Friday, November 5, 2010

G20 DEFENDANT AND INDIGENOUS POLITICAL PRISONER RYAN RAINVILLE STILL BEHIND BARS

Tuesday October 26, Mississauga New Credit – Today on Tuesday October 26,
Ryan Rainville appeared in an Ontario Superior Court to argue for his
release on bail. The Judge adjourned the application for Ryan to be
released to a First Nations Bail Program citing ‘inadequate supervision’.
In considering Ryan’s bail application, the judge also did not take into
account Gladue factors, which forces the judicial system to consider the
systemic marginalization and over-incarceration of Indigenous people as
result of colonialism and poverty.

Ryan is a young Indigenous man from the Sakimay Nation and is charged with
several unfounded charges stemming from June demonstrations against the
G20 in Toronto. Ryan has been imprisoned since August 5 when he was
arrested at his home in Waterloo, and has since been denied bail once
before in September.

While targeting strong voices of dissent is part of the state’s desired
culture of fear, the repression and attempted silencing of Indigenous
resistance is part of the ongoing legacy of criminalization and
colonization for 500 years across Turtle Island.

According to Indigenous supporters of Ryan “Ryan has been strong in his
denouncements of injustice and has spoken out without fear. He is honest,
humble and respectful toward his family and people around him. He has also
honoured his role as a man in the community by standing beside Indigenous
women when we needed support.

As native people, our bodies and our minds are constantly under attack
from the state. Their power rests on our degradation, and their violent
exploitation of the land and water feeds and profits the colonization of
every poor and oppressed person. There is nothing new or unusual about
Indigenous people - whether Haudenoshonee or Mapuche, Anishinaabe or
Palestinian - being targeted, violated and locked up under racist,
classist and sexist guises of "law and order" or "justice".

We denounce the ongoing state repression of all people resisting the
austerity measures which are designed to force our relations, friends and
allies into enslavement to a faltering system, to assimilate those of us
coerced into submission, and exterminate those of us who refuse to bend to
colonial terms. Freedom for all prisoners and detainees, including the
Tamil women and children still held behind the walls of a detention
centre, and who are now subjected to the same four walls which face Ryan.”

Ryan appears in court again on Thursday November 4th at 9:30 am at 361
University Avenue. Ryan’s supporters are requesting people to attend court
on Thursday morning to show their support for Ryan and for all who are
being targeted by the state.

For more information please contact: thesheelephant@yahoo.com or
mcorbiere@hotmail.com or hwalia8@gmail.com

FUNDRAISING REQUEST:

There is an urgent need for defence-related funds for Ryan by next week.

You can mail cheques to: No One Is Illegal-Toronto, 90C Beverley Street,
Toronto, M5T 1Y1. Please be sure to indicate “Ryan Rainville” in the memo.

You can also make a secure donation online through Paypal on the No One Is
Illegal-Toronto website (http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org) Please be sure
to send an email to nooneisillegal@riseup.net and let us know you have
donated and what amount

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