Category Archives: Government Oppression

, (Wonder who those people were, who found love in response to love)

, (I have lost every companion, after spending some moments together)

, (Who has the time, to hold the hands of crazed lovers)

Gail Omvedt is my cherished mother. She has recently passed on. Pyaasa was one of her favourite films. When I was a kid, she used to play Jaane Woh Kaise on her guitar, singing in her broken Hindi. This was in the rotation of songs she played, along with those of Joni Mitchell, as well as her contemporary and fellow Minnesotan, Bob Dylan:

How many years can some people exist, before theyre allowed to be free? The answer, my friend, is blowin in the wind.

She loved militant and spiritual poetry and music because it engaged with both the questions and challenges of the present time, but also brought forward eternal questions. Questions about rising up against exploitation and systemic oppression, with love and with dreams of a liberatory future. To the wider public, she was a leading scholar and activist in linking anti-caste and feminist commitments, towards a better world for all human beings.

My brilliant mother, Gail Omvedt, was a militant lover, a dreamer, a romantic.

She was romantic about the militancy of youth resistance to the status quo. Romantic about women rising up to break patriarchal chains. Romantic about masses rising up against tyranny and oppression. Romantic about the rebellion of inter-caste lovers. Romantic about the militant spirituality of anti-caste poets.

She dreamt about creating a better world here and now, what the great bhakti poet Ravidas had conceived as Begumpura, a land without sorrow. For my mom, this should not be just some imaginary utopia, far beyond reach but a real Begumpura, borne out of todays world. With these dreams, she forever practiced hope as an eternal discipline.

I consider myself an extremely lucky person to have been raised by three fierce, feminist fighters Gail Omvedt, Bharat Patankar and my grandmother Indutai Patankar. From a very young age, the living traditions of Tukaram, Savitribhai Phule, B.R. Ambedkar along with Rosa Luxemburg, Emma Goldman, and Karl Marx was our everyday culture.

Also read:India Will Remember Gail Omvedt Forever

Mom always made sure that I heard and read stories of people from all walks of life and different corners of the world, who fought for a different world free from sorrow and exploitation. From when I was a little kid growing up in the village of Kasegaon, I witnessed her deep dedication to building bottom-up mass social movements among ordinary people for anti-caste, feminist and left-wing transformation. My earliest memories are of sitting on her shoulders during marches through rural and Adivasi areas across western India. We sang movement songs and helped sell pamphlets with other kids during these mass gatherings.

Formative years

Gail herself came from a legacy of Leftist and social justice change-makers. Her grandfather was August Omtvedt. From the 1910s to the 1950s, he was involved in local government, and also served many years as a State Senator in the Minnesota state legislatures. This was a time of socialist and farmer-labour politics in the state, striking examples of successful third-party movement formations in the US. August was known as a champion of the little people, with a burning ambition to make his community what he hoped it could be. This history and the progressive upbringing by her parents, inculcated in Gail a strong ambition to contribute to the betterment of society from the bottom up.

During her college days in the 1960s, Gail found herself swept up in the mass-based anti-war and Black civil rights movements. She threw herself into the struggle, participating in militant protests as a feminist, anti-racist and anti-imperialist in California. For my mom, womens liberation and Black liberation were connected and were also universal concerns. She knew that militarism and racism were at the core of what structured the United States.

A young Gail Omvedt. Photo: Special arrangement.

As a true Left-wing internationalist, she also knew that these structures had their parallels in other parts of the world. Elite-led nationalism, Brahmanical patriarchy and caste-based gender violence were at the structural core of Indian society. Gails activism as a young person was grounded in standing shoulder to shoulder with Black communities and in solidarity with the Vietnamese people, bearing the brunt of the deadly US war machine.

Pioneering work

So, after coming to live in India, Gail knew that she must join the struggle led by women, Dalit and the most historically marginalised communities to eradicate patriarchal, capitalist and Brahmanical structures.

Gail believed that to achieve true liberation for women in India, both caste and patriarchy must be abolished. In one interview, she noted, Caste can only survive if womens sexuality is controlled! To keep the jati identity, you have to keep marriages within the jati For that to happen, girls have to be guarded and married off when theyre pre-puberty, so theres no danger to the caste.

Gails writings and her social movement work were grounded in her understanding of the double oppression of caste and patriarchy faced by Dalit women an analysis often overlooked by many dominant-caste, urban feminists. Her razor-sharp analyses also consistently pointed out that as the most historically marginalised people, Dalit and Bahujan womens leadership in these struggles must be at the heart of achieving true liberation for all.

Gail Omvedt and Bharat Patankar. Photo: Special arrangement

From We Will Smash this Prison to Seeking Begumpura, Gails writing and work explored the realities of anti-caste resistance, rooted both in material realities and also the spiritual necessities of people from oppressed castes and genders. She brought forward the stories of everyday struggles of Dalit, Bahujan, Adivasi communities as workers, as peasants, as women in rural and urban localities as they fought against violence and for access to land, livelihood, water and natural resources. She foregrounded the cultural, spiritual and collective resistance of anti-caste men and women both historically and in the present, to show a path forward for achieving womens liberation and caste annihilation.

Also read:In Merging Scholarship and Activism, Gail Omvedt Made Academic Research Accessible for All

In todays India, Hindutva nationalism has spread deep into Indian society and is the main agenda of the ruling government. From her earliest writings, Gail questioned the constructions and connections of elite-led nationalism and Brahmanist-led Hinduism. For her, chauvinist nationalism, which violently excluded Muslims as others and outsiders, stems from the Brahmanist agenda which consolidated the false identification of India with Hinduism. The same Brahmanism has excluded, exploited and violently suppressed Dalit-Bahujan majority communities for centuries.

In the 2010 preface to her book Dalit Visions, Gail states: In destroying the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, the forces of Hindutva issued a declaration of caste war, not simply an assault against the Muslim community The Dharma Sansad was being posed as higher than the peoples parliament. This was a declaration of war against Dalits, Adivasis, women, the Bahujan samaj, the toiling and productive castes and classes who have always been held inferior by varnashrama dharma. That war has to be fought, at the level of culture and symbolism and not simply that of politics and economics; and not simply with the weapons of secularism but over every inch of the terrain of Indian history and identity that the Hindu-nationalists have staked claim to.

