Sonny
06-17-2007, 05:44 PM
CTV.ca News Staff
Anti-free-trade protest organizers in Halifax say their efforts wouldn't have received much coverage at all had things not turned violent.
"Using more confrontational tactics, such as property destruction, such as throwing paint, as a way to get into the media and get national coverage -- the story would not have gotten into the National Post, would not have gotten into The Globe and Mail if that didn't happen," said organizer David Bush on Saturday.
The unrest occurred on Friday. Protesters were upset about an enhanced free trade zone called Atlantica, which would involve Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States.
Most of the protesters were peaceful, but at one point, a group of about 50 dressed in black and wearing balaclavas broke away from the main group.
They threw paint-filled light bulbs, firecrackers and rocks at police, businesses and journalists. In return, police used pepper spray and electric stun guns to control the protesters.
Protest organizer Pierre Blais said the protesters gave the media what they wanted.
"Violent or so-called violent disruptive protest and property damage does attract media a lot more than marches or just the Atlantica deal itself,'' Blais, a member of the Anti-Capitalist Coalition, told the news conference.
One of the businesses hit was the "Bud the Spud" french fry stand operated by Bud True.
"Thank God nobody here really got hurt or anything, and the paint was easy enough to remove, thank God. And here we are back selling fries again today," he said Saturday.
Bill Denyar of the Atlantic Provinces Chamber of Commerce said Friday's mayhem had no effect on the trade conference itself.
"Where I was inside the building, we had no idea," he said. "We had to come out and hear about it after the fact."
Bush claimed that getting media attention made it worthwhile.
"We did demonstrate that (Atlantica's) policies -- rolling back environmental regulations, increasing shipping here, implementing policy distress factors such as lowering minimum wage -- would engender the kind of response that we saw yesterday."
Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians made it clear she thought the event was worth protesting.
"These people in here are meeting to decide the future of the entire region and there's nobody in there except big business people and a small group of political elites," she said.
Two protesters and two police officers were injured Friday. The police officers are reportedly fine, and the protested were treated in hospital then returned to police custody.
Twenty-one people were arrested, with more than 70 charges laid. One woman and one man were released as of Saturday afternoon. Police spokeswoman Theresa Brien said the remaining suspects would be held in custody until a court appearance on Monday.
About half the suspects were withholding their identities, and Brien said that was holding things up.
With a report from CTV Atlantic's Chantelle Jones and files from The Canadian Press
Anti-free-trade protest organizers in Halifax say their efforts wouldn't have received much coverage at all had things not turned violent.
"Using more confrontational tactics, such as property destruction, such as throwing paint, as a way to get into the media and get national coverage -- the story would not have gotten into the National Post, would not have gotten into The Globe and Mail if that didn't happen," said organizer David Bush on Saturday.
The unrest occurred on Friday. Protesters were upset about an enhanced free trade zone called Atlantica, which would involve Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States.
Most of the protesters were peaceful, but at one point, a group of about 50 dressed in black and wearing balaclavas broke away from the main group.
They threw paint-filled light bulbs, firecrackers and rocks at police, businesses and journalists. In return, police used pepper spray and electric stun guns to control the protesters.
Protest organizer Pierre Blais said the protesters gave the media what they wanted.
"Violent or so-called violent disruptive protest and property damage does attract media a lot more than marches or just the Atlantica deal itself,'' Blais, a member of the Anti-Capitalist Coalition, told the news conference.
One of the businesses hit was the "Bud the Spud" french fry stand operated by Bud True.
"Thank God nobody here really got hurt or anything, and the paint was easy enough to remove, thank God. And here we are back selling fries again today," he said Saturday.
Bill Denyar of the Atlantic Provinces Chamber of Commerce said Friday's mayhem had no effect on the trade conference itself.
"Where I was inside the building, we had no idea," he said. "We had to come out and hear about it after the fact."
Bush claimed that getting media attention made it worthwhile.
"We did demonstrate that (Atlantica's) policies -- rolling back environmental regulations, increasing shipping here, implementing policy distress factors such as lowering minimum wage -- would engender the kind of response that we saw yesterday."
Maude Barlow of the Council of Canadians made it clear she thought the event was worth protesting.
"These people in here are meeting to decide the future of the entire region and there's nobody in there except big business people and a small group of political elites," she said.
Two protesters and two police officers were injured Friday. The police officers are reportedly fine, and the protested were treated in hospital then returned to police custody.
Twenty-one people were arrested, with more than 70 charges laid. One woman and one man were released as of Saturday afternoon. Police spokeswoman Theresa Brien said the remaining suspects would be held in custody until a court appearance on Monday.
About half the suspects were withholding their identities, and Brien said that was holding things up.
With a report from CTV Atlantic's Chantelle Jones and files from The Canadian Press