The Canadian Association for Free Expression

Battles for Freedom

Free Speech Supporters Prevail Despite

ARA Thuggery in Toronto and Montreal

The forces of violent anarchism did their best to stop supporters of Canada's most famous political prisoner, Ernst Zundel, from protesting his continued detention in solitary confinement. Protests in both Toronto and Montreal were attacked by ARA thugs with masked faces and weapons.

The Montreal protest outside Justice Minister Irwin Cotler's office attracted about 10 free speech supporters. Others were unable to get through a raucous crowd of masked ARA thugs. One observer reported that about 75 ARA thugs " were armed with golf clubs and face masks."

About 20 carloads of police kept the menacing ARA separated from the free speech supporters. One ARA goon was arrested for smashing at the windshield of the free speech protest. [(1)A more complete report from he organizer follows my report.

Meanwhile in Toronto, supporters of the Canadian Association for Free Expression rallied outside of the Metro West Detention where political prisoner Ernst Zundel is now in his 19 month of solitary confinement. We knew that the ARA were coming and, so, we changed the time of the protest.

On Friday, I stopped by 23 Division in Rexdale and had a chat with Staff Sgt. May who would be the officer in charge of the Division today. He appreciated our co-operation and I made it clear that we would be law-abiding and were there simply to make a political statement of support for free speech and in opposition to secret trials and unlimited detention of political dissidents like Ernst Zundel.

When I arrived at about 12:30, I quickly re-learned the lesson that you take almost everything cops, who are increasingly a political and politicized police force, say. They're simply not to be believed or trusted. We learned that a carload of supporters from London had been arrested. The four lads were sitting on the grass handcuffed. Their crime? Apparently, there had been a bow and arrow and a bulletproof vest in the trunk of the car. The police search was almost certainly illegal. All four have been charged with possession of weapons dangerous and weapons at a public meeting. Note, the weapons were not taken out at a meeting and were not brandished or carried by the four. People with a sense of logic may wonder how four men can possess one weapon. Much later tonight, we greeted three of the four as they were released for 23 Division.

Many of the police were belligerent. We were not allowed to park in the lots of Metro West Detention Centre. This had been allowed before. Of course, we had only their word -- not the provincial authorities who run the prison -- for this new rule. Some of us tried to park in the spacious area around an adjacent factory. Not allowed a pushy cop insisted, all the while threatening to have us towed. He claimed the factory had sent a notice under the Trespass to Property Act. How could they? I asked. Nothing has happened yet. Nonetheless, the cop insisted they had. I countered that we'd have to be given a notice from the owners first -- highly unlikely as we'd be taking up a few spaces for about an hour in their deserted parking lot.

The police were obviously seeking to be complete p**** about it. Then, John, an ally who's been in politics with me since the late 1960s in the Edmund Burke Society came running up saying the cops had threatened to arrest us all if we wished to parade on the public sidewalk. Several others confirmed that that's what they'd been told too. Such orders were clearly crap.

One of the London Four later told me that the cops who had ransacked their car had said: "This time, we're not taking any crap. There's zero tolerance." He was apparently referring to he July 25 where there'd been quite a confrontation between the ARA and free speech supporters.

However, that came about because of dreadful policing. The police knew the anarchists were coming. Instead of letting them confront and attack us, they should have kept them across the street. We were hardly to blame for the poor policing or the ARA violence.

I walked over to try to talk to the officer in charge. It turned out to be an Inspector Pinfold. A greying man, he seemed reasonable. Now, there were new rules. We could park our cars on the Disco Road, opposite the prison, even though it's a no parking zone. We could parade on the public sidewalk, but not go on the prison grass. We were to go no further than a certain light standard. Already the mounted squad has arrived. the ARA would be kept beyond the light standard. Even this meeting was not without its unpleasantness. I'd asked who was in charge and had Inspector Pinfold pointed out to me. As I proceeded across a few feet of the prison lawn, I was confronted by a copy I'll call Wooden Hulk.

"You're trespassing," he said.

"But it's public property. We pay for it," said I, "I wish to talk to the officer in charge."

