Student strike enters dangerous phase #7

Montreal police announced the closure of the Berri-UQAM metro station just after 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday as a crowd of about 1,000 protesters arrived at Place Émilie-Gamelin.

The closure of the metro station seemed to leave the crowd antsy, with protesters using loud sirens to urge chants from the crowd. The crowd starting moving east on Ste Catherine just before 11 p.m.

At 11:30 p.m. the crowd had swelled to about 2,500 protesters, demonstration was peaceful.

The Montreal police tweeted, at 12:30 a.m. that the demonstration was declared illegal and gave order to disperse. They stated this was due to “several illegal acts.”

Some students said the protesters mood would be one of anger. "The government created a social conflict," UQAM student Jacob Lorenz said. "it woke an age group that didn't care much about politics. But instead of doing something positive the government has made us feel like we are hitting a brick wall."...

Guilty, I suppose. Hardly the worst thing one could be accused of.

Though I think the question I raise at #51 isn't actually dependent on how one feels about not respecting the injunction, My real question had to do with what effect yesterday's actions (and today's at UQAM) will have on the reds' base of support, and keeping the focus on tuition fees.

Three minutes showing last night's events - the restoration of peace and order thanks to Jean Charest.

Two comments that tell the story:

This is what a police state looks like. Like Unionist I too fear for the brave students. Canadians in city after city are getting a taste of our new reality. Quebec City, Vancouver and Toronto have all seen the face of the police state. If the parents and grand parents don't join their sons and daughters in the streets all will be lost.  The yoke is being tightened around our collective necks and now is the time to stop it before all of our freedom is choked out.

thread drift...

Protesting Chilean students marched again in the streets of Santiago de Chile to demand free education and deep reforms in the country’s schooling system. The demonstration ended up with a clash between hooded protesters and the police.

According to the march’s organizers, over 100,000 students and teachers gathered at Plaza Italia and later took Alameda Avenue, downtown Santiago, to end at the cultural centre Estación Mapocho in yet another demonstration against the country’s educational system.

Since last year, demonstrators have staged over forty massive protests demanding improvement’s on the Chile’s approach to education.

Education Minister Harald Beyer, however, told the press previously the government will not cede to their demands for free education.

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/100984/chilean-students-march-i...

edit video

....end thread drift

Appel à la résistance
Les étudiants promettent de tenter de contester la loi spéciale

Entre la tristesse et la colère, les étudiants promettent de résister et même de contester la loi spéciale du gouvernement Charest qui force le retour en classe. Encore sous le choc de la solution qui leur est imposée, les principales organisations étudiantes ont appelé hier à continuer la mobilisation de plus belle, avertissant que loin de calmer le jeu, cela pourrait au contraire mettre le feu aux poudres.

« Le gouvernement a délibérément choisi d’augmenter la pression sur les étudiants », a dit Martine Desjardins, la présidente de la Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ), réagissant à chaud à l’annonce du gouvernement, au bord des larmes. « Il voulait calmer les tensions, j’ai bien peur qu’elles ne fassent qu’augmenter », a-t-elle ajouté en indiquant toutefois qu’elle appelait à des actions de protestation pacifiques. Le fossé entre le gouvernement et la jeunesse du Québec se creuse, croit-elle.....

google translate:

Call for resistance
Students promise to try to challenge the special law

Between sadness and anger, students promise to resist and even challenge the Charest government's special law that forces returning to class. Still reeling from the solution imposed on them, the main student organizations called yesterday to continue mobilizing for more, warning that far from calming the game, it might instead set fire to the powder.

"The government has deliberately chosen to increase the pressure on students," said Martine Desjardins, president of the Quebec Federation of University Students (FEUQ), hot reacting to the announcement of the government, close to tears. "He wanted to calm tensions, I'm afraid that they do increase," she added but indicated she called for peaceful protests. The gap between the government and the Quebec Youth widens, she believes.....

That's what happens when you skip too many history classes at university...

On a more sombre note, the National Assembly has been called to a special session for 8 pm, no doubt so that Charest (or Courchesne) can table their new law.