24 arrested at Kingston prison farm blockade

Aug 12, 2010

Protestors block cattle trucks from entering the Kingston's Frontenac Institution on August 8

What began as a peaceful blockade of the entrance to the Frontenac Institution in Kingston at Bath Road on August 8 ended in multiple arrests as over 200 supporters of the Save Our Prison Farms Campaign first blocked cattle trucks from entering the grounds on Sunday and later from exiting the grounds on Monday. The trucks were loaded with the Institution’s 300-head dairy herd, which was transported that day to Waterloo where they were put up for auction on Tuesday August 10.

The campaign has been unfolding for 18 months, since February 19, 2008, when the Conservative government announced its plan to close six prison farms. A total of 24 protestors supporting the campaign were arrested during this week’s blockade.

The protest /blockade was arranged after the coalition received a letter from Don Head, the commissioner of Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), who was earlier presented with a brief from the coalition outlining various green technology proposals to incorporate into the Frontenac Institution’s farm program. In the minds of the campaigners their proposals would have guaranteed the program’s ongoing success. Head's letter stated that he had presented the coalition’s brief to the minister but that they were still going ahead with the closures. Dianne Dowling, president of the National Farmer's Union, said, “So how seriously did they look at the brief? We have no idea.”

On Sunday prior to the arrival of the cattle trucks, which showed up at 3pm, Dowling explained the reasons for the two-day protest/blockade. “We feel the government was elected on a platform of accountability and transparency and all we've gotten from them is half-truths and lies. Their agenda to build more prisons with less programming is only going to make our communities and jails more dangerous. Here they are getting rid of one of their best rehabilitation and training programs in the country, which also provides food for the system. It makes absolutely no sense. The government has to look at these people out here today who are a cross section of the Kingston region and see that they are motivated and will be out on voting day.”

Addressing the crowd, Dowling was emotional and said, “I feel like I am making the speech of my life right now. We are here today because we have done all of the things we were supposed to do.... and after trying to communicate our ideas to the government - still, they will not listen.... and instead have been repeating the same meaningless half truths and lies....SHAME. They have failed Canada completely on these issues. Not only are they ending the programs, decommissioning the farms, and demolishing the infrastructure - they are also making sure that nobody has the money to rebuild them.”

On Sunday Aric McBay, forewarned of the impending arrests, said that he like others was willing to risk arrest for the cause and he encouraged people to think in the long term. “This is the last line of defense for the prison farms and we will fight as hard as we can but it is also the first line of defense in the next fight, against the development of this land, or against a mega-prison and we will fight for the good of our community for as long as we can.”

On Sunday protesters’ determination kept all four trucks from entering the Institution. By the end of the day nine protesters were arrested without incident on charges of mischief. Of those, four were released Sunday and five were held for 24 hours and attended bail hearings on Monday in a Kingston courtroom packed with prison farm supporters. Donna Ivimey, Leda McDonald, Connie Wighten, Denis Drapeau and Peter Roos all signed releases and were let go after agreeing to attend hearings on Sept 14 and agreeing to various conditions, which included not venturing within 1km of any CSC properties including the Frontenac, Pittsburgh and Joyceville Institutions. Pam Cross and Dan Sculley are the two Kingston lawyers representing those arrested and Cross commented that “ the conditions were unreasonably restrictive.”

On Sunday evening Kingston Police agreed with protest organizers to disallow any cattle trucks from departing the Institution before 6AM the following morning, thereby allowing protesters a break.

In the interim officers set up cement barricades at the Frontenac entrance and by early Monday morning when protesters arrived back at the site the police presence had swollen to three times that of Sunday's demonstration, with 40 uniformed officers plus a riot team manning all four corners at the Bath Road intersection.

I was informed by one organizer that farm staff at the institution had refused to load the cattle onto the trucks and left the job to the truckers and upper management.

At approximately 8:30 am when the first loaded truck drove out, a group of protesters who attempted to block it were quickly thrown to the ground, handcuffed and taken away by police. On Monday a total of 15 arrests were made, bringing the total to 24 Of those 15 arrested, 12 were released on conditions including that they not attend the Waterloo auction of the herd, which took place on Tuesday and that they keep 500 meters away from CSC property. Campaign organizers Jeff Peters and Andrew McCann along with Michael Hurley, a professor at Royal Military College in Kingston, refused to agree to the conditions and as of Tuesday were still in custody.

With the last of the seven trucks having departed the farm by early Monday afternoon organizers and supporters were admittedly saddened but still determined. Campaign organizer Dianne Dowling said, “This is definitely a sad day but this coalition of people will definitely continue to be active in this area and I would have to say to Conservative MPs and candidates in all of Eastern Ontario - watch out!”

A final entry on the Save Our Prison Farms website reads, “The Conservative government thinks they can silence us by bullying citizens and removing the cows. But our resolve has only been strengthened, and our struggle for justice and democracy will continue.”

For more information on the Save Our Prison Farms campaign visit www.saveourprisonfarms.ca