I was directed back to the sidewalk. Pinfold would see me in a minute. Meanwhile, Wooden Hulk wanted my ID. I handed him my CAFE business card. "Don't you have a licence," he demanded.

"Not on me," I responded.

"What's your birthdate?" he demanded.

You wish to send me a present. Ah, shucks, I thought to myself. I refused to give him this information. He was quite angry and sniffed," And you said you wanted to co-operate."

At about 1:30, the ARA showed up in their tatty yellow school bus. Real patriots, they flew the old hammer and sickle flag of communist Russia, the flag of communist East Germany and a native Indian flag that features a brave's head, complete with feather, on a red background. A few Indians carried signs seeking justice for Dudley George. [He's been dead almost a decade. Could their addled brains have brought them to the wrong protest?]

Now, Inspector Pinfold invoked a new rule. "You can't have those flagpoles or sticks for your signs. My officers are at risk."

This was more bullshit and he knew it. Both on July 25 and today, his officers faced the ARA and repeatedly turned their backs on us. They knew perfectly well we were peaceful and law-abiding and not about to attack the police. Nevertheless, we took our flags -- the Red Ensign, the Stars and Bars, ands the Flag of Michigan, carried by our U.S. supporters -- off their poles. We carefully removed the sticks from our placards.

The police kept the ARA down the street and across the road from us. A number of officers and the mounted unit hemmed them in. We could hear their obscenities and shouts faintly in he distance. However, we noted that they were allowed to keep their flagpoles and the sticks on their placards. We'd been effectively disarmed but they had their flagpoles and sticks which could have been used as weapons.

Several of us asked the police about this glaring discrepancy. After all, the ARA has a long history of violence and battling the police. We noted that the horses had plastic visors over their eyes. In numerous confrontations, the ARA have used poles to try to blind the horses.

I pointed out the unfairness and the inequality of the situation to Inspector Pinfold. "That's my business," he snapped. Cops hate accountability to the wage serfs who pay their salaries.

We chanted, "Free Ernst Zundel" and /"No Secret Trials." I gave a short talk, stressing the cruelty of 19 months in solitary confinement for a man who is a lifelong pacifist. I thanked the free speech supporters from 16 to 76 who had hung in there with us and behaved as decent men and women. We then dispersed and headed to Jack Astor's a popular restaurant about six miles away. Several reporters, one who said she was with the CBC but who travelled with the ARA, were in our protest ranks.

At any rate, the ARA found out. Their bus pulled up into the restaurant parking lot. About 20 masked thugs piled out and burst into the bar screaming at Marc Lemire. One threatened the restaurant security: "These are Nazis. We'll tell B'nai Brith and the Canadian Jewish Congress and they'll put you out of business." After much shouting and jabbing, the ARA were driven out, but not before a few had been seriously beaten fore their l;unacy. One disabled member of our group was knocked to the floor. As he sought to get up with his cane, he was arrested by the police,. As of this evening, he was still in 22 Division charged, incredibly, with possession of weapons dangerous -- his own cane! [(2) Marc Lemire's report is attached below]

By now at least a dozen cruisers had zoomed to Jack Astor's. I was told that I must leave the property and get out of the parking lot or I'd be arrested under the Trespass to Property Act. "The management says you're not welcome," a snotty Officer 4701 barked at me.

"I doubt that," I answered. "They don't even know me. I haven't even had a chance to order a drink." Many of our people were also summarily ordered off the property. Again, it's hard to know whether Jack Astor's was really trying to get rid of paying customers -- we'd eaten there at least six times before -- of whether this was another police lie.

This is typical ARA and, we might add, Jewish lobby tactics. They attack and create violence and, then, the threat of such violence induces the business establishment to cancel our meeting or, in this case, our dinner.

The reaction of the patrons of Jack Astor's was interesting. "Who are those freaks?" one football viewer asked, looking at the ARA. When the masked crazies started assaulting our people, one Chinese fellow got into the act and threw a few punches at the crazies himself.