This call to building resistance and broad-based alternatives is as relevant today as ever before as a Brahmanist Hindutva agenda engulfs every institution and the social fabric itself. This call to reclaim every inch of the political, economic, historical, cultural, and identity terrain in India, is a call to all of us to create an India where the dream of the annihilation of caste, capitalist exploitation and patriarchy can become a living reality for all people.

My mom, Gail Omvedt, the scholar, the mass-movement activist, the great anti-caste intellectual, was a romantic and humanist. She was a sharp analyst of society; of its oppressors and its rebels. She instilled in me the commitment to carry forward the legacy of this work linking class and gender justice, caste and racial justice, all to carry this forward, wherever I am, throughout my own lifetime, towards the shared dream of Begumpura.

Prachi Patankar Omvedt is an activist, grantmaker and writer involved in social movements which link the local and the global, police brutality and war, migration and militarisation, race and caste, women of colour feminism and global gender justice.

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'My Mother, Gail Omvedt, Was a Romantic and Humanist' - The Wire

A new report released on Thursday highlights anti-Black racism in the province and measures the B.C. government can take to address it.

The report, authored by the African Art & Cultural Community Contributor Society (AACCCS), specifically highlights the experiences of people of African descent from excelling in the province.

AACCCS spent more than six months of research, collecting data from more than 2,000 members of the African diaspora in B.C.

A recurring issue the group found was a lack of representation across many fields, including in education, the economy and politics.

Systemic and structural racism, oppression, discrimination still endures. Its clear and its been indicated by our report, said Smith Oduro-Marfo, one of the lead writers of the report.

He also said he didnt find the results surprising.

Its only fair that every member of society has an equitable chance and we have to recognize that some have not had this chance over the years. And this is the time. This is the moment, he said.

According to the report, more than 75 per cent of respondents expressed anti-Black racism experiences in school which impacted their educational experience.

In the workplace, 78 per cent of respondents identified under-representation as the main obstacle in career growth and 53 per cent were concerned they were rejected for a job because of their identity.

The trend continues for aspiring entrepreneurs as 71 per cent of respondents expressed challenges in getting financing to start a business.

Negative experiences were also felt by many migrants as 25 per cent of respondents reported not feeling welcomed in the province and only 13 per cent expressed positive feelings from their resettlement experience.

Its very important that an acknowledgment is been made at some point to recognize that people of African descent have experienced injustices and issues in the past, said Dom Makay, another lead writer of the report.

The study also reveals there is poor representation in government as well due to lack of funding and mentoring programs, weak support systems and a lack of role models.

The authors of the report urge the province to improve this by prioritizing active recruitment of people of African descent, dedicating mental health and counselling support and investing in initiatives that support and encourage civic engagement.

The biggest challenge has been for people of African descent to be seen for what they actually are: a separate group within the people of colours, said Makay.

Because when you look at the [BIPOC] framework, its clearly highlighted in the name Indigenous, Black, people of colour. But when you look at the policies and the work and everything else, the Black component is often diluted in the POC component, he added.

He added that the report is a great first step in validating the experiences of what many have felt for years, and now is the time to call on the provincial government to take action so that every member of the African diaspora has an equitable opportunity to succeed.

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New report calls on B.C. government to address anti-Black racism in province - CHEK

BOISE, ID The anti-government activist and agitator Ammon Bundy said Thursday he will not seek the Republican nomination for Idaho governor but would instead seek the position as an independent.

Bundy, who gained national notoriety over the years for his anti-government views, is best known for leading a group of armed activists in the occupation of an Oregon wildlife refuge in 2016. At the time, the group protested the federal control of public lands, and he tried to frame his arrest as oppression by political opponents.

In July, he was found guilty of misdemeanor charges of trespassing and resisting or obstructing officers stemming from his August 2020 arrest. In that incident, he and co-defendant Aaron Von Schmidt refused to leave a Statehouse auditorium after officials ordered it to be cleared. Police said Bundy went limp and refused to stand up and put his hands behind his back. Officers ultimately wheeled him out of the Capitol building on a swivel chair.

A second jury trial is planned in connection with his arrest last year at the Capitol.

In a news release Thursday, Bundy blasted the state's GOP.

"Because of the corrupt and wicked state of the Idaho Republican Party establishment I have considered several times of un-affiliating myself with the party and running as an Independent candidate," he said.

Bundy said he stands behind the GOP platform, but said "the Republican establishment in Idaho is full of filth and corruption and they refuse to put forth the party platform."

As such, Bundy said he's no longer running in the Republican primary but would instead run as an independent candidate.

Bundy registered to vote as a Republican in September, according to voting records obtained by the Idaho Statesman.

Incumbent Republican Gov. Brad Little and Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin are likely the front-runners for the GOP nomination in the gubernatorial race

McGeachin jumped on Bundy's announcement, saying in a news release Thursday that she was now the only "viable conservative candidate" in the race.

"I am, as I have been throughout my campaign, entirely focused on defeating Brad Little and restoring the principles of State Sovereignty, Individual Liberty, and Traditional Conservative Values in Idaho," she said.

Other candidates expected to seek the GOP nomination include Steven Bradshaw, Chris Hammond, Ed Humphreys, Lisa Marie and Cody Usabel.

The primary is scheduled for May 17, though the filing deadline is March 11.

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Ammon Bundy Drops GOP Idaho Governor Bid, Will Run As Independent - Patch.com

With Attorney General for India, K.K. Venugopal arguing before the Supreme Court that the policy of discretionary land allotment in urban areas by state governments to powerful individuals should be banned,GAZAL PREET KAURlooks at past instances of the Supreme Court and the high courts invalidating such exercises of discretionary allotments.

K.K. Venugopal, the Attorney General for India [AG], on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that discretionary land allotment in urban areas to politicians and judges should be stopped. He said that elected representatives like Members of Parliament [MP], Members of Legislative Assemblies [MLA] and members of panchayats, bureaucrats, and even judges of High Courts and the Supreme court should not be allowed to avail the benefit of discretionary quota. The statement came a week after the Supreme Court asked the AGto submit proposed guidelines in relation to the allotment of land to housing societies.

The AG made this statement in the ongoing case ofState of Telangana vs. Rao V.B.J. Chelikani & Ors. This issue was raised in an appeal filed by Andhra Pradesh in the Supreme Court back in 2010, now being pursued by the Telangana government. In 2008, a plea was filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court to challenge the alienation of land that was allotted to multiple housing societies that mostly comprised of MLAs, MPs, Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Revenue Service officers, and other influential people. The High Court in 2010 set aside multiple orders issued by the government in which residential plots were allotted to such persons in these housing societies.

