VOLUME 2, NUMBER 30    <>  MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2001

squats, Montreal style

On Monday, August 14, San Francisco police arrested nine squatters who had taken over the old Commercial High School at 170 Fell Street. The demonstrators argued that city laws, like those of the state and federal government, should require vacant public property to be used for housing homeless people.

Within the past few weeks, similar demonstrations occurred in Washington, D.C. and Montreal. The following account is from IndyMedia — Montreal:

Photos by Doug

Squatters obtain new building, to be collectively self-managed

MONTREAL, August 2, 2001, 1:10 a.m. — It was an eventful day for the squatters who have occupied an abandoned downtown building since last Friday. Another large city-owned building offered by the mayor’s office was accepted by the squatters under their own conditions — which includes an amnesty from criminal charges, the assumption of all costs by the city, as well as collective self-management. Meanwhile, six squatters who barricaded themselves inside the original Overdale building were evicted at night in a major police operation involving three busloads of police and the riot squad. At least five supporters who were on hand as observers were arrested, and other supporters were baton-charged away from the site.

The day started with a pre-planned 10 a.m. meeting between city representatives and squat delegates at Hotel-de-Ville (City Hall). The squatters originally saw the meeting as simply an attempt to buy time for the squat, while preparing for the next step in its defense. Instead, Mayor Pierre Bourque’s office decided to offer the squatters another building, if they vacated the Overdale site in the afternoon.

The squatters — including street youth, anti-poverty and social housing activists, anarchists and other individuals — were wary of any attempt to be co-opted into accepting government-run coop housing, or a similar public relations maneuver. The mayor made such a proposal on Monday, and it was soundly rejected. However, the new proposal met all key particulars of the squatters’ struggle, including a rent-free space, allowed to be collectively self-managed by squatters. As well, the new building — a large, former youth rehabilitation center — had much more possibilities as a space.

The squatters met in general assembly inside the first floor of the squat to discuss the proposal for most of the afternoon, while others visited the building offered by the city. During the assembly, the squatters made an additional demand for an unconditional amnesty from any potential charges relating to the squat. That demand, which was key to eventual approval in assembly, was communicated by phone and also accepted by the mayor’s office and his main negotiator, City Councillor Claire St-Arnaud.

The debate in assembly continued, and with the amnesty issue resolved, 61-14 voted in favor of moving to the new location and vacating Overdale.

Those arguing in favor of the proposal underlined what some called the “historic” nature of what was happening. A group of poor and marginalized people had — through a direct action — managed to secure a rent-free space, to be self-managed by participants. An important precedent for squatting was being established in Montreal, Quebec, and Canada, if not the rest of North America. Moreover, the squatters were dealing with the city from a position of power, mainly due to their willingness to resist, and the public sympathy for their actions. Many also felt that squatting actions would start to flourish in Montreal with the example of Overdale, and that squatting had gained legitimacy.

For those in opposition, there was a discomfort with any dealings with the city. One person called the offer a potential “poison candy.” As well, many felt an attachment to the original building that had developed into a community since Friday. There was also a certain feeling of hypocrisy leaving a site that they had vowed to defend, no matter the offer of a new, rent-free building.

In the end, the overwhelming majority of squatters began moving their belongings out of the squat and into trucks that the city had provided. There were also three red buses to transport the squatters.

While people began moving at around 5 p.m., a group of 12–15 squatters began preparing to stay, and organized to barricade themselves inside. Many supporters stayed on site, in anticipation of the police intervention, as well as to offer solidarity.

By about 8 p.m., a few hours after a bulk of squatters had departed for their new location, the Montreal police arrived in force. There were three public transit buses full of police, as well as several other police vans with the riot squat.

In a press scrum, Andre Durocher, the media spokesperson for the Montreal police, began to create fear against the remaining squatters, referring to their occupation of “private property.” He stated that the remaining squat residents were “a hard core of people who wanted a confrontation.” Mathieu, a squat delegate who stayed behind in solidarity with the remaining squatters, interrupted the scrum. He stated that while he might have decided to leave, it was ludicrous that squatters were being treated as criminals for occupying a building that had been abandoned for over 13 years.

Soon, a delegation of four senior police officers approached the squat, and one commandant demanded that everyone vacate the building and surrounding parking lot immediately. He also asked in French, “Is there a leader here?” His speech was heckled, and some supporters were dancing throughout.

