Action Alert: Anti-War Activist Targeted by Country Beginning With the Letter “C” (Hint: It’s Not China or Cambodia)
For those of you who still think it can’t happen here:
Subject: URGENT Appeal for Support: US Anti-war Activist Arrested at Canadian Border!
Sent: 24 Sep ‘07 13:53
The Alison Bodine Defense Committee is appealing to all progressive groups and organizations who fight for a better world to support the campaign to defend Alison Bodine, a US citizen who is being targeted by Canadian Border Services Agency for being an anti-war and social justice activist.
Originally from Broomfield, Colorado, Alison is a central organizer with Vancouver, Canada antiwar coalition Mobilization Against War & Occupation
(MAWO), for three years was the president of the University of British Columbia’s Coalition Against War on the People of Iraq and Internationally (CAWOPI), a
long-time executive committee member of the UBC Social Justice Center, is a prominent activist in solidarity with Cuba and the Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba,
and a supporter of immigrant and refugee rights in Canada and the US.
Near midnight on Thursday September 13, 2007, Alison was arrested by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) when she attempted to legally cross the border
at Peace Arch border crossing, travelling from Canada into the United States. Three days prior, Alison was harassed by CBSA officials while traveling from the US
into Canada. The ordeal began after border officials searched her vehicle and identified her as a political organizer after they found various political materials and progressive newspapers in her car.
As an international student at the University of British Columbia who recently graduated with a Bachelor of Physics in June 2007, Alison has traveledbetween the US and Canada on dozens of occasions, and had never been denied entrance to Canada or asked to return to the US.
As she was returning to the US on Thursday September 13th, Alison returned to claim items confiscated earlier by the CBSA. Upon presenting her receipt to claim her materials, she was handcuffed and told she was under arrest, and that a warrant for her arresthad been issued across Canada. She was then taken into detention. This unjust and illegal imprisonment was met with a huge protest and organizing drive by the
newly-formed Committee to Free Alison Bodine. Friday afternoon, on only 5 hours notice, 80 people came together at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada Offices in
Vancouver, demanding the immediate release of Alison Bodine. Media was also quick to pick up this important case, which was covered locally and nationally by newspapers, TV and radio.
Following all of this, Alison’s status took a major turn. Officials constantly reminded her all day that there was no way she would be released from detention
before Monday. However, at 8:00pm on Friday, Alison was given notice by immigration officials that she would be released from custody immediately until her
Admissibility Hearing on Monday Sept 17th – a major victory in the campaign for her freedom. However Alison’s ordeal is not yet over. In the early afternoon of September 17th, Alison learned from a CBC reporter that the CBSA had cancelled her Admissibility
Hearing scheduled for 2pm that day. Alison herself was never officially notified by CBSA.
At 1:30pm Monday September 17th, more than 50 supporters rallied outside the downtown Citizenship & Immigration Canada offices, especially because of the
cancelled hearing, to demand that all charges against Alison be dropped immediately. The CBSA postponement of Alison’s hearing is a maneuver to delay because they know they won’t be able to prove the charges they have made up so far. It also shows they have decided to escalate this case to a more political level byfinding some different charges to bring because they know right now their case cannot win in a hearing.
Being without status in Canada, Alison’s situation is always uncertain, and she can still be arrested at anytime. All progressive, humanity loving people must unite around this case. We must understand that this is not just an attack on Alison, this is an attack on
all of us. This is an attack on the basic democratic and human rights of all people, especially social justice activists, immigrants, refugees and all non-status people and non-residents in Canada. The illegal and unjust arrest and detention of Alison Bodine means the Government of Canada and its agencies want to continue and escalate the silencing of free speech and political expression and continue their terrorizing of
people who oppose their policies at home and abroad and the new era of war and occupation. They are also testing and evaluating our response to defend ourselves against their attacks against us. The degree, seriousness, effectiveness and consistency of our defence impact their decision on how to further their repressive measures.
For this reason, we are appealing to you to join us in this struggle by endorsing this emergency campaign and by writing a letter of support demanding that the CBSA
drop all charges against Alison. Please send this appeal to your email lists and friends. We must show the Government of Canada and their agency, the CBSA,
that they cannot get away with trying to intimidate activists. We have attached a template support letter,as an example. Letters of support should be
sent to:
defendalisonbodine@hotmail.com
The CBSA might think that by delaying the Admissibility hearing this campaign will lose steam and the pressure against them will lessen. On the contrary, this campaign is only just beginning. People all across Canada and the world know about this case of political harassment and this will only gain momentum from here. This is a political case; Alison
has done nothing wrong or illegal. Alison, along with supporters in Vancouver and across the country will keep up the demand that the CBSA must drop all charges
against her and restore her full rights to travel between the US and Canada. For now, they have re-scheduled her Admissibility hearing for Friday, September 28th at 9am. In the time between now and then we will not back down, we will not slow down and
we will continue fighting!