The AG suggested to the Supreme Court that a separate statute is required to oversee the allotment of land by state governments. He added that those exercising State power, such as judges and politicians, should not be allowed to avail discretionary quota or allotment of land owned by the government. Furthermore, only those residing or born in urban areas should be eligible for the benefit of such allotment, he told the court.

The AGs intervention follows his bid to end the malpractice in the use of urban land by the elites. This practice has also caused a tremendous loss to the urban development authorities in India and to the public exchequer. In a bid to permanently stop the malpractice, hementionedthatthe qualification of eligible persons and categories of eligible persons for land allotments must be clearly and exhaustively spelt out in the statute itself, without leaving room for the executive to add categories by way notification.

The AG had earlier this month told the Supreme Court bench comprising the Chief Justice of India, N.V. Ramana, Justice A.S. Bopanna and Justice Hima Kohli that the arbitrary allotment of land by state governments to individuals like politicians, judges, bureaucrats, journalists, and others, in return for favours, must be prohibited. He targeted housing societies that were being run by influential people holding political power. He had insisted on having a uniform land allotment policy that could be made effective all over the country. Additionally, heclaimedthat he knew a Chief Minister of West Bengal who had allotted land to his driver.

Also read:Eminent domain doctrine in India and the lack of due process

According toSchedule 7, List II, Entry 18 of the Indian Constitution, the subject of rights in or over land fall under the State List; therefore, authority pertaining to land vests in state governments. Legislative policies regarding land differ from state to state, sometimes raising questions over the rights of individuals and the legality of policies drafted by the state governments.

In 2008, a plea was filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court to challenge the alienation of land that was allotted to multiple housing societies that mostly comprised of MLAs, MPs, Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Revenue Service officers, and other influential people. The High Court in 2010 set aside multiple orders issued by the government in which residential plots were allotted to such persons in these housing societies.

For decades, states have often transferring government land to powerful individuals for political motives or other non-public interests. Certain quotas or subsidies meant for the economic and socially backward classes have been manipulated and fraudulently used for the personal gains of those holding public offices. This was alsoobserved by the Supreme Courtback in 2017. The Supreme Court had issued an order regarding the arbitrary allotment of land in Telangana, stating,[I]n the last few decades of the history of the Republic, it so happened that the policies of different states in this regard varied from state to state and even with reference to an individual state from time to time. It led to a lot of litigation creating uncertainties over the rights and obligations of the individuals and questions regarding the legality and propriety of the policies of an individual state.

Over time, many states and their functionaries have been accused of allotting land to powerful individuals or at times to the relatives of those in public office through questionable policies. Such policies have also raised questions of corruption, favouritism and nepotism in the day-to-day functioning of states. Since there is no uniform set of guidelines to align and control the arbitrary allotment quota of the state, the authority that they hold is rife for misuse.

InE.P Royappa vs. State of Tamil Nadu(1974), the Supreme Court made it clear that no kind of arbitrariness should be seen in the actions of the State. Reasonableness is an important part of state functions which must be duly followed.Article 14of the Constitution is instrumental in removing arbitrariness of the State.

Another arbitrary allotment of land was observed last year in Odisha in the case ofState of Orissa vs. Pratima Mohanty(2021),where public officials had allotted land to their relatives. The Supreme Court, setting aside the Odisha High Courts judgement, said that the allotment of land had been done for personal motives. The allotment had caused a major loss to the Bhubaneswar Development Authority and the public exchequer. The Supreme Court bench comprising Justices M.R Shah and B.V. Nagarathna hadremarkedin this case thatpublic interest should remain the top priority in such allotments.

Similar views were also held by the Supreme Court in its judgments in the cases ofAkhil Bhartiya Upbhokta Congress vs. State of Madhya Pradesh and others(2011)andCentre for Public Interest Litigation vs. Union of India and others(2016),in which it was held that when a state is allocating land, grant, permit or license, it has to take due care in ensuring the distribution in fair and equitable manner. The decision should not be maligned by the elements of nepotism or favouritism.

A similar arbitrary and fraudulent transfer of government land wasobservedby the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in February last year, which upheld the cancellation of a land that was allotted to a family in 1974. The family was handed over the land under the category of landless poor. The high court found that there existed no records of such allotment and it was assigned fraudulently.

InAdinarayanshetty vs. Principal Secretary(2021),the Karnataka High Court quashed land allotment to a trust that was run by Parliamentarian Umesh G. Jadhavs wife. The division bench comprising of Acting Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum declared that the land was allotted through favouritism and the motive was personal gain. Due procedure and prescribed rules were not followed in allotting the land, the bench had held.

Since there is no uniform set of guidelines to align and control the arbitrary allotment quota of the state, the authority that they hold is rife for misuse.

The courts have not just adjudicated matters pertaining to allotment of land, but also in relation to government residences. One such case isLok Prahari vs. State of Uttar Pradesh (2018),in which the Supreme Court held that a Chief Minister falling under the ambit of Section 4 of theUttar Pradesh Ministers (Salaries, Allowances, and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1981, is only allowed to occupy the CM residence for 15 days after they are demitted from the office. UP ex-Chief Ministers Residence Allotment Rules, 1997, that allowed ex-CMs to occupy government residences for rest of their lives, was held ultra vires Article 14 of the Indian Constitution and contrary to the provisions of 1981 Act. It held that the state cannot declare the previous office holders as an elite category that is entitled to the government benefits in perpetuity.

In asimilar casein 2019, the High Court of Rajasthan said that natural resources, and properties like land and residences belong to the citizens of this country. Doctrine of Equality is an important guiding principle for the distribution of these resources. The high court held that residences and bungalows built for the public officials are already scarce; therefore, allotting them to ex-officials for lifetime will be violative of Article 14.

The AG has made it clear that discretionary quotas and allotments should be applicable only for the weaker sections of the society. Hesuggestedthat,Land could be allotted free of cost to the weaker and deserving sections of the society. Free/subsidised land could be allotted to certain categories, such as ex-servicemen, war widows, disabled persons and such like categories. The quotas meant for these categories are essential because these ultimately help them to overcome the historical oppression and tragedies that they have been facing so far.

