Kanehsatake

Thursday, May 20th, 2004
2 PM at the camp in the Pines
Call out from Kanehsatake: "Please come!"

Kanehsatake has been in the public eye since January of this year as the community has repeatedly stood to defend itself against outside interference and invasion. While the province of Quebec has reportedly refused an additional $1.5 million, on top of the initial $900,000.00 and subsequent $1.2 million already paid out to fight the community in the past 7 months alone, there are many signs to indicate that the Feds would rather see things escalate.Government sources have indicated concern that the community’s strong stand is affecting a Federal timetable that would bring the same pressure, threats and violence to bear on other Mohawk communities.

Martin, Gabriel seem intent instead on forcing a violent confrontation in Kanehsatake.
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The portrayal of the community of Kanehsatake as lawless and opposed to policing is greatly disturbing because it is so patently and blatantly untrue. On the contrary the community and Council have been calling repeatedly for policing, with the simple and entirely reasonable qualification that it be delivered in a professional and non-partisan manner.

On Monday, May 3rd the community of Kanehsatake was forced once again to defend its Territory against an outside and invading police force loyal to the ousted and former chief Jimmy Gabriel.

Chiefs John Harding, Pearl Bonspille and Steven Bonspille
Continue to Seek a Peaceful Solution to the Policing Crisis
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Presently there are neither police officers nor a police force operating within the community of Kanehsatake. It was decided yesterday after a squad car was stolen by the illegally imposed police sanctioned by James Gabriel, Canada, and Quebec that the police station should be closed till after the upcoming June elections or till further notice.

Contrary to corporate media reports NO community members stole ammunition or police equipment. It was decided by the community of Kanehsatake to have all the ammunition and police equipment removed from the police station and stored in a secure location out of the hands of community members and out of the hands of James Gabriel's non-sanctioned police force.

Note on what follows:

Over the past week the Canadian public awoke to find the struggle of the Mohawks of Kanehsatake as front page news. The trigger of events was a secret deal with the Feds signed by Grand Chief James Gabriel (who was ousted by the community by way of a non-confidence vote this past summer in Kanehsatake, only to have him re-instated by the Feds based on an obscure legal technicality) to bring in an outside, invading and illegal police force to occupy Kanehsatake at a cost of $900,000.00. In response, members of the community torched Gabriel's home, and the invading cops were forcibly confined in the Kanehsatake police station for over 24 hours.