Clearly, the ARA and their shadowy Establishment puppetmasters and financiers are getting worried by the growing support for Ernst Zundel and our persistent marches of support for this wrongly imprisoned man. -- Paul Fromm, Director

1. ACCOUNT BY MONTREAL PROTEST LEADER

There seemed to be a leak into the whereabouts of our protest, so about 40-60 reds, Jews, and other anti-free speach scum were around the area, with their balaclavas, cameras (they've taken so many pictures of me, I have no idea why they need any more), and various weapons. I had my car attacked while trying to meet up with another WN at the subway. Luckily, I was not hurt, and the damage is only to the windshield. They ran down the street after my car, ignoring Police presence, and smashing it with various metal objects. One of the dirty dreadlocked race mixed protesters was charged with aggravated assault for the damage to my car, as he smashed it in front of Police, and was caught.

The other free speach supporters, either saw the scum, and didn't stop in the area, or got away. I'm sure they will consider this a great victory, as our protest was not able to happen, but I think differently. Nobody will shut us up, and we will make sure next time, we don't make the same mistakes. This is only the beginning, and we are sure to win against these scum. Nobody was hurt or arrested, so that's a bonus as well, considering that each party of free-speach supporters were morbidly outnumbered.

2. ACCOUNT BY MARC LEMIRE OF TORONTO PROTEST

Today�s Zundel rally was really something.

There was probably about 30 police already there when we showed up. They were not allowing anyone to park anywhere near the Metro West. Very hostile to us. After meeting with the man in charge, they allowed us to park on the street. They blocked the entire street off. On one end was our protest, at the other the ARA was there. In the middle police cars and a paddy wagon. The police kept both sides far away from each other (50-100+ feet)

We had the rally and did our speeches.

After the rally, we left and went to a local restaurant. This is where things got crazy.About 20 or so ARA people showed up at the restaurant, and ran into the bar area, where I was sitting with about 8 people talking, enjoying a beer and watching the NFL football.

Three or four of them tried to circle me while screaming "marc lemire is a nazi and fascists out" The leader of the ARA kept poking me and pushing me trying to get me to react (it is clear they pay masters wanted a violent confrontation). ARA weirdo Marcell Rodden was beside me in the bar, wearing plastic gloves (like those used by housewives to clean the toilet) a bandana over his face and a pair of painters glasses.

Marcell Rodden is the guy taking a picture, wearing a hat that says "Commie"

While the other ARA types in the bar were yelling at the top of their lungs that "Jack asters serves Nazi�s". Also interesting to note, the leader of the ARA (fat shady character) threatened the restaurant owners that the "B�nai Brith will shut this place down for serving nazis" -- Guess we know who their money men are. Bar security tossed them out after a tense 4 or 5 minutes.

I then moved to the patio area, behind a glass partician where the ARA was milling about at the front door to Jack Astor's. (Front door and the patio are beside each other) I did not see what initially happened but one of the ARA leaders was getting arrested by police. He was resisting arrest and the cops had him on the ground. (there were only about 2 or 3 cops there at the time)

The one in the background with the bandana over his face was the one being arrested. The chubby one in the foreground got arrested after trying to assualt me

Then, all hell broke loose. The leader of the ARA (fat shady looking fellow, shown in above picture) and a few of his followers ran (approx 5) into the patio area to attack me. He lunged at me � screaming we are all cowards. He was pushed to the ground by someone, not sure what happened - but his nose and eye was bleeding. The 2 police officers on scene, radio'ed for backup and within about 3 minutes, there were close to 40 cops there. The entire parking lot was closed off by them. Jack Asters security grabbed the leader of the ARA who tried to assault me, and held him until the police arrived, where he was arrested.

About 2 or 3 tables were overturned and plenty of broken glass around.

At the end of the day. Seems two of our people were arrested. One of them was an older man who needed a cane to walk. (� and was the target of these ARA tough guys)

From what we heard - 4 or more of the ARA terrorists who attacked us were also arrested.

Then we were all escorted out of the bar by police and forcefully told to leave � on the threat of arrest if we didn�t move fast enough.