Police Assault Women at Intl. Women's Day March in MTL

Montreal 9 March 2007
Police brutality mars Women’s Day Celebration in
Montreal/
Police Assault women at International Women’s Day
March

Yesterday, as Montrealers, along with many around the
world celebrated International Women’s Day – the event
was marred by police brutality in which three young
women were assaulted, injured and traumatized. Among
the issues that were brought up during the speeches at
Montreal’s women’s day march was that in Iran women
were prevented from celebrating international women’s
day. And women in Pakistan were also attacked
yesterday in a women’s day event. Yesterday’s events
make ensure Montreal shares this distinction!

Marchers celebrating International Women’s Day had
walked from Place Emilie Gamelin (Berri Square) to
Phillips Square, along Ste-Catherine Street. After
speeches they made their way back to Berri Square. The
police made an announcement asking people to walk on
the sidewalk. Jaggi Singh, who had been one of many
male supporters among the 200 strong celebrating
international women’s day moved onto the sidewalk. The
others continued marching in the street. Police
officers began to rush towards Singh, still walking on
the sidewalk. They grabbed him and threw him against
a nearby police car.

Other marchers gathered around the car out of concern
for the violent way in which police were intervening.
Police began hitting and pushing people
indiscriminately. Several people were knocked to the
ground with batons and night sticks. Emma Strople, a
17 year old marcher, was hit in the chest with the end
of a night stick and thrown to the ground, by an
officer later identified as Doyon. Her ribs were
bruised, she was winded, trembling from shock and her
knee was cut open enough that the blood seeped through
her jeans. Two other women were also injured - one
woman's lips and mouth were swollen and bleeding, from
being punched in the face by a police officer; another
left with cuts on her knee and stomach. The police
showed a total disregard for the injuries mounting
around them. They placed Jaggi Singh in the police car
and began to leave. The marchers that remained left
by Berri Metro.

The 8th March Committee of Women of Diverse Origins,
one of the key groups involved in the march strongly
denounces last night’s police brutality yesterday and
the arrest of Singh. Are we to go back to the time
when women in Canada were not considered ‘persons’?
When women were to be seen and not heard? In Quebec
today on the eve of an election we have seen how
violence against women is still something that is
trivialized, including by those that seek to represent
us in the democratic system. Yesterday’s police attack
on women and their allies proves that even those who
are supposed to be the guardians of the law and ensure
gender equality, see women as people to be controlled
with the threat and the use of violence. Women, as we
struggle for equality are facing a backlash. How can
we feel safe when the police themselves exhibit the
violence that is endemic to patriarchy?

More than ever the police brutality of yesterday
demonstrates that we have a long way to go; that
women’s struggles for equality that have always linked
to improving the lives of our families and
communities, ensuring democratic processes of equality
and participation of ALL in the political process are
constantly BLOCKADED by the state and its
representatives. How can women seek assistance against
the violence in their lives when those entrusted with
their safekeeping are perpetrators of brutality and
violence?

Last night’s police violence is shameful and fearful.
We demand that the City of Montreal and the government
of Quebec immediately investigate the assaults and
arrest of yesterday and that women, our allies and
supporters feel safe and free to work in support of
equality and justice.