3.6
May 26, 2012

Beautiful “Pots & Pans” Montreal Protest Video goes Viral.

For a change, Americans should take note of what is happening across the quiet northern border. Canada used to seem a progressive and just neighbor, but the picture today looks less rosy. One of its provinces has gone rogue, trampling basic democratic rights in an effort to end student protests against the Quebec provincial government’s plan to raise tuition fees by 75 percent.

…Since the beginning of the student strike, leaders have told protesters to avoid violence. Protesters even condemned the small minority of troublemakers who had infiltrated the demonstrations. During the past four months of protests, there has never been the kind of rioting the city has seen when the local National Hockey League team, the Canadiens, wins or loses during the Stanley Cup playoffs. The biggest demonstration, which organizers estimate drew 250,000 people on May 22, was remarkably peaceful. Mr. Charest’s objective is not so much to restore security and order as to weaken student and union organizations.

…just hours after it passed, police officers in Montreal began to increase the use of force against protesters. ~ NY Times.

Beautiful “Pots & Pans” Montreal Protest Video goes Viral.

Students protest rising education costs. The police crack down. An emergency bill limiting protests, and free speech, is advanced. The protest grows.

This is alllways what happens when the government, or corporations—Big Brother—tries to put a false lid over the truth. What happens? Smiles happen. Freedom happens. As long as we keep it peaceful, the best moments of life happen.

We get away from the TV, we get out of our own selfish minds, and community happens.

And it’s beautiful:

Casseroles – Montréal, 24 Mai 2012

by Jeremie Battaglia Plus

jeremiebattaglia.com

Manifestation à Montréal contre la hausse des frais de scolarité et la loi 78.
Les gens se retrouvent à des coins de rues pour faire le plus de bruit possible à l’aide de casseroles.
Un grand merci à Avec pas d’casque et Grosse Boîte pour la musique!

Protest in Montreal against the rise of tuition fees in Quebec and the new law 78.
Every evening at 8pm people meet in the street with their pots and pans and make all the noise they can.
A big thank you to the band Avec pas d’casque and their record label Grosse Boîte.

Musique/music:
INTUITION #1 – Avec pas d’casque
© Grosse Boîte
Bandcamp: avecpasdcasque.bandcamp.com/album/astronomie

NB: la date dans la vidéo n’est pas la bonne! Il s’agit bien du 24 mai au soir et non pas le 26!

Télécharger une version iphone/download an iPhone version of the video : bit.ly/KKYbeV

 

More, via Huff Post:

Bill 78 is being called a draconian attempt to quell massive student protests that have taken over Quebec streets for more than 100 days. The bill limits the ability to protest by requiring groups to get police approval for demonstrations and restricting where they can take place, among other provisions.

People took up the percussive protest Thursday night in several towns and cities including Sorel, Longueuil, Chambly, Repentigny, Trois-Rivieres and even in Abitibi — several hundred kilometres away from the hot spot of Montreal.

The pots-and-pans protest has its roots in Chile, where people have used it for years as an effective, peaceful tool to express civil disobedience. The noisy cacerolazo tradition actually predates the Pinochet regime in Chile, but has endured there and spread to other countries as a method of showing popular defiance.

 

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