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Occupation banque a Toronto (compilation en anglais))
Date: 8 Feb 1998
From: JGA@eureka.qc.ca
To: reseau@lists.nothingness.org

students occupy cibc - compilation (fwd)

Below is a pasted list of the information I have recieved about the
CIBC occupation.  They are in chronological order.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the context:
The Canadian Federation of Students organized an national day of
action on January 28th.  Students across the country organized local
events, with the largest being the rally in Toronto.  High school,
university and college students, as well as laour groups, converged
at a makeshift stage set up in the centre of the intersection of
King+Bay, the heart of the financial district.  The occupation was
apparently spontaneous, and lasted (approximately) from 4pm Jan 28
to 10:30am Jan 29.

Student loans in Canada are administered by private banks, which make
billions
of dollars of profit every year.  Meanwhile, education is
cut, tuition is raised, post-secondary education becomes more and
more inaccessible, and  bank CEOs sit on the boards of  governors of
universities.  It would seem that the interests they represent are
directly contradictory to the notion of a public and fully accessible
education system.  They profit from the increasing exclusivity of
Canadian universities,and are gaining more and more control over
universities which must now look to private sources for funding.
And of course, canada's banks are intimately involved in the
maintainance of right wing thinktanks that continue to pressure the
government to withdraw further from funding universities

The protest was held at King and Bay to mark the fact that that is
where power resides, not in the legislature of the provincial
government of Ontario.

There are a couple of good articles in The Varsity (the university of
toronto students' paper), which can be  found at
www.campuslife.utoronto.ca/groups/varsity, in the Jan 29 issue.

Enjoy the read!
Penny.
-- 
Students occupying CIBC in Toronto!!!
As I write this from OCAD (9:30 pm), 100+ students including OCAD
students are occupying the lobby of the CIBC at King and Bay - and
they have been in there since 4 pm.  About 75 students have remained
outside in  solidarity.  It has been a whirlwind day here and Toronto
and across Canada.  From what I've gleaned from second and third hand
resources, six hundred students occupied the Nfld legislation earlier
on and 65 students still occupy Gary Fillman's office in Winnipeg. Not
sure what else has taken place beyond respective marches and rally's.

This spontaneous Toronto action, followed a thumping, chanting,
placard/banner armed march by 4,000 to 5,000 students to King and Bay.
Most had headed home before the occupation really took hold. To this
point unrest has been minimal. Early on a non-student was hauled away,
and later as a dozen or so students tried to join the ranks inside and
stormed
a door two students were arrested (and subsequently released).

A vote by those inside about an hour ago showed there was a
significant majority who wanted to stay in for the long haul or as
long as the cops would let them (about a dozen opted out) . That would
certainly not be till next morning when the bank re-opens, as some
would hoping.  I'll reserve my opinions at this time, only to say that
in discussion outside a motion put forward that in the name of a
national student it was better to walk out in solidarity and build
>from this increadilbel display of student unity.

There was obviously another energy happening on the other side of the
three-quarter in inch glass that separated those in from those out.
This energy was acknowledged by those outside and no one has left
(except me to get some food and to check to see what elsse is going
on).  Inevitably the cops and riot police who surround the block and
who surround the tightly packed group inside are not going to let
anyone stay till daylight.  And it is anyone's guess as to when they
will being dragging, or arresting those inside- sometime in the wee
hours I anticipate.

All schools are still represented, including Guelph and Trent -despite
there
buses leaving hours ago. There is still an NSG membership presence as
well as
with other coalitions.

On a side note I informed those in the computer lab of the present
situation - some laughed, some were interested, most were unaware of
the event.  Even with this apathy over 60 OCAD students marched and in
fact led the masses from Nathan Phillips Square to King and Bay. Well
done OCAD!  I'm off back to King and Bay with some grub.  Talk to you
real soon.
rob
-- 
Dark Horse
Students in Jeopardy in Bank Squat
Report from Harrisville on the Web
http://home.echo-on.net/~command/action.htm