AG Venugopal suggested that there should be a high powered authority that should closely monitor allotments of land made by the government to public officials. If the authority finds a government guilty of an illicit transfer, it will have to take back the allotted land without providing any compensation to the person who benefitted out of the land by using it or constructing infrastructure.

Except the individuals who will fall under special categories for land allotment, all the other categories must pay the price of the land as assessed in accordance to the market value. The AG has suggested that there should be a high powered authority that should closely monitor allotments of land made by the government to public officials. If the authority finds a government guilty of an illicit transfer, it will have to take back the allotted land without providing any compensation to the person who benefitted out of the land by using it or constructing infrastructure. Furthermore, he remarked that such transfers have to be made in deference to legislation, and not executive policies.

(Gazal Preet Kaur is a fifth year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) student at theRajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala, Punjab, and an intern with The Leaflet. The views expressed are personal.)

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As AGI suggests ban on discretionary land allotments by state governments, a recap of the legal precedents - The Leaflet

Some members of the Black community in London, Ont., are reacting after aConfederate flag was seen flying prominently on a rural property south of Highway 402.

Trish Kiwanuka spotted the flag while drivingon Wednesday and was shocked to see it on its own 10-metre tall flag pole in the middle of a lawn beside a two-storey house.

"It just made my heart stop," said Kiwanuka. "As a person of colour when you see a symbol of white supremacy from an era when Black peoplewere owned as slaves, it kind of makes you feel nervous."

The Confederate flag, with its blue cross and white stars over a red background, has a complicated history. It was flown during the U.S. Civil War by the secessionist southern states,notoriously by General Robert E. Lee's army that fought topreserve slavery.

But it has also been used by hundreds of extremist groups across the southern United States, including the Ku Klux Klan. And there have been fierce debates in the United States in recent yearsabout flying the Confederate flag, including outsidegovernment buildings.

For many racializedpeople, the flag symbolizes a period of U.S. history when hatred and racial violence was acceptedand an emblem brandished by those who fought to retain slavery and racist oppression.

Despite this, the flag continues to be flown, and some who choose to fly it justify it as a symbol of independence from government or rural pride.

Kiwanukasaidshe can't help but be curious about why someone would choose to fly the Confederate flag when it represents oppression for so many people of colour.

"I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, maybe they don't know," she said. "Maybe they like the way it looks. But there is a long history of hatred behind that as a symbol.If you don't know why you're flying the flag, you'd better do your research before you come across as a bigot or someone who is perpetuating hate."

On Thursday, CBC News visited the south London property where the flag was flying. A woman who answered the door said the flag "doesn't mean anything" and didn't want to comment further. Minutes later, a man was seen taking down the flag and removing the pole from its concrete base. He also refused to comment.

Darryl Rochardis a member of the Black Lives Matter network in London. He was drivingwith his daughter when they spotted the flag.

Rochard said the person has a right to display it, but likeKiwanuka, he can't help but wonder about its owners' motive for choosing to fly it.

"Thisparticular individual has decided to display a flag that is connected to a very dark history and something that werecognize as being a hateful symbol," he said.

Rochard said seeing the flag makes him feel "uneasy and uncomfortable," but he'd also like to have a constructive dialogue with any person who flies it.

"If someone wants to express themselves the way they want to express themselves, I am open to dialogue and conversation. But if you were going to fly that kind of flag, be prepared that people are going to have lots of questions."

Jamal Lambert, 22, didn't see the Confederate flag in south London.

But he has seen it flown from vehicles in the city, most recently during the so-called Freedom Convoyprotests against COVID-19 vaccination mandates.

LikeRochard andKiwanuka, seeing the flag causes Lambert no small amount of unease, particularly when he saw the Confederate flag on a vehicle that was also flying a Canada flag.

"It makes me question the direction that this country is going, and it makes me cautious about that demographic of people," said Lambert. "I know they are a minority, but they are also the most radical demographic that we have in this country. So it makes me wonder where their head is at."

Lambert works at United Kutz, a barbershop in downtown London with a large Black clientele.

"I mean when you see a convoy of truckers going through downtown London, and you see the flags waving,and you see the horns blaring .... it's kind of threatening," he said.

"I've been raised to be cautious about stuff like that. If they had set up here, we'd have to close up the shop because we'd be fearful for a lot of our clients coming in here and having to go through all that.

"Some of them flying that flag are fighting for different reasons;we don't know if those reasons are against us."

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check outBeing Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.You can read more stories here.

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Black drivers who saw this Confederate flag in London, Ont., have a message for homeowner - CBC.ca

Three months and twenty pounds (oy) ago, I went out to Colorado to meet the Focus On The Family folks, and to do some interviews about Live Not By Lies. I loved being with those brothers and sisters in Christ, and Im thrilled that they like the book and are now promoting its message. This just dropped yesterday:

Part two will be up tomorrow, I think (I will post it here as an update). Focus is also putting out audio-only versions of the interview on other channels.

I am so grateful to Jim Daly, Glenn Stanton, and their team for their attention to my book. Its rather timely too, given events in

Canada around the truckers protest. Whether or not you agree with the truckers cause or tactics (and I understand that there are Canadians who are no fan of Justin Trudeau, but who dont support the truckers either), the important thing to observe is how the Trudeau government is going after them specifically Trudeaus invocation of an emergency law that permits the state to freeze the financial accounts of anyone the government deems sympathetic to the truckers. Whats more, Trudeau is trying to smear the truckers as nothing but a bunch of deplorable bigots. This week, The Economist magazine, the influential neoliberal publication that has been a supporter of the prime minister and his government, sounded an alarm about the shocking tactics Trudeau has now embraced:

Mr Trudeaus government has expressed shock that racist symbols were displayed during the protest. It appears to be planning to reintroduce an anti-hate bill that could lead to the imprisonment of people who use racist speech. This could include a clause which would allow individuals to take other people to court if they fear that they may be about to say something which falls under the definition of hate propaganda. They could also be charged for contemplating an offence motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other similar factor.

Hate pre-crime can you believe it? You had better. Take a look at this stunning clip from a session in the Canadian parliament in which a visibly outraged Conservative parliamentarian demanded that the prime minister apologize for comparing them all to Nazi sympathizers for supporting the truckers. Trudeau, disgracefully, didnt give an inch:

What the Canadian government is doing is a preview of what the US government in the future will likely to do dissenters: brand them as domestic terrorists, use anti-terrorism laws to persecute them (including seizing bank accounts and bringing them to heel by threat of economic ruin), and passing more laws to crack down on free expression, under the guise of fighting hate and protecting America from would-be terrorists, or pre-terrorists.

