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Halifax Declaration Against the Criminalization of Dissent and in Defence of the Rights of All

Blog posts reflect the views of their authors.

By a show of hands, the following resolution was unanimously adopted by the Halifax 2010 May Day Forum held at the Mi'kmaq Native Friendship Centre on May First:

Declaration of the participants in the 2010 Halifax May Day

Whereas on April 25, 2010 the HRM police, under the direction of the Prime Minister's Office, blocked the demonstration against the G-8 rich and powerful countries from proceeding down Spring Garden Road, traditional venue for political protest, to the summit venue over one mile away;

Whereas on April 26, 2010 the HRM police shamefully and brutally arrested Toni MacAfee, Atlantic Region Education and Organization officer of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, fabricating the charge of "assault" for the "crime" of demonstrating against the G-8 rich and powerful states;
Whereas on April 28, 2010 the HRM police arbitrarily and disrespectfully removed Aaron Doncaster from the commemorative and solemn ceremony for injured and fallen workers at the Nova Scotia Legislature organized by the Canadian Labour Congress, arresting him on trumped-up month charges over four weeks old for the "crime" of distributing the call for May Day to the workers and families in attendance;

Whereas on May Day, 2010, the HRM police arbitrarily detained three participants in the May Day March, in the end charging a cyclist-participant for the "crime" of driving his bicycle on the extreme right hand side of the road;

Whereas every person living in Canada, regardless of their status, has the right and responsibility to exercise their rights, including the right of conscience and the right of assembly;

We, the participants of the 2010 Halifax May Day Rally, join together to call on everyone to:

Condemn these acts of political persecution;

Condemn the clearcut violation of the right of assembly and right of conscience;
Demand that the trumped-up charges against Toni MacAfee, Aaron Doncaster and the young cyclist be immediately dropped;

Organize the widest possible support in their defence; and

Defend the rights of all.

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