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Battles for Freedom

March for Freedom London, Ontario April 27, 2003   March for Freedom - Video [51 seconds] (Real Player Needed) [Download video]   Sunday was a brilliant spring day -- clear blue sky, bracing winds -- in London, Ontario. Several groups answered the free speech call and rallied to the freedom banner, including supporters of the Canadian Association for Free Expression, the Canadian Heritage Alliance and the Northern Alliance. We staged a march starting from the Cenotaph in downtown London's Victoria Park. With our large Red Ensigns snapping against the deep blue sky, were certainly created a stirring sight.  The London Free Press covered our protest. We were warning Londoners of a serious threat to liberty in the form of a proposal crafted by lesbian leader Debbie Lee to make London a "hate free zone." This would involve a ban on renting municipal facilities to "hate" groups and surveillance of "hate" groups. We know that "hate" is a label the politically correct, the sexual special agenda lobby and the anti-White anti-racists love to attach to any who disagrees with them. For six months, we've sounded the warning about the threat behind this legislation. The march was to again highlight the message. The march went very well. It was peaceful and constructive. Sadly, London's meddling "hate squad" chose to dog our every move. Sgt. Don McKinnon, the head of the squad, and his new sidekick Const. Christine Weston, the blonde with black roots, were busily snapping scores of pictures of us. They trailed us right around the large park, photographing us all the way. Sgt. Don McKinnon Sgt. Don McKinnon and his new manly sidekick Const. Christine Weston Sgt. Don McKinnon and Const. Christine Weston follow  the marchers every step of the way I immediately fired off a protest. We are not criminals or haters. Free speech and dissent are not crimes. You wonder at the waste of manpower. Are there no youth gangs, drug problems or illegal immigrants that the trusty two might more profitably pursue on a Sunday afternoon? The London Hate Squad has a sordid history of harassing young White political activists. It's latest outrage -- prior to today's photo session -- was a campaign by Const. Weston to contact clients of Melissa Guille, the head of the London Branch of the Canadian Heritage Alliance. Miss Guille designs websites. Several of her clients report being contacted by the London cops' Farrah Fawcett wannabe and being informed that Melissa is being "investigated." The same scuzzy tactics were used a decade ago in Ottawa by "hate squad" supremeo Dan Dunlop, since apparently demoted to a more modest role as a lowly beat cop. Dunlop used to visit the employers of young activists and comment on their political involvement. Many subsequently lost their jobs. Stopping the development of a political police is one of the key challenge of free speech activists in Canada. Paul Fromm  Director  CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR FREE EXPRESSION INC.      Canadian Association for Free Expression  Box 332,  Rexdale, Ontario,  M9W 5L3  Ph: 905-897-7221;  FAX: 905-277-3914 Paul Fromm, B.Ed, M.A. Director April 27, 2003 Jan Richardson, Chair, London Police Services Board, 601 Dundas Street, London, ON., N6B 1X1 BY FAX: 519-661-1053 Dear Ms Richardson: I'm writing to you about a very disturbing event that occurred this afternoon in near the Cenotaph in Victoria Park. Ours was one of several groups that sponsored a peaceful march to highlight our concerns about a proposal now before London City Council; namely, a proposal to declare London a Hate Free Zone. The policy would deny municipal meetings room to "hate groups" and well as support some sort of monitoring of such groups. We believe that this vague policy would infringe freedom of speech. Our march had been advertised on several websites and attracted about two dozen persons. Most carried flags and a few had placards; such as, "Truth is Not Hate." I was shocked to see across Wellington Street two officers Sgt. Don McKinnon, Head of London's Youth and Hate Crimes Unit and Const. Christine Weston. Both were snapping photos of us. We gave an interview and then marched around the perimeter of Victoria Park, went back to the Cenotaph and disbanded. We were dogged all the way by the two officers, snapping out pictures. To my knowledge none of the participants has ever been charged or convicted under Sect. 319 "hate propaganda" provision of the Criminal Code. Ours was a peaceful,. lawful march ion support of several of the basic rights enshrined under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms -- freedom of speech and assembly. What were the two officers doing bird-dogging our march and taking our pictures? This is nothing short of harassment! I have no trouble with the several uniformed officers in cars who circled our march and kept an eye on things. I see no problem with the police ensuring that the march would be peaceful. I have serious problems with peaceful citizens, lawfully going about their business, being surveilled and photographed. I request assurance that these photos will be destroyed. Peaceful dissent is not "hate". It was a beautiful spring afternoon and it was exciting to hear the wind snap at the Red Ensign flags we carried under which so many of our forefathers fought for freedom. It was sad to see people supporting free speech being snooped on as suspected haters. This is the sort of sad police activity you'd expect in the old Soviet Union where people merely exercising freedom of religion would be hounded by the police. As a Canadian, I expect better of our police. I await your reply, Sincerely yours, Paul Fromm