SCMers join Indigenous and anti-poverty activists at Olympics

by Chris Miller
SCM Eastern Region Coordinator / SCM York Coordinator

Three members from SCM at York have traveled to Vancouver during reading week to join with all those in the Coast Salish Territories demanding indigenous rights and action on poverty and homelessness.

On Wednesday, we joined a group of activists in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side who held an action in support of Insite — Vancouver’s safe drug-injection site (the only one in North America) that is being targeted by the Canadian government. Thousands of lives have been saved by Insite as there is medical staff on the premises should someone OD — not a single death has occurred at the site, which coupled with needle and pipe exchanges have significantly reduced HIV and Hep C infection rates. Insite saves lives and connects people to the health care system, which is the first step in breaking addiction.

After the protest, Dmitri Soudas, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, claimed the building (Chinese Cultural Centre – Harper was going for a photo-op there) where the protest was held outside of had been blockaded, effectively locking in children, seniors, and a group of veterans. The claim made by Soudas is false. Yellow Caution tape was wrapped around pillars about 4 feet in front of the building and one door was symbolically blockaded, but what is missed in the media coverage and in Soudas’ lies was that there was another door about eight feet to the right of the door that was closed that was open and protected by an RCMP officer. Around the back of the building where another group of protesters were chanting there was a set of double doors, with 4 Vancouver Police Officers standing in front of them — the doors were open and people were coming and going from the building through the entire protest. Contrary to the mainstream media and the Prime Minister’s Office, NO ONE was ever blockaded inside or in danger.

For more information about Insite see this link.

We spent Thursday learning about the wider Olympic Resistance Network and organizing at a people’s summit organized by the ORN — a good discussion on the situation of the Circassian people who’s home in Sochi was once the site of a massive genocide of the Circassians and is now occupied by Russia. Linked to the Genocide of the Indigenous peoples throughout the Americas — and particularly poignant comment: “would you hold the Olympics at Auschwitz or in Darfur, that is what is happening in Sochi.”

Thursday evening we met up with SCM UBC and numerous other social justice clubs from UBC as the torch came through UBC’s campus… while the relay was not disrupted the protesters were quite loud and made a strong statement about the need for housing, not games.

Early this morning, David B (SCM Canada’s general secretary) was assaulted while holding a banner (ORGANIZED CRIME written with corporate logos painted throughout) on the side of Water St in the Gastown neighbourhood… attacks on free speech are pervasive. Even worse is that in David’s calls for help, hundreds of fans on sidewalk completely ignored the ongoing assault (one actually turned to see what was happening, shrugged and turned back).

After dusting off feet David and Chris M (SCM at York co-ordinator) went further down the street with banner out — it received a lot of attention from mainstream and independent media and spectators — positive comments outweighed negative about 10 to 1 (thumbs up all around as we walked through Gastown).

Chris with Organized Crime banner. Photo from Vancouver Media Co-op

From Gastown, SCMers moved up the street to Hastings and Cambie where a group of Indigenous and Anti-Poverty activists had blocked the street. We stood on the street with them until torch was re-routed and then followed along with the banner. Lots of coverage in MSM and indy.
Homes Not Games (http://2010.mediacoop.ca)

Listen! the valiant cry in the streets;
the envoys of peace weep bitterly.
The highways are deserted,
travellers have left the road.
The treaty is broken,
its oaths are despised,
its obligation is disregarded.
-Isaiah 33:7-8

NO OLYMPICS ON STOLEN NATIVE LAND!!!

-In Peace and Solidarity,

Chris M.
SCM at York