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["geert lovink" <geert@xs4all.nl>]

From: Sheri Herndon [mailto:sheri@indymedia.org]
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2001 11:38 PM
Subject: IMC FTAA SPECIAL NEWS BLAST | Friday, April 20, 2001

IMC FTAA SPECIAL NEWS BLAST | Friday, April 20, 2001

Stay tuned for more coverage.

A compilation of breaking stories, photos, video, and audio from the
Independent Media Center Network on Friday, April 20, 2001 covering the
Summit of the Americas, or FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas).

http://www.indymedia.org/ftaa

Summary of Today's Breaking News:  Estimates of at least 20,000 people were
in the streets of Quebec today, 1/3 of what is expected this weekend.  As of
this afternoon, EST, the security wall put up to deter protesters from
interfering with the Summit discussions had been torn down.  30 arrests have
been confirmed in Quebec, more at the border and police brutality in the
streets of Sao Paolo with 62 arrests and several activists hospitalized.

WHAT IS THE IMC NEWS BLAST?

Once again, the Independent Media Centers (IMCs) are reporting live from the
streets -- capturing and distributing some of the most exciting and
historical media ever produced. Follow along as grassroots media-makers
document and distribute across the Web live and near-live coverage of the
FTAA protests in Quebec City and solidarity protests across the Americas.

At least 12 out of 60 Independent Media Centers worldwide (listed at
www.indymedia.org/ftaa) are posting raw and up-to-the-minute coverage of
FTAA-related events throughout the April 20-22 weekend. We will be
synthesizing the best of this content for you in a series of regular news
blasts.

FOCUS ON FTAA

Thousands of demonstrators have already filled the streets of Quebec, and
even more are expected this weekend in what has become an outpouring of
opposition to international trade negotiations in which only the interests
and privileges of capital are represented or seriously considered, while the
most basic rights and interests of citizens, consumers, workers and the
environment are relentlessly recast as "trade barriers."

As anti-globalization protests continue to grow around the world, the use of
police state enforcement tactics has also stepped up, increasingly denying
the basic democratic rights of those who speak out.

Rather than thwarting the grassroots movement against corporate
globalization, militant police repression has resulted in more widespread
and defiant demonstrations.

With hundreds of media activists in Quebec City and hundreds more around the
world, the IMC coverage is immediate and authentic.  There is sophisticated
background information to bring you up to speed along with live coverage
that is otherwise lost or ignored.  This is media democracy in its most
vibrant and truest form, with a refreshing and captivating range of
perspectives you won¹t find anywhere else.

But the power and success of the IMC Network is not just about the
individual expression of our grassroots perspectives.  The IMC Network is
also on the forefront of the media convergence that others merely write
about.  The uploading and downloading of photos, audio and video content by
thousands of media activists is creating a new form of revolution.  From
Chiapas to Brasil to Israel to Quebec City, the IMC's put you in the middle
of the dialogue.

++++++++++++++++++++

Quote of the Day:

"Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience.
Our problem is that numbers of people all over the world have obeyed
the dictates of the leaders of  their government and have gone to war,
and millions have  been killed because of this obedience. . . Our problem
is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of  poverty and
starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty. Our problem is that people
are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves, and all the while
the grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem."

                 Howard Zinn,  "Failure to Quit", p. 45

++++++++++++++++++++

FTAA COVERAGE - BY REGION


**CANADA**

======  IMC QUEBEC / CMAQ  - http://quebec.indymedia.org

Thousands March With Torches in Quebec City

A peaceful but loud march kicked off Quebec City actions against the FTAA
and global capitalism. Thousands marched through the streets with torches,
shouting in French, English and Spanish. Union members, anarchists and
others walked together in solidarity. The march ended with a live music
show, freestyle hip-hop and tons of free food from Food Not Bombs.

http://quebec.indymedia.org/viewarticle.ch2?articleid=1185&language=english

Summary of A20 Anti-Capitalist Events in Quebec

The anti-capitalist protests in Quebec City today were extremely militant
and possibly responsible for shutting down large parts of the Summit of the
Americas.

http://sf.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=2845


======  IMC MONTREAL ­ http://montreal.indymedia.org

Police Violence in Quebec (photos)

http://montreal.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=486&group=webcast


Piégés Par une Taupe

Deux jours après l'arrestation de six personnes qui auraient comploté "dans
le but de poser un geste d¹éclat dangeureux afin de nuire aux activités du
Sommet", la version des forces de l'ordre est mise à mal par différents
témoignages rapportés par les grands médias.

http://montreal.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=484&group=webcast



======  IMC ONTARIO ­ http://ontario.indymedia.org

Popular Activist/Organizer Jaggi Singh Assaulted by Police, Disappeared

A group of disguised policemen assaulted and kidnapped the non-violent
activist Jaggi Singh this afternoon. His whereabouts are still unknown and
no charges have been laid.