Eventually, the police moved in and created a large perimeter around the squat site, south on Overdale to Rene-Levesque on the north, and Lucien L’Allier on the east to Mackay on the west. A dispersed crowd of about 100 still remained outside the police cordon on Rene-Levesque, chanting “solidarity” in French, while some heckled the cops. A contingent of riot police, with little warning, charged into the crowd, banging their shields and indiscriminately hitting with batons anyone that did not move fast enough. The baton-charge moved right up Bishop Street to Ste-Catherine. One arrest was made at this time.

Meanwhile, the police continued to forcibly move back supporters, effectively keeping witnesses away from good sight of the squat building. Another baton-charge was made up Mackay Street. The police were seemingly trying to provoke a riot, and in anger, at least one police car was smashed. As it so happens, it was the “media relations” car.

Eventually, the entire perimeter was cordoned off, but supporters were able to re-gain a sight line near the youth hostel on Mackay. Others were able to secure access to an apartment rooftop, which provided a clear view of the police operation.

There were close to one hundred police surrounding the lot, and at least three dozen riot police on hand, including a special tactics team. Some time after 9 p.m., a police commandant, this time with a megaphone, asked that the remaining squatters vacate the building. During other interventions, the commandant mentioned the potential charges that the squatters would face. Occasionally, the squatters barricaded on the second floor inside replied, but their words were barely audible. It was always unclear how many were inside.

During the standoff, four more arrests were made of supporters on the outside. Police grabbed one young man known as “The Clown” — because of his ever-present clown nose. Shortly afterwards, three street medics — two men and a woman — were grabbed from a distance and put into a police van. Both arrests were seemingly arbitrary and at a distance from the squat, and it’s unclear what the exact charges will be. In total, there were five arrests at the scene, although some mainstream media reports refer to six.

At about 9:30 p.m., the commandant mentioned that the remaining squatters would be allowed to go without charges if they left immediately. At this point, there was movement inside, and eventually, after waving a squatters flag (a red flag with the international squatting symbol), six people slowly climbed down from the second floor. They raised their fists, while the supporters on rooftops and on the street clapped and again chanted “solidarity.” The six remaining squatters walked towards the Lucien L’Allier metro station, watched and filmed by the police. By all reports, they were not arrested, and some of them traveled to the new building.

One person, who was part of the last six, later mentioned that the last squatters felt they had made their point, while others were having second doubts about waiting for the police to arrest them or worse. The last group had included two minors.

The new building obtained by the squatters straddles the Rosemont and Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighborhoods of Montreal in the East End. It’s located at 3100 Rachel Street East, at the corner of Prefontaine, minutes from the Prefontaine metro on the green line.

The building, known formerly as the “Centre d’Accueil Rachel,” is a former youth rehabilitation center. It’s three-stories (four in one section) and about five times the size of the Overdale squat. There are several balconies and outdoor stairwells, many large and small rooms, closets, washrooms, showers, as well as a kitchen and freezer room. The building is surrounded by a grass lot, trees, and beside a community garden. Unlike the downtown Overdale squat, which was close to high-rise hotels and shops, the new squat is a mixed residential/industrial area, with apartment blocks nearby, as well as a Loblaws superstore across the street in an industrial lot.

The mayor’s willingness to cede the building is undoubtedly related to the upcoming city election in early November. There has been much public sympathy for the squatters, and the mayor was clearly avoiding any major public confrontation between police and squatters. As well, the mayor was also involved in damage control for his remarks on Monday that there wasn’t really a homeless problem in Montreal.

Election or not, the squatters and activists who were lounging at the new site late on Wednesday night were euphoric, if dead tired. Their site is rent and tax-free, with heating and electrical costs incurred by the city. Crucially, the building is to be self-managed by the squatters themselves, with no city intervention. The building is theirs indefinitely, although the mayor has indicated through the media that he hopes in about two years, an official city-approved cooperative will be set up. Other cynical commentators expect the mayor and city’s mood to change after the November election. Whatever the case, minimally, the squatters have a new building with enormous possibilities for the foreseeable short-term future, if not longer.

Looking at the building and the surrounding area, squatters were talking about creating office spaces for radical activist groups, a kitchen for Food Not Bombs, a garden project, library, free school, meeting spaces, media room, and, of course, accessible social housing.

Transforming the new building, which is yet-to-be-named, will be a huge challenge, but talking to the squatters on the scene yesterday, they’re ready to get to work. An assembly is scheduled for tomorrow morning, as well as a block party on Friday night to introduce themselves to their new neighbors.

Already, there are small signs that the transformation has begun; the old sign leading to the building has been replaced with a large simple banner: a black and white fist raised in resistance.

Jaggi Singh 3:51am Thu Aug 2 ‘01 (Modified on 2:42am Sat Aug 11 ‘01). Written for Indymedia Montreal, A-Infos, and CMAQ.