I woke up a short time ago here in Budapest, and see that things are heating up between Russia and Ukraine. I hope and pray (literally) that Russia does not invade, even as I believe that the United States would be foolish to risk any kind of military showdown with the Russians. But if the Russians go in to Ukraine, the woke in the West, and the national security/foreign policy class in Washington, will lash out against internal dissent from its belligerent policy. I expect they will label any dissent from the official Washington line as Russian disinformation, and go after dissenters. Look also for coming fabricated accusations of bigotry against people like Tucker Carlson and Glenn Greenwald, who call out the war party.

My point is, whats happening in Canada the government crushing dissent under the guise of keeping Canada safe from haters and deplorables is a prelude of whats to come here. Of course we have to fight it! For example, if you have never joined a public demonstration, you need to prepare to do so. But you should also read Live Not By Lies and follow the practical advice of the dissidents who lived under Soviet communism. Here is a link to a free, downloadable study guide I wrote for the book. You we need to be ready for these people. If you wait until active persecution starts to get your family, your church, and your community prepared, and to get your networks in place, it may be too late.

The emigres who came to America decades ago escaping Soviet communism are sounding the alarm about what they see emerging here in the West. Their testimony, and their advice, is a gift. From the book:

It is very hard for Americans who have never lived through this kind of ideological fog to recognize what is happening. To be sure, whatever this is, it is not a carbon copy of life in the Soviet Bloc nations, with their secret police, their gulags, their strict censorship, and their material deprivation. That is precisely the problem, these people warn. The fact that relative to Soviet Bloc conditions, life in the West remains so free and so prosperous is what blinds Americans to the mounting threat to our liberty. That, and the way those who take away freedom couch it in the language of liberating victims from oppression.

I was born and raised in the Soviet Union, and Im frankly stunned by how similar some of these developments are to the way Soviet propaganda operated, says one professor, now living in the Midwest.

Another migr professor, this one from Czechoslovakia, was equally blunt. He told me that he began noticing a shift a decade or so ago: friends would lower their voices and look over their shoulders when expressing conservative views. When he expressed his conservative beliefs in a normal tone of voice, the Americans would start to fidget and constantly scan the room to see who might be listening.

I grew up like this, he tells me, but it was not supposed to be happening here.

This week in Budapest, I was having a conversation about the book with a Hungarian I met at a conference. He was telling me how the habits of those who were formed, and deformed, under Communism die hard. Even today, he told me, when hes listening to his older relatives, and the talk turns to politics, they all instinctively lower their voices. If we allow this evil to take root in our country, the habits of mind that emerge from simply having to survive under wokeness will mark us for the rest of our lives.

Dont you dare think that it cant happen here. It can, and it is. Canada is farther along the road than we are, but not by much.

UPDATE: Here is Part II of my Focus On The Family interview:

Continue reading here:

Focus On Preparing Your Family For Persecution - The American Conservative

Voted most likely to succeed in 1982, Filipino journalist Maria Ressa returned to Toms River High School North 40 years later on Friday, Feb. 18, as a Princeton graduate, TIME Person of the Year and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Maria Ressa from the Toms River High School North yearbook in the early 1980s. Ressa's family immigrated from the Philippines to Toms River in 1973 when she was 10 years old. She said her experience in the public schools there taught her that "you can accomplish anything if you work hard enough."

Maria Ressa is the personification of what we want our students to be, said Toms River North Principal Ed Keller.

Ressa, a 1986 Princeton alumnus, is co-founder of the Philippines-based online news organization Rappler.com. She received the Nobel Prize for her brave commitments to free expression, human dignity and democratic government in reporting on the authoritarian administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

We talk a lot about Maria Ressa in our journalism class, said Katie Marra, editor of the school newspaper The Captains Log. She risked her life and faced jail time using her voice to speak out against people who are doing wrong in the world.

Ressa arrived at Toms River North late in the morning, straight from an overnight flight from the Philippines. She is in New Jersey to accept Princetons highest undergraduate alumni award at Princeton Alumni Day on Saturday, marking her first time in the U.S. since accepting the Nobel Prize in Oslo in December. Before the Alumni Day ceremony, Princetons Office of Communications worked with Keller to arrange Ressas visit to her old high school.

Ressa is greeted by Katie Marra as she arrives at Toms River High School North on Friday. Marra, editor of the student newspaper, said Ressa is a role model for journalists and an inspiration for all students at the high school.

Photo by

Denise Applewhite, Office of Communications

Welcome home, Keller said as Ressa walked through the lobby doors. She was greeted by students from class government, the school newspaper and the theater company, three of the many organizations in which Ressa participated when she attended Toms River North in the early 1980s.

Ressa then walked down the blue and yellow halls pointing to her old English classroom and the orchestra room where said she lived while she was a student there. In addition to playing multiple instruments in the orchestra, she was class president for three years, acted in school plays, and played basketball and softball.

Toms Rivers public school system gave me free music lessons, computer programming classes, Advanced Placement classes that allowed us to compete in Ivy League schools, Ressa wrote on Rappler.com in 2019, a future that promised you can accomplish anything if you work hard enough. Her family moved to the town from the Philippines in 1973 when she was 10 years old.

Ressa spent most of her visit in the media center talking with about 100 students who represented various clubs and activities. She also toured the auditorium that will be named in her honor in May, following a petition of students and approval by the Toms River Regional Schools Board of Education last fall.

It is great to see that someone from our school could attend an institution like Princeton and go on to make such a big impact in the world, said Dhruv Parikh, student council president. It is inspirational and lets us students at Toms River North know we have a chance to make that impact.

Ressa (seated in front) from a high school musical performance in the 1980s.Ressa was a three-time class president, played multiple instruments in the orchestra, and was involved in theater and athletics.

Photo courtesy of Asbury Park Press

After brief greetings and words of appreciation, Ressa turned her microphone to the students. Their questions ranged from her favorite high school activity, why she became a journalist, advice on applying to college, what inspires her, how she finds courage to fight against oppression, and how she adapted to life as a young immigrant.

More than anything, I wanted to learn, Ressa said, recalling how teachers helped her evolve from a shy child who barely spoke English to an outgoing and diligent student that ended up going to Princeton.

