feast.

HCAP member Laurel Taylor got on the megaphone and made the
connection clear between the poverty that the Tories cause, and the
workers who were inside the venue being underpaid to prepare, cater,
and clean up after the politician's posh event.

To the surprise of the outside rally the Robin Hoods were pushed
out of doors a few meters down the street. Some HCAP members from the
rally walked through the doors, past the scuffle to observe from
inside what the police and security guards were doing.

Two Halifax Regional Police officers were present and drew their
pepper spray while security guards continued to push people out the
door, behind the officer. Flustered, the HRP officer began to spray
people and soon more police ran up using pepper spray, batons,
punching, and kicking to 'de-escalate' the situation.

The corporate media in their reports after this event have
focused almost exclusively on the injuries that some police officers
claim to have incurred. The media has done very little to present the
fact that police jumped on one HCAP member, who was already facedown
on the ground after being sprayed with pepper spray, broke some of his
ribs, and continued to punch him in the kidneys and head.

Charges that have been laid include resisting arrest, disturbing
the peace, and assaulting a police officer. These serious charges are
not only unwarranted put are part of an intentional effort by the
Halifax Regional Police to intimidate and impede HCAP. HCAP is
becoming more and more effective; as a voice that stands up with for
dignity through our campaigns and meets the needs of our people through our
advocacy. The effectiveness of HCAP is a threat to groups like the
Conservative Party and the Halifax Regional Police who profit from
poverty and fail to address the root of problems in our damaged
communities.

Solidarity was shown in the large group of people who waited
until midnight for the arrested HCAP members to be released. It was
then that we found out that people who had been pepper sprayed and
arrested were not treated for the spray until at least half an hour
after they had been sprayed.

Now is a time when unity is key between people who struggle
against poverty and all oppressions. As our momentum builds, the
forces we resist will become more apparent and aggressive. We must
remember that many people do not have the support of a group or
organization that supports them when they are oppressed by policies
and police. HCAP strives to be that support and link with other groups with similar goals.

Hello, my name is Jack, i find on the net best informative site about Cardiovascular