Headlines for 12 May 2010

Winnipeg police shoot and kill man

On Sunday morning, police shot and killed 42-year-old Lance Trevor Muir. 

Police have not yet commented on the circumstances that led to Muir's shooting, but said officers were confronted in some manner by him.

Michalyshen couldn't confirm how many times Muir was hit, or if more than one officer fired at him.  Residents in the area say that they heard 4 shots fired.

Officers involved in a shooting are put on paid administrative leave following an incident. Under provincial law, a public inquest will be called into the man's death because he died as a result of police actions.

Pre-hearing date set for Wilfred Asham inquest

An hearing will be held later this month to determine who can participate in the inquest into the death of Wilfred Asham.  

Asham, who was 19 years old, died on September 2, 2007 in the Public Safety Building in an interview room.

An initial autopsy in 2007 found no obvious cause of death.  When Asham's body was released to his family, they claimed that Asham's body had bruising, as well as swelling around his right eye, and that his nose was straight — despite being crooked for the past two years.

At the hearing, the inquest judge will determine who can question and call witnesses. Anyone who wants to receive standing for the inquest should attend the hearing.

The hearing will take place May 25, 10 a.m., court room 408 at the Law Courts complex.

Call out for anti-capitalist actions at G20

The Southern Ontario Anarchist Resistance (SOAR) is inviting anarchists to summit-hop to Toronto at the end of June to take part in three anti-capitalist actions during the anti-G20 convergence. 

During the large public demonstration planned for June 26, SOAR is calling for an anarchist presence which will break off and move towards the security fence to engage in militant and confrontational actions. Later that evening the group is organizing a roaming street party.

During the last day of the G20, as national leaders make their final deliberations, SOAR is calling for autonmous direct action to disrupt the meeting. 

French government adopts resolution condemning the burqa

Yesterday, the French Parliament adopted a non-binding formal resolution today against the burqa, a head-to-toe garment worn by some Muslim women. The Parliament will reportedly consider a law in July that will outlaw both the burqa and the niqab, despite warnings from France's State Council that such a law may be unconstitutional.

In 2004, the French Parliament passed a law banning students from wearing veils and other religious symbols in public schools.

There have been few critical voices represented in the mainstream media advocating Muslim women's right to choose the burqa, or analyzing the Islamophobia in France and elsewhere that is circulating around the ban.

Thai army will cut water, food, electricy to protest zone

The Thai government has announced new measures in an attempt to shut down a protest zone in central Bangkok, where for almost 2 months protesters have used barricades to claim a zone that spans approximately 3 square kilometres.

Army spokesperson Sansern Kaewkamnerd said that the measures will include cutting water, electricity and mobile phone signals to the protest zone, stopping bus, rail and boat services, and "[sealing] off entrances to the area."

The occupation of the zone is affecting Bangkok's ritziest shopping district and has forced the closure of several luxury hotels. 

The protesters, also known as the Red Shirts, are mostly rural Thai people who have been demanding that the Prime Minister call new elections immediately, and that his deputy face criminal charges for a deadly crackdown on a rally that left 25 people dead. They have  vowed not to budge until their demands are met.

"Firstly, we are using our own electricity generators, so we are not dependent on the public power source," said a Red Shirts spokesperson. "Secondly, if the government decides to cut water ... this will also effect half of the city. So, we do not care about the government's threat."