On how to deal with challenges, Ressa said: Never let something that you fail at stop you. In fact, if you dont fail at something you havent tried enough. She noted that Rappler.com was a startup that could have failed but is now marking its 10th year.

Ressa also talked about the moral compass that has guided her more than 30 years in journalism. She said Princetons Honor Code helps center her work. The Honor Code is an example of the world I want to live in, Ressa said. You pledge on your honor to do the best you can, and then you also hold others accountable.

Following the discussion, Ressa stayed to take photos with students who lined up to talk one-on-one with her. John Claude Yambao, a senior, said Ressas life reflects his background as a Toms River student who emigrated from the Philippines as a child. My family was very excited that I would be meeting her today, he said.

Ressa also connected with some of her high school classmates at the event. You are famous around here! Donna Garofalo-Muiz, who now works as the senior guidance secretary, said as she gave Ressa a big hug.

To close the day full of warmth and fond memories, students presented Ressa with a sweatshirt embossed with the Toms River North mascot. Once a Mariner, always a Mariner, they proclaimed proudly.

Ressa answers questions from students who wanted to know about her favorite high school activity, why she became a journalist, what inspires her and how she finds courage to fight against oppression. Toms River North Principal Ed Keller said Ressa personifies what "we want our students to be."

Photo by

Denise Applewhite, Office of Communications

Ressa had originally been scheduled to arrive Wednesday evening, but those plans were temporarily put on hold after she received only six of seven necessary court approvals to travel.

The seventh court order, from the Philippine Court that is handling her appeal for a cyber libel conviction, eventually came through, but not before its delay threatened to derail her plans. Ressa filed an urgent motion for reconsideration to travel, which was granted during an emergency Zoom meeting, she said.

On her Twitter account Ressa wrote: The randomness is a mind game, but it doesn't defeat me. Makes me more resolute to demand justice.

Rapplers reporting on Duterte's authoritarian administration has spurred repeated intimidation tactics by the Philippine government to discredit Ressa and the media outlet. She was convicted on the cyber libel charge in 2020 along with a former Rappler reporter.

After she was given permission to leave the Philippines for her Princeton trip, she followed up on her earlier tweet with another: Lessons learned: hope is dangerous because it creates expectations, but life without hope means you become an automaton with no meaning or purpose. So it's really a balancing act: be prepared for the worst, but keep taking risks to make your world the way it should be.

But Ressa didnt wait for the planes touchdown to start her visit to Princeton.

Although she had to miss a Thursday luncheon on campus with New Jersey higher education communicators, she found a creative way to join the Thursday afternoon virtual panel discussion, Reporting on Repressive Governments: How journalists overcome barriers to safeguard free speech and inform democracy, hosted by Princetons Program in Journalism, the Office of Communications and the Department of Anthropology.

Just moments before the panel started at 4:30 p.m., Ben Chang, deputy vice president for communications and University spokesperson, received a text from Ressa: She would, indeed, be able to participate via Zoom on her phone from the plane.

Joe Stephens, Ferris Professor of Journalism in Residence and director of the Program in Journalism, welcomed Ressa and the other panelists: Barbara Demick, visiting McGraw Professor of Writing, foreign correspondent and author; Razia Iqbal, visiting Ferris Professor of Journalism and anchor of the BBCs Newshour; and Carolyn Rouse, Princetons Ritter Professor of Anthropology and department chair.

I was ready to say how disappointed I was that Maria Ressa cannot be with us today so Im very excited to tear up my remarks and start from scratch, Stephens said with a wide smile.

He noted that the drama of the last 48 hours for Ressa underscores why were here today and why its so important to look at how journalists are being treated and the power of hostile regimes around the world. Simply put, democracy is under siege.

Ressa, whose trip to New Jersey was delayed by the Philippine courts, joined a Princeton journalism virtual panel on Reporting on Repressive Governments from her airplane seat. Clockwise from top left: Barbara Demick, visiting McGraw Professor of Writing, foreign correspondent and author; Razia Iqbal, visiting Ferris Professor of Journalism and anchor of the BBCs Newshour; Joe Stephens, Ferris Professor of Journalism in Residence and director of the Program in Journalism; Ressa; and Carolyn Rouse, Princetons Ritter Professor of Anthropology and department chair.

Kicking off the conversation, Stephens said to Ressa: I hear you are writing a book, How to Stand Up to a Dictator? [forthcoming from Penguin Books]. I would love to hear, how can we do that?"

Wearing a red zippered jacket and a black face mask that in no way hid her signature energy, Ressa jumped right in, her eyes beaming in the darkened plane.

First of all, thank you, and I am so excited there is WiFi! Ressa said. Im sorry I cant do better with the lighting, but OK! It begins with values. I started [as a student] with [Princetons] honor code the fact that in your area of influence, you pledge on your honor not to be corrupt, not to do the wrong thing, and if you see anyone else around you, that you report them. All of us here have standards and ethics. That is what not just journalism, but democracy means.

Citing Harvard Business School Professor Emerita Shoshana Zuboffs 2019 book "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism,"Ressa noted how algorithms determine what information reaches the widest audience.

Since 2018, studies have shown that lies, laced with anger and hate, spread faster and further than facts, she said. If lies become facts, what happens? No facts, no truth, no trust. if you have these conditions, no shared reality exists, no democracy can exist. Thats the descent to tyranny we are on globally.

Ressa continued: Let me make it very personal. Im on a plane a day later than I should be. I have seen 10 arrest warrants in less than two years. This is my 36thyear as a journalist. I have no control of my life.

And yet, perenially undeterred, Ressa offered a call to action, leaning forward in her airplane seat with her guidance for standing up to dictators: You hold the line! You dont give up ground. You know what the constitution says.

She continued: The Philippine constitution is patterned after the U.S. Constitution. There is a bill of rights. So, thats what weve been doing. But, man, it is exhausting!

She also expressed gratitude and excitement about coming to Princeton. Its kind of like Im forced to live moment by moment. You know what the good thing is? Man, you appreciate everything. Thank you, justices of the court of appeals!

Clapping her hands together, she exclaimed: Hey, Im going to be on campus in a little while, so yay! Thats it. Dont stop!

All the panelists had words of thanks and admiration for her.

Iqbal said unabashedly: I am just going to fangirl, Maria. It is so amazing that you are going to get this [alumni] award and I just want to say, Power to Maria Ressa!

Demick said, People like Maria are a tribute to our perseverance.

