A medic's report!

A rumour surfaced- that we in the Indy media centre were next on their agenda. Press people debated among themselves the probability of the police launching an direct armed attack on us- the media (albeit ALT!). Many thought that too extreme, even for the SQ. I didn't. I'd covered OKA in 1990 and seen the SQ in operation there. Numerous reports of human rights abuses, including direct armed attacks on the media (I knew a photojournalist who became one of their targets).

The CMAQ offices continued to be under siege of teargas for hours, just like Friday night. The front doors to the building had also been sealed to keep the gas out, and a reluctant decision had been made to lock the doors against the desperate protesters outside as well, in order to avoid further contamination. I read later that it was also to keep the cops OUT. Makes sense, but at the time no-one mentioned that angle to me. Finally at a critical point in the mayhem, the doors were suddenly opened to a swarm of about 50 protesters followed by medics, some carrying the injured who could no longer walk. The lobby then turned into a makeshift clinic.

It was near nightfall and light was fading fast. I turned to see the mother with the baby again, inexplicably standing in the midst of the gas-contaminated medical area. She didn't appear to notice that her baby was having trouble breathing until I pointed it out and offered her my mask, but then medics arrived suddenly to assist the now choking baby. Brave cabs were still coming into the area and one was called for her. I felt relief that their plight was soon to be at an end when I heard that it had arrived and someone had been sent to fetch her and her husband.

An hour later I went upstairs to use the bathroom- there she was in the hallway breastfeeding the baby, with what I took to be the husband slouching nearby. I was surprised and asked, "Didn't they call you a cab?" "Oh, I thought it would be best to breastfeed the baby first", she replied, "I can call another one later." (Sure- stay in the teargas to breastfeed. That could have also been done in the taxi, and there might not be another cab.) When I emerged from the bathroom, I said to her what I'd been thinking for hours- "Well, next time, I hope you decide to leave the baby at home. Why not get a babysitter." The couple were immediately outraged. "This was supposed to be a green space. I didn't know", she said. I was willing to give that the benefit of the doubt, but pressed on, "But surely you heard the reports from yesterday? I mean, I was teargassed for 5 hours straight on Friday in this same area!" At this point her husband intervened. Not wanting to be left out of the 'glory' of being relentlessly gassed, he proclaimed proudly that he too had been teargassed for 5 hours yesterday! "Oh really," I said, "and you're telling me now that you had no idea this would happen again today?"

Don't these people realize that this is exactly the kind of thing which undermines all the efforts we're making as protesters, asking to be taken seriously as we emphasize the dangers inherent in these free trade pacts. We speak of the destruction of our environment and threats to the delicate fabric of our social systems, and meanwhile bring our most vulnerable members of society into an area filled with toxic gases and stray bullets- and for what? Our own egos? So people will notice us and remark, Oh how committed this person must be to the cause- they risk all. Or-- look at that poor baby. It's choking and could be killed-- the police are responsible.

Yes-- POOR BABY. But who's finally responsible for its agony? The parents.

I went back down to the media office, thought about the possibility of an SQ attack on CMAQ, and had a distinct premonition to get out RIGHT NOW. I left within moments of deciding (and as anyone who knows me will attest- that's a first!), in the company of three other journalists. I heard the next day that the CMAQ building was attacked less than 15 minutes later by riot squad, who arrived shooting rounds of plastic bullets into the lobby. One person was hit by a bullet and arrests of activists were made. I'm sure that the couple was still there, their helpless baby choking away in a new attack of CS gas.

After leaving CMAQ, I and the writer from Chicago were almost caught in a roadblock, quite far into town (the suburbs, in fact). I fortunately spotted it before we hit the intersection and we backed up in time and escaped. The cops had been spot checking vehicles and passengers for evidence of presence at the barricade- gas masks, swim goggles- confiscating gear and making arrests. Some other CMAQ people were stopped on their way back to the office and narrowly escaped by flashing their Indy media passes- which the SQ fortunately didn't inspect more closely.

I've only seen one Indy media report of the CMAQ attack so far. I'm still trying to find an eyewitness who was there to verify what I heard. If anyone was a witness, I'd appreciate an email. And if anyone doesn't like my comments on bringing small children and dogs into teargas- TFB! I will be adding a section for people who want to send in their comments on why they were there, and what they saw.

Dawn One