Our fight is not over. Your support is essential to get all charges against Alison dropped!
WE WILL WIN!
Alison Bodine Defense Committee (ABDC)
Filed under: Uncategorized, Action Alerts, Atrocities, Sheroes
9 Responses to “Action Alert: Anti-War Activist Targeted by Country Beginning With the Letter “C” (Hint: It’s Not China or Cambodia)”
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Detention of Alison Bodine is an outrageous,illegal and immoral act of terrorism and must be treated as such. I am ashamed of Canada for perpetrating it. People all across Canada and the world know about this case of political harassment and this will only gain momentum from here. This is a political case; Alison has done nothing wrong or illegal. Alison, along with supporters in Vancouver and across the country will keep up the demand that the CBSA must drop all charges against her and restore her full rights to travel between the US and Canada.
I am thoroughly ashamed of our government at this point. Harper has been quietly and secretly pulling this country into line with US policies, without allowing dissent or input into the process.
I will be writing letters. This is disgusting.
You Canadians are turning into a bunch of bushnic pussies - in other words Canucks got bushcolera!
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP WE TRAVELED TO MANY PARTS OF CANADA. WE HAD A SAIL BOAT ON THE CANADIAN SIDE OF LAKE ST. CLAIR. WE SAILED THE FAR REACHES OF THE GREAT LAKES. TOOK THE AL/CAN HIGHWAY. SAW THE EAST COAST. CANADA WAS ALWAYS SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE. FRIENDLY PEOPLE. ONE MEMORY WAS THAT IN DETROIT, CRIMINALS DID WHATEVER IT TOOK TO GET AWAY. INCLUDING KILLING COPS. IN CANADA THERE WAS ALWAYS THE IMPRESSION THAT THE COPS WERE NOT CRIMINALS. THE ARREST OF ALISON BODINE IS MORE PROOF THAT THE PEOPLE ARE NOT IN CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENT, U.S. OR CANADA. THE TURN TO THE DIRECTION THE U.S. HAS TAKEN, POLICE STATE/ FASCISM, LOOKS LIKE A DONE DEAL. THIS IS WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE UNLESS “WE THE PEOPLE” STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT. CANADA, OH CANADA… MY HEART BREAKS. STEVE BANYAI
Write the Prime Minister of Canada directly: pm@pm.gc.ca
I did. Tell him how outrageous this is. Maybe it will do some good, but I fear the direction Mr. Harper is taking us is southward to the Bush.
WAKE UP PEOPLE! THE GOVTS.ARE PLANNING TO MERGE CAN/USA/MEX INTO A FACIST EASIER TO CONTROL REGION CALLED THE NAU. THERE WILL BE 10 IN THE WORLD. THEY ARE WORKING ON THE MIDDLE EAST ONE AT THE SAME TIME. MEFTA. LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. WE HAVE LOST OUR CONSTITUTIONS. WE HAVE LOST FREEDOM OF SPEECH!!STAND BY OUR SISTER WE HAVE TO TAKE OUR COUNTRYS BACK!
Welcome to the hell that us Americans have been dealing with for the past six years. Obviously, Canada has decided to follow the lead of “W” Bush and become a facist state. My advice: Fight back HARD and demand that Allison be released IMMEDIATELY and let it be knows that such actions will NOT be tolerated! Get the word out that this conduct is being done in the name of every Canadian citizen.
Harper’s pushing,pushing. He’s trying to see how far he can go abrogating people’s civil liberties. This creepy amoralist and his neocon buddies want to take North America down the road to totalitarianism. Why, I wonder did you generally sensible Canadians elect this crypto-Nazi? I would watch the efficacy of your elections if I were you. You will end up like America where the elections were rigged for the past three election cycles.
Just keep pushing Harper. One day I pray, someone will push back like a Mack truck!
Harper, Bush and their souless minions are the terrorists, fear mongers, murderers, and crooks of this world. They are the ones that keep the world at war and strife, They are the ones who steal your money and put it their own and their friend’s pockets. They are the ones who profit from every catastrophe or calamity under their watch. They are the ones who keep the vast majority of the world in poverty. They are the ones who have betrayed the working people of the world. They are the ones who have destabilized democratic governments around the world. Who makes and sells the guns and the bombs and the delivery systems around the world? Who plays both sides against the middle selling or giving arms to both sides of a conflict? These pigs do. Who keeps the world dependent on oil, which price is ever increasing. These pigs do. Who constantly raises bigoted and racist wedge issues and funds the groups who deliver the message to pit citizen against citizen. These pigs do. Who is responsible for the decline of the worlds environment and obstruct all attempts to reverse these declines. These pigs do. They are evil criminals in every sense of the word and need to be brought to justice, not elected. I hope people will wake up and finally reduce these elitist genocidists, and parasites to the ashes of history forever.
I am worried & sad with the direction this “minority government” is taking our great country. God help us if he ever gets a majority.