Governments, corporations and police are trying to silence our voices and chill our solidarity efforts. As members of movement for Palestinian liberation face escalating violence and criminalization, we must take care of each other and continue to show up!

This legal defence fund was initiated to support 13 comrades who were arrested at the CN Rail blockade in May 2024 and are facing charges. It is now being extended to support comrades recently arrested at the Indigo action on boxing day. We are requesting mutual aid support to cover all anticipated legal fees.

Please donate what you can. Together, we can mobilize the resources needed to support our comrades. Every contribution, big or small, helps us get there.

We must keep each other safe as we continue to mobilize and act for an end to Canada's complicity in genocide in Gaza. As we demand a full arms embargo and sanctions on Israel - and organize to end the ongoing genocide and occupation of Palestinian territory.

We are in solidarity with our comrades as well as every person forced through the carceral system, most of whom are Indigenous residents of the Downtown East Side (DTES) facing the daily colonial oppression of policing, street sweeps, family policing, incarceration, and courts. We stand with Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island and demand the abolition of all colonial carceral systems on Indigenous lands.

Note: If we raise more funds than are needed for the 13 people charged, the funds will either be held for future legal challenges for members of our community or donated to direct relief in Gaza. We will share updates with everyone who contributes to this fund as they come.

What happened at Indigo on boxing day?

On December 26th, Boxing Day, two of our comrades were brutally arrested at a multi faith protest at Indigo - Robson Street. Though they were both safety team members, and were trying to protect both passers-by and our comrades, the VPD brutally arrested them, detained them, and pressed charges.

In order for our comrades to combat this violent escalation by the Vancouver Police Department, they will require legal defence. We are requesting mutual aid support to cover all anticipated legal fees.

What happened at the rail blockade?

On Friday May 31, 100 community members blocked CN rails in so-called Vancouver in an act of civil disobedience to escalate for Gaza. After successfully blockading for hours, police used extreme force to break up the blockade with military-grade pepper spray, choke holds, punching (a pregnant Palestinian woman), dragging, kicking, strangling, and placing knees on necks. Many comrades were injured and sustained concussions, contusions, and severe lacerations. They also arrested 14 comrades, many of whom are Palestinian, Indigenous, racialized, trans peoples.

Of the 14 comrades who were arrested, 13 are now facing charges of mischief in the carceral legal system and require significant legal fees to defend against these unjust charges and tactics of state repression.

References

Rails arrest news: https://globalnews.ca/news/10538415/police-arrest-14-gaza-solidarity-rail-blockade-vancouver/

People's press conference: https://www.instagram.com/p/C8TdLgIN_D1/

Indigo action: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEQc4GoybCw/

These funds will be collected and disbursed through Resource Movement, a community of young people with wealth and/or class privilege working toward the redistribution of wealth, land, and power.