Blueprints of Disruption
Process as Punishment: Prosecution of Protest
Published: 11 February 2025 at 04:45 Europe/London
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Episode notes
Movement lawyers Nora Fathalipour and Arash Ghiassi have their hands full defending activists targeted by Police and prosecutors, particularly in Ontario where a Hate Crimes Working Group in the Attorney General's office has an explicitly racist mandate.
Hear first hand the process police and the Crown are putting people through in order to intimidate, silence and criminalize movements. Even though most charges are dropped, the ordeal of having a publicized arrest, bail conditions and the process to clear their name can take a toll on activists. This is why having legal representation that understands the broader issues at play is so important.
Political interference and anti-Palestinian racism are setting the tone for Police and prosecutors, but the community, together, is learning how to navigate it all so our comrades can remain free to fight another day.
CALL TO ACTION:
Related Episodes:
- Support Systems Amid State Suppression w/members of the Toronto Legal Support;
- Weaponizing Canadian Law for Israel w/journalist Martin Lukacs from The Breach; and,
- The IHRA, Fascism and Upholding Colonial Violence - on Canada's adoption of the weaponized definition of antisemitism.
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Resources:
- The Breach: Secretive committee in Ontario ministry pushed crackdown on pro-Palestine activism
- CBC: Charges Dropped against pro-Palestinian protester
- CBC: Charges dropped against woman filmed pulling Pro-Palestinian protester's hijab
- Nora Fathalipour Bio | Nuance Legal
- Arash Ghiassi Bio — Savards LLP | Toronto Criminal Lawyers
- What is Movement Lawyering? — Movement Law Lab