³About five o¹clock we were standing talking on rue Saint-Jean, a ³green
[minimum risk] zone,² Helene Nazon reported, ³when three or four
³demonstrators² suddenly attacked Jaggi from behind. They grabbed his arms,
pushed him down onto the pavement and began beating him. Jaggi shouted out
and nearby protesters rushed to his rescue,² she continued.

http://ontario.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=646&group=webcast



======  IMC VANCOUVER  - http://vancouver.indymedia.org

Tear Gassed Area Has Calmed Down to Some Extent, Fresh Protestors Arrive

At the main gates to the inner sanctum, tear gassing halted for a while as a
group formed a giant dance circle in front of the gates. It seems that after
some singing and dancing peoples' spirits were revived, including ours,
after we got a whiff of some tear gas.

http://vancouver.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=1183&group=webcast



**LATIN AMERICA**


======  IMC BRASIL - http://brasil.indymedia.org

Activists Beaten, One Hospitalized in Brasil Actions against the FTAA

At noon today approximately 600 Brasilian anti-capitalist activists
converged on the steps of the Gazeta building on Avenida Paulista, the
financial centre of São Paulo, for a demonstration against the FTAA. Less
then two hours later, the group was violently repressed and dispersed by
heavily armed military police.  Two activists were reportedly beaten by
police. Pablo, an activist and independent reporter with IMC Brazil, was
hospitalized with wounds to his leg and arm inflicted by the police. So far,
there have been 62 arrests.

http://brasil.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=1001&group=webcast


======  IMC ARGENTINA  - http://argentina.indymedia.org/

Reprimen Movilizacion Contra el ALCA en Brasil

62 jóvenes anticapitalistas fueron detenidos hoy durante una protesta contra
la cumbre del ALCA en Brasil. Los más de 1000 manifestantes que marchaban
por la avenida Paulista, fueron recibidos por la policía militar con gases
lacrimógenos, palos y otros gases de alto poder. Los jóvenes se defendieron
como pudieron, resultando varios de ellos hospitalizados. Entre los heridos
y golpeados, se encuentran dos reporteros de Indymedia Brasil. A todos
ellos, nuestra mas ferviente solidaridad.


**UNITED STATES**


======   IMC VERMONT - http://vermont.indymedia.org/

Security Perimeter Torn Down

Quebec City, 6:00 pm (EST), April 20: The security wall which was intended
to prevent protests from affecting the FTAA meetings has been partially torn
down by demonstrators. The streets are alive!  Quebec city officials erected
the security wall to keep people out. Now a large chunk, possibly up to 300
feet of fence, has been torn down. Some protestors have thrown teargas
canisters back at police. Canada's CBC news reports that rubber bullets are
being used.


======  IMC MAINE - http://maine.indymedia.org

Border Crossing Information and Breaking News

There are reports that the great crush of people in the Quebec City are
beginning to cause the barricades surrounding the city to buckle. Police are
beginning to don gas masks and guns, and an inner barricade has been
erected. Tear Gas has been fired and people are on the run...


======  IMC BUFFALO  - http://buffalo.indymedia.org/

Differing Views on Impact of Free Trade

The FTAA, as it's known, would establish the largest free trade zone in the
world. But it's sparking much controversy, especially here in Buffalo.
Activists say existing free trade treaties have hurt the area's economy.
Supporters of free trade say that's not so

http://buffalo.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=80


======  IMC HUDSON/MOHAWK  - http://nycap.indymedia.org/

Mohawk Nation Thanks Those Who Stayed Away from the Protest at Akwesasne

Mohawk Nation statement to the community of Akwesasne, and to FTAA
Protesters who did NOT try to cross the border to Canada via Akwesasne

http://nycap.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=420&group=webcast



======  IMC SEATTLE  - http://seattle.indymedia.org

FTAA Protests: Speaking Truth to Power

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Quebec City, in
resistance to what one critic called "the latest major campaign for the
occupation of the planet by the global corporate system." The proposed FTAA
agreement, like its predecessor NAFTA, would "free" global corporations to
easily move capital and jobs from place to place in search of higher, faster
profits--but leaving in their wake destroyed local economies, eviscerated
health care systems, ruined worker-safety and labor laws, environmental
disaster, and more. Protests against the FTAA continue this weekend in
Quebec City, at the Canadian border in Blaine, WA, here in Seattle and
elsewhere.


======  IMC SAN FRANCISCO  - http://sf.indymedia.org/ftaa/

Undercover Police Van Grabs Protesters in Quebec

Quebec, April 20 9:10pm (EST) - People are still gathered at the security
perimeter and the tear gas is heavy. An undercover police van just drove up
chasing down and grabbing 6 protesters. This is happening just down the
street from CMAQ (the quebec indymedia center for this week). Most
protesters are sick from the tear gas they have been inhaling for hours.

http://sf.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=2823


======  IMC WASHINGTON DC - http://dc.indymedia.org

Press conference discusses the dynamics of the organizers against the FTAA,
including CASA and CLAQ from Quebec.

http://dc.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=8027&group=webcast


======  IMC SAN DIEGO/LOS ANGELES - http://sandiego.indymedia.org/index.php3

NAFTA Harms Workers in All Three Countries

An evaluation of NAFTA on its seventh anniversary finds a continent-wide
pattern of stagnant worker incomes, lost job opportunities, increased
insecurity, and rising inequality, according to NAFTA at Seven, a new report
by the Economic Policy Institute.


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


LIVE AUDIO COVERAGE:

Quebec Radio CMAQ

http://microradio.net/radiodesam.pls

Philly¹s Radio Volta

http://www.radiovolta.org/

DC¹s Studio 2412

http://dc.indymedia.org/audio/

NYC IMC

http://nyc.indymedia.org/audio/

Vermont IMC Radio

http://vermont.indymedia.org/vtimc.m3u



IMC PRINT COVERAGE:

Print.Indymedia.org


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER

The IMC is a decentralized network of independent media makers, organizers,
and activists working to increase democracy and social justice by reporting
events and producing information as acts of autonomy, resistance, and
liberation from corporate control.

The IMC was established to cover the WTO protests in Seattle November 1999.
Since then, many media activists have set up independent media centers in
London, all over Canada and the US, Sydney, Melbourne, Chiapas, Israel,
Mexico City, Prague, Belgium, France, Brasil, Argentina, Italy, Germany,
Sweden, with more to come.

Contact information:  IMC-Vermont at 1-802-862-0313.




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