The anti-Harris chants reached my ears as I strode through the
underground beneath the Commerce Court. As I took an escalator up to
see what was going on, I was not aware that a huge anti-Harris student
rally had just taken place, with thousands of students blocking King
and Bay Streets. It happened that some of the students decided to take
their case to the president of the bank and crowds streamed into
Commerce Court. To stop the crowds, police decided to lock the doors,
and at that point the students inside decided to squat and not leave.
They felt staying would highlight their protest against Mike Harris'
Sixty percent increase in tuition fees. Fifteen riot cops suddenly
appeared behind me as I rode up on the escalator, and at the top I
found myself in a scuffle with cops who wanted me out. I pushed ahead
and ended up in the press ranks, shouting that I was with the press. A
uniformed cop continued to hassle me but later gave up, and I was
pushed aside as a screaming female student was dragged past me by the
police. A couple hundred students had taken over the North West corner
of the ground floor, an area with open Plexiglas windows that allowed
another crowd of protesters to watch from outside. Kiosks and ledges
on the marble walls allowed some of the student leaders to perch above
the reach of the police while others sat on the floor. The mood was
very hostile at first with some students shouting F--ing pigs. They
were angry about earlier arrests. While I was standing with the press
I commissioned a student writer to write a report for me and he is
still inside. Just after I did that the police told the press ranks to
move back to the wall as they were going to advance for arrests. One
squatter noticed this and shouted a warning, then a police spokesman
denied that they were moving in. To clear things up I stepped forward
and told the students that the police were going to charge in and the
press were in fact just stepping back for good photo angles. The
police held back, a debate began between students who wanted to leave
because of fear of the police and students who wanted to squat
indefinitely. Those who wanted to stay won the vote, but people who
wanted to leave were allowed to do so. The police would not allow
water or toilet facilities for the squatters so they decided to build
their own toilet. This was done by using the potted plants and taping
protest leaflets and signs up to create a private area -- or somewhat
private as a lady in charge of a TV crew said,  "I definitely want a
shot of that" and sent up a camera to get a picture of people peeing.
The security cameras were and are taped over with protest stickers,
which is good since a police spokesman announced they were going try
and charge people in days after the squat was over. Undercover cops,
some of them taking photos and footage were everywhere. At some points
there were more police than squatters. Even so the atmosphere got kind
of homey at times. One of the kiosks had a bank poster on it with a
family and
a big slogan that said I SEE OUR NEXT HOUSE HAVING A BIG OLD OAK TREE...

The mood started shifting from worry to jubilation
as time wore on -- students sang Solidarity Forever and tossed ripped
bank flyers in the air like confetti. I talked to a guy called D from
the Dead Poet's Society, a group that recorded a song called Down With
Mike Harris and has an album called Dangerous Days. D was acting as a
sort of mediator, trying to keep everyone happy. For me worry took
over for two reasons - it looked like the police were going to get
brutal and I remembered that I had just picked up prescription drugs
for my invalid ex-wife. These were in my bag and if I were arrested
the police would likely try to tag me for possession of illegal drugs.
The police spokesman also refused to say what had happened to George
Shepherd, a protester arrested earlier, other than to say he was
likely at 52 Division. They also refused to reveal what he was charged
with and this convinced many of the activists to remain stubborn with
the police. I got out and talked to people on the outside. The police
seemed to be gathering in huge numbers so I went back for a tour of
the underground and got beneath the squatters. Standing behind a post
I heard an undercover man on a cell phone say they were going to move
in twenty minutes. He then saw me and called for someone to remove the
trash
>from the hallway. I ran out and mentioned to a student by the window
that the
police might move in twenty minutes. Another said a huge number of
police with
shields were at the side. A lady who stuck a note to the glass passed
this info
to the people inside. They reacted by putting on their coats and
announcing
they were preparing for the assault. When the twenty-minute deadline
ended all
of the riot cops suddenly just walked out and drove away. So it looks
like they
were going to move but decided to leave it. Right now uniforms are on
guard
till the riot guys come back. An important point here is if the police
had
moved in it likely would have been a disaster. With windows and potted
plants
and people up on ledges, there could be serious
injury. It is rather shocking that not a single politician tried to
bring about a peaceful resolution to this squat. I may go back later
to check the situation. Some of the students wanted to contact
Councilor Jack Layton for help. People might try to get him at Metro
Hall, 55 John Street, Suite 207, Toronto, M5V 3C6, Phone: 392-4060,
Fax: 392-4120
------------------------ 2:30 a.m. -part 2
Students in Jeopardy in Bank Squat
Report from Harrisville on the Web
http://home.echo-on.net/~command/action.htm

