Students protest summit in Quebec

MONTEBELLO,QUE Thousands of protesters, including over a dozen Fanshawe students, gathered in Ottawa and Montebello, Quebec to denounce the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) meeting between George Bush, Stephen Harper and Felipe Calderon, which took place August 19 to 21.

The protesters, made up largely of unions, environmentalists and peace groups converged in the nations capital to demonstrate their opposition to the SPP plan.

In Ottawa nearly 10,000 protesters, converged on Parliament Hill for a rally that was followed by a march to the Mexican and U.S. embassies, which were heavily guarded by police in riot gear.

McDonalds restaurants even boarded up its windows and had heavy police protection. Although there was a heavy police presence, most officers were respectful and did not violate the protesters rights, and the protest was peaceful ending in rap performances by Mohammed Ali and Fanshawe rapper, Testament.

In contrast, the police in Montebello did not let people protest in front of the posh resort where Bush, Harper, and Calderon were meeting with the leaders of 30 of the biggest corporations in North America on Monday, August 20.

Police officers from Surete du Quebec, the RCMP, OPP and other local detachments used force on protesters with clubs and batons, arresting a prominent union leader from London, Kevin Lomack, as well as many others. When they failed to disperse the crowd with brute force, the R.C.M.P. re-used their APEC tactics, shooting tear gas and pepper spray in protesters and journalists' eyes blinding them while inflicting excruciating pain. Rubber bullets were also used to push the protesters back.