No Prison Expansion
March and Noisy Demonstration
Saturday, December 10th 2011
3pm @ St. James Park
Bring noise makers, family and friends
On December 10, 2011, we will gather at St James park, the past site of Occupy Toronto. From there, we will march to the Don Jail in order to express our hatred of prisons and our contempt for the Criminal (In)Justice System. Harper’s Crime Bill is an attempt to lock more of us away for petty crimes- to fill Canadian jails with drug users and people struggling with mental health issues.
The current and ongoing expansion of the prison industrial complex touches our lives every day– from increases in street cops and surveillance to the overcrowding of prisons, and the further criminalization of poverty and targeting of marginalized communities.
The global capitalist economy is failing, and the environmental crisis is ongoing and everywhere. Increased policing and criminalization is an austerity strategy that will inevitably result in more of our friends and family members being locked away, more government money spent on policing and prisons, and the closures of community programs and schools.
The Canadian State is on a path towards US-style super-max isolation prisons and increased solitary confinement. There are plans for dozens of new prisons equipped with state-of-the-art security systems to further isolate prisoners from the outside world. The consequences to us and to our communities are dire; if the Crime Bill is passed, it will impose mandatory minimum sentences on various non-violent crimes – including simple drug possession (6 months in jail for 6 pot plants) – and make it harder to get time-served or parole.
Inspired by the global struggle against the capitalist elite and their vicious program of austerity, we choose to resist.
In solidarity with all prisoners and exploited peoples struggling for freedom locally and globally.
In solidarity with indigenous peoples of this land, who face continued assault by the Criminal (In)justice System.
Against the current prison conditions of abuse and torture that only increase the violence in our communities.
“This is Just the Beginning” says Rob Nicholson the Justice Minister, referencing tough crime bills.
We couldn’t agree more.
– Prison is Class War –
Buses will be leaving from Kitchener and Guelph to attend the march.
Email abolishtheprisons(At)gmail.com for more information and to reserve a spot.
325 Collective