I returned to the Bank at one a.m. to find the protesters still
inside. Solidarity Forever is written in yellow tape on the sealed
revolving doors and some young women were up on the platform top of
the doors dancing. Others were dancing in the confetti of torn bank
flyers on the floor. The majority sat - in a rough head count the
figure I got was 125 people still squatting in the bank. They are
surrounded by police who are intent on arresting them when they leave.
At about 1:45 four of the protesters decided to leave, and as the
fourth person, Ben Donahue, emerged, he was jumped by police. The
crowd outside immediately charged the police, chanting Shame, Shame as
they dragged Ben to a paddy wagon. His distraught girlfriend is now at
52 division at Spadina and Dundas, trying to find out if he is there
and what he is charged with. Police said they got him for an earlier
assault, but they can't be believed. Likely they pushed him and he
pushed back at some point and now they are trumping up assault
charges. People outside and inside are trying to rally support - they
need people at King and Bay. If they leave they all have to leave
together, to try and weaken the police. Supporters should try to get
to King and Bay, Commerce Court, by early morning. People outside the
bank worry the police and Commerce security. They don't want to make a
mass
riot arrest while under scrutiny. Anyone who can get to the police or 52
division to help those who will be arrested should do so. Without a
doubt the
police will grab a good lot of people in the morning and jail them. The
number
to file a complaint against Toronto Police is 416 326 1189.  People who
want to
help could try phoning there and demanding information on those
arrested.
*
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 11:45:38 -0500
DAMN: photos and update from the bank occupation, toronto

as of 10:00 am, the occupation continues, with police officers
reluctant to drag the squatters out, and the bank desperately trying
to maintain spin control. business at the bank has been effectively
shut down, but without food and water (the police have blocked all
support), the standoff cannot continue indefinitely. photos available at
http://www.tao.ca/earth/damn/cibc/
incl.
2pm the demonstration at King & Bay

4pm students and anarchists occupy the plaza of the cibc tower

4:30pm demonstations inside and out, with songs of solidarity

5pm the sit-in begins and we formulate our demands

1. Immediate tuition freeze, followed by a fee rollback to 1994
levels.
2. National grant program
3. Bank executives off our board of governors. Students, staff and
faculty demand democratic control of our universities.
4. Cancel all debt.

7pm our makeshift toilet in the northwest corner of the plaza.
mental note to self for future occupations: duct tape rocks, next time
bring water and food, especially if we pick a target where its so easy
for the cops to block all material support from the outside.
communication was done by writing notes held up to the 3 inch thick
plexi-glass, or through cell phones.

midnight the occupation continues, spirits are high solidarity forever
---------- Forwarded message ------- 
cibc occupation

This morning at 10--10:30 the students occupying the CIBC building marched
out with linked arms to be greeted by 60 or so other protesters (many of
whom spent the night out side in solidarity with those on the inside).  We
then marched around the CIBC building and into Commerce Court chanting
loudly as we did so. >From there many of us left to get some sleep and food.
Apparently there was another small protest planned--maybe someone who stayed
could comment on that.

As one of those who spent the night outside I cannot really comment on what
went on inside the bank, but I can talk about some of my experiences. Above
all we were all extremely cold... But that goes without saying. Beyond that
we kept in communication with those on the inside by writing notes back and
forth.When it became clear that the police were not going to let us send in
food and water some people in our group gouged a hole in the window calking
and devised a straw through which we could fill there water bottles from our
own bottles outside.  Once the police caught on to this they came over to
inspect. But by then the straw had been removed and they could accuse of us
of little else then "trespassing"  Later we continued to use the hole to
pass through water and (someone was using his/her imagination here)
Twizzlers. Again the police seemed perplexed that the occupiers were
suddenly eating licorice.  As the morning came the riot police arrived and
set up barricades in front of the offending hole, but their plans were again
thwarted by protesters outside who sat on the ground in front of them.
Although the first feeding hole was blocked a new one was created through
which we were able to pass through crackers, water and juice.

Although these stories might sound merely amusing they exemplify the
creativity of the students in the face of the authoritarian police and bank
officials (who were calling the shots the whole time.)  As morning came and
the protesters outside were joined by new ones, we started hearing messages
of support from many passersby as cars and trucks honked and some people
even stopped to come and lend support.  One man came with a box of food for
the protesters.  Another woman, who worked at a bank across the street gave
us her support asking us to occupy her workplace.

The solidarity among the outside people was wonderful.A number of them
brough us all coffee, hot chocolate, pizza, etc.  (Thanks--you know who you
are). Although people were cold and tired we stuck together.  Many of us had
never met, but a spirit of solidarity and friendship prevailed.

There are a lot of things I am leaving out. I've only slept for three hours
today and I'm looking forward to eating a real meal.  But it would be
interested to hear from some of those on the inside.  As well, I would be
interested in hearing about the radio and TV coverage which I missed for
obvious reasons. I hope that in the next few hours as more of the
participants wake up, we can here their stories. I would also like to hear
stories from other day of action events across the country. As we suggested
to the media this is not a one time event. This is just the beginning. Let's
start to think about the next "event" while analysing the successes/failures
of this one.
in solidarity
Jason Thompson
Check out the photos and coverage at http://www.tao.ca/earth/damn/cibc/
*
King's Students' Union
University of King's College
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3H 2A1
(902) 429-3399  fax (902) 425-0363
--------- End forwarded message ------- 

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