| Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT) |
From: montreal <montreal_-at-_dojo.tao.ca>
To: <toronto_-at-_lists.tao.ca>, <mob-l_-at-_lists.tao.ca>, <san_-at-_lists.tao.ca>, <ftaa-ott_-at-_egroups.com>, <no_to_nato_-at-_flora.org>, <fishinghurtsthefish_-at-_hotmail.com>
Cc: <foodfighter14_-at-_hotmail.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 21:58:28 -0500 (EST)
Greetings! As the days remaining before the G20, IMF and World Bank meet in Ottawa quickly pass, mobilization and organization for a strategic and effective disruption of those meetings is escalating. Members of the Montreal Direct Action Collective and friends from Guelph would like to collaborate with local activists and facilitate direct action workshops for groups in Toronto and Ottawa preparing for the demonstrations in Ottawa from November 16-18. We will be available between November 10-16 -- throughout the last week leading up to the protests. The direct action workshops that we offer are based on a respect for a diversity of tactics. Ideally between 4-5 hours in length, the workshops are designed to rely heavily on role-plays and discussion, and attempt to draw on the range of experience, concerns and comfort levels of all workshop participants. While billed as "Direct Action Workshops", workshops offered during the week leading up to the Ottawa demonstrations will focus more narrowly on street protest-type actions. Thus, the workshops will cover topics that include: general legal and medical considerations, strategic action and street tactics, security culture, decision making under duress, protecting our bodies, police behaviour and solidarity in the streets. And of course, the workshops can be adjusted in order to be as useful as possible for any given group of participants. The workshops are offered free to grass-roots groups, although funding for transportation (ie. gas money) would be very much appreciated. If your group, flying squad, affinity group or organization is located in Toronto, Ottawa or within a couple of hours of Montreal and would like to host a workshop, please let us know ASAP. Montreal Direct Action Collective can be contacted by email at montreal@tao.ca. "See you in the streets!"