Rouse agreed, adding: I want to thank Maria and all the journalists who write fearlessly. A free press is not debatable in a democracy.

Calling Ressa a role model for all journalists, Stephens said the difficulty of the last 48 hours made her appearance even more meaningful. Its almost better this way, to have you just push through all the barriers and be on our screens providing us with your wisdom. And that goes for this entire panel of all-stars.

Jill Dolan, dean of the college, the Annan Professor in English and professor of theater in the Lewis Center for the Arts, was among the viewers.

Ill never forget the image of Maria participating from her airplane seat, and making such vital, moving contributions to the discussion, said Dolan, who is introducing Ressa at Alumni Day on Saturday. It was wonderful to hear from women journalists who are so committed to everything that matters to democracy.

Watch the full 90-minute panel discussion online.

Jamie Saxon and Denise Valenti contributed to this story.

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Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa visited her NJ high school alma mater in the run-up to receiving Princeton Alumni Day award - Princeton...

The Calcalist business daily's report on police use of NSO spyware apparently only has negligible impact on former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial. Netanyahu knows this, though he called for a state commission of inquiry on the issue anyway, and asked his supporters to fill Tel Aviv's Habima Square to underscore his demand.

What happened on the evening of the protest was nothing less than a sociological turning point. That morning, Netanyahu responded with humility to a letter that Supreme Court President Esther Hayut sent to Netanyahus Likud party colleague David Amsalem, as would be expected of a man from an established Ashkenazi family, a man who had always respected the judicial system and submitted to its authority until the criminal investigation was opened.

The assumption that he used Amsalem and then threw him under the bus after Amsalem lambasted the court, presumably at Netanyahus bidding, again shows how flawed and inadequate the reading of the Israeli reality is when it comes to status and social standing particularly by the left wing. Thats apparent from the reaction of Netanyahus supporters, who flooded social media with statements that they would stay away from the demonstration until Netanyahu backtracks on his decision to disassociate himself from Amsalem and his flattery of Hayut. Amsalem had taken the court to task claiming bias against Mizrahim.

Surprised? The public discourse over the courts racism is important to this segment of the public. The conflict between Amsalem and Hayut - in which Netanyahu naturally falls on the side to which he belongs socially, economically, ethnically and culturally reveals the bare bones of the story.

Let me tell you, someone with a Twitter profile picture of pro-Netanyahu commentator Jacob Bardugo tweeted, addressing Netanyahu. Next time that you contradict Dudi Amsalem, you lose 200 voters. I guarantee it. Your next tweet against our Mizrahi cell in Likud and you will remain alone and that also includes your nonsense over your fabricated [criminal] cases.

Do you feel the earthquake? Because at my house, the windowpanes are rattling, the books are falling from the shelves and the light fixture is swaying back and forth. The Twitter account holder publicly stated that the conspiracy to fabricate the cases against Netanyahu was nonsense, that his supporters dont believe him, but they have stuck with him because he suits their purposes in their war against the social elites and their dazzling whiteness.

This isnt an isolated anecdote. There have been similar tweets on a daily basis. And if one can judge from the turnout at Habima Square, a considerable number of people made good on their word to stay away.

Amsalem did his job. He attacked the court as part of a broader effort in which he throws Netanyahu crumbs by undermining public trust in government institutions, but Amsalem wants dialogue with Hayut not the Esther Hayut of the immigrant transit camp of her childhood, but with Hayut the Supreme Court president. He wants a serious conversation about ethnic identity and oppression and discrimination.

Netanyahus attitude toward the judicial system is related to his legal situation. Its possible that hes attempting to maintain good relations with Hayut because hes pursuing a plea bargain, but deep down, he really believes in the judicial system.

On the other hand, in the Likud Mizrahi cell, they think the claims regarding fabricated criminal cases and a government run by civil servants is rubbish, but theyre prepared to go along with Netanyahu as long as he understands whos the man (Amsalem). Those making fun of the new Mizrahi middle class that supports the millionaire former prime minister from Caesarea can see that this support comes with considerable limitations.

Amsalems attacks are wild, crude and damaging, but they keep the discourse on structural anti-Mizrahi bias alive. A nervous Netanyahu attempted to appease the crowd by tweeting that the under-representation ofMizrahi communitiesis a real and painful problem in Israel.But the rift has already been exposed.

Link:

The unmasking of Netanyahu's politics - Haaretz

Protests continue to escalate as the visit of the United States Special Envoy draws closer. They are due to visit the Capital city of Khartoum to try and negotiate a way to reinstall a civilian-led, democratic government after a military-led coup took power from the civilian coalition on October 25th. The main cause of conflict between the civilian-led protest groups and the Sudanese Security Force (SSF) controlled government is the resistance of the people to recognize them as the legitimate government of Sudan.

Since the coup, Sudans streets have constantly seen large crowds gathered to protest the new leadership and to call for the return to the democratic reform the country was undergoing before the coup. These protests have turned violent, and the past week is an example of the violence launched against civilian protesters by the military government.

The protest on January 17th led to a violent response by the government against protestors, which saw a further seven killed by the military. This adds to the reported 71 people killed since protests began on October 25th.Furthermore, the Sudan Doctors Committee revealed that around 100 protesters were wounded by a combination of bullets, tear gas, or sound bombs launched by the Sudanese Security Force. Unarmed civilians trying to democratically demonstrate their outrage with the injustice of the coup are met with bloodshed, thus demonstrating the need for outside intervention to protect innocent civilians from the violence of the regime.

Furthermore, civil rights continue to be abused and ignored by the regime as they have arrested and detained wounded prisoners from hospitals in an attempt to punish and deter other civilians from protesting. Alongside this, they have also attempted to silence and deter the media from reporting on or giving attention to the protests. The deterrence for media has included acts such as beating or detaining journalists to presumably send a message to society. Acts like these further emphasize the need for an UN-led intervention into Sudan to negotiate with the military to try and create a new government in which human rights are protected, and the people of Sudan are not being killed by their government.

In terms of peace negotiations, there is hope for resolution in the near future. The worsening situation for the people of Sudan, and the clear disregard for human rights by the SSF has continued to alert and draw global attention from both the UN and Western states such as the U.S. They have since sent Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa to David Satterfield and assistant Molly Phee on a visit to the capital in hopes of brokering a civilian-led transition to a form of democracy in Sudan. This coincides with the UN efforts to negotiate with the military and try to find a pathway back to a civilian-led, democratic government previously held in Sudan. These discussions will hopefully broker peace in the area, and thus put a stop to the inhuman murdering of Sudan civilians by the military and see a return to the democratic-like government which was in place before.

This human rights crisis must continue to receive media, and political attention from foreign states because if it does not then the SSF will continue to abuse and disregard the human rights of their citizens. Diplomacy seems to be the best option for a resolution because any sort of violent reaction may increase the oppression and violence towards the innocent people of Sudan.

Visit link:

Sudan Urged To Stop Unnecessary Use Of Force Against Protestors - The Organization for World Peace

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'The reality is, this kind of mindset results in death we've seen it in London, Quebec City and Toronto'

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Anti-hate activists say there are troubling indications that some of those accused of a murder conspiracy linked to the Coutts border blockade are white supremacist extremists who pose a growing threat to Canadians.

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Those comments come after four Albertans were charged with conspiracy to commit murder, and a host of others with firearms and mischief offences after more than a dozen rifles and handguns and body armour were seized from three trailers in Coutts on Monday.

What grabbed the attention of anti-racism activists were patches attached to the two sets of body armour seized by Mounties and displayed in a photo supplied to journalists.

One of them displayed the word infidel with Arabic script translating to kaffir a logo worn by white supremacists and Islamophobes, said Mustafa Farooq, CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims.

Its used by white supremacists who believe therell be an apocalyptic war . . . for many years theres been a growth of these kinds of groups, said Alberta native Farooq.

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The reality is, this kind of mindset results in death weve seen it in London, Quebec City and Toronto.

One of those murders was of Mohammed Aslim Zafis, 58, who was stabbed outside an Etobicoke, Ont., mosque in September 2020.

Farooq said he rushed to that scene and saw the mans almost decapitated body soon after the slaying.

Were certainly not suggesting all the protesters are racist but its hard to deny some of the organizers are Islamophobic or white supremacist, he said.

A patch on another armoured vest sports the so-called diagolon crest thats been linked to extreme right-wing anti-government groups, said Peter Smith, a researcher with the Canadian Anti-Hate Network.

If you see this, it tells you that you belong to a network of people who believe in this broad web of conspiracy theories, and theyve all been very supportive of the blockade, said Smith.

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I was (initially) surprised to see it, but then it all made sense so it wasnt shocking.

The day after charges were laid, the Coutts protesters, who said they werent associated with those arrested, ended the blockade in opposition to COVID-19 restrictions that had lasted more than two weeks.

Charged with conspiracy to commit murder, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief are Christopher Lysak of Lethbridge, Anthony Olienick of Claresholm, Chris Carbert of Lethbridge and Jerry Morin of Olds.

Lysak is also charged with uttering threats.

Charged with mischief and the same weapons offence are Joanne Person, 62, of Coutts, Raymond residents Justin Martin, Eastin Oler, Janx Zaremba and Evan Colenutt, Calgarian Johnson Chichow Law, Luke Berk of Red Deer, Ursula Allred of Magrath and Jaclyne Martin.

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Police said an example of the militant mindset of a small segment of the protest arose Sunday night around 8 p.m. when a semi and a large tractor attempted to ram a police vehicle. The officer was able to manoeuvre his vehicle out of the way.

Mounties allege the armed group planned to target them if they moved to break up the blockade.

In a Feb. 5 Facebook post, suspect Carbert urged material support for the Coutts blockaders and expressed his pride in being one of them.

We need to remember that this isnt only for Canada and our families but for the whole world. I dont know about you but I have never been so proud to be Canadian, lets never give up and be the example for the world, he stated.

He also posted a photo Feb. 5 of a huge Canadian flag hung at a Coutts bar signed by protesters and their supporters, among them Justin Martin, Eastin Oler and Evan Colenutt, the same names as three of the Raymond men charged.

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Another signed pureblood.

Also scrawled on the flag was SlyFox Lethbridge, a social media handle for Lysak of Lethbridge, said a spokesman for the Canadian Anti-Hate Network who said Lysak is well-known to the watchdog group.

The trailers containing the seized firearms were parked on the Coutts property of Person, who was described as very nice by a neighbour who declined to give her name.

Im guessing she didnt know they had any firearms, said the woman.

Coutts Mayor Jim Willett said he, too, was shocked by the discovery on Persons property and by all of the charges.

There was a singular jaw-dropping people here had to pick their teeth off the floor, said Willett, adding he picked up a COVID-19 infection, presumably from mingling with the border protesters.

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But he said the presence of an allegedly armed group attached to or attracted by the protest was more likely as the standoff dragged on, adding its probably untrue many of them were unknown to the main body of blockaders.

The idea that they were all strangers to everybody in the convoy probably isnt true, said Willett, noting most of those charged were from south of Calgary.

Its pretty easy to imagine thered be a nodding acquaintance.

On his Facebook page, Berk posted numerous photos and a video of the Coutts blockade dating to the end of January.

Very glad to be part of something I strongly believe in . . . the best event Ive ever been part of, wrote Berk.

He also castigated COVID-19 public health restrictions as government oppression.

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We are all outraged if someone does this, its domestic abuse but when the government does it, its not? he said.

A Calgary pastor who prominently resisted COVID-19 restrictions at his church lauded the protest as a stand against oppression, a message he delivered in person to the blockaders at Coutts.

I can say that all the people I met there were people of honour, integrity, and character. They are fathers serving their own families and all the citizens of this country, Tim Stephens, pastor at the Fairview Baptist Church, said in an email Wednesday.

The RCMP was clear that there was a small group unrelated to the main protest that neither I nor the protesters at Coutts want any association.

On Wednesday, federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said invoking the Emergencies Act two days earlier was partly in response to the threat posed by extremists at Coutts.

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We need to be clear-eyed about the seriousness of these incidents and, indeed, several of the individuals at Coutts have strong ties to a far-right extreme organization with leaders who are in Ottawa, he said.

Meanwhile, in Lethbridge provincial court, the last of 13 people charged by Mounties in connection with the seizure of a large cache of ammunition and firearms at the protest had his first appearance dealt with.

Eight of the protesters have been granted bail, while Carbert, Lysak, Olienick and Colenutt are due back in court Friday.

With files from Kevin Martin and The Canadian Press

BKaufmann@postmedia.com

Twitter: @BillKaufmannjrn

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Activists say some suspects arrested at Coutts have white supremacist links - Calgary Herald