FBI Puts Antiwar Protesters on Criminal Database

[annabanana]

Canada Uses It To Ban Protesters From Entry.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_rob_kall_071007_fbi_puts_antiwar_pro.htm

Two well-respected US peace activists, CODEPINK and Global Exchange cofounder Medea Benjamin and retired Colonel and diplomat Ann Wright, were denied entry into Canada On October third. The two women were headed to Toronto to discuss peace and security issues at the invitation of the Toronto Stop the War Coalition. At the Buffalo-Niagara Falls Bridge they were detained, questioned and denied entry.

"In my case, the border guard pulled up a file showing that I had been arrested at the US Mission to the UN where, on International Women's Day, a group of us had tried to deliver a peace petition signed by 152,000 women around the world," says Benjamin. "For this, the Canadians labeled me a criminal and refused to allow me in the country."

~snip~

"In the past, Canada has always welcomed peace activists with open arms. This new policy, obviously a creature of the Bush administration, is shocking and we in the US and Canada must insist that it be overturned. Four members of the Canadian Parliament--Peggy Nash, Libby Davies, Paul Dewar and Peter Julian-- expressed outrage that the peace activists were barred from Canada and vow to change this policy.

~snip~

According to Wright, there was almost no coverage of this in the US, except for an AP release. In Canada, Toronto's Globe and Mail and several other newspapers and three Canadian TV stations covered it.

This has not been done before. It is NOT a good developement.

[cali]

1. As someone who lives very near the border,

I can assure you that it's been done for ages. If you have a criminal conviction- even for a misdemeanor- and they're aware of it, the Canadians won't let across. What's alarming, is that the feds seemed to go out of their way to provide Canada with info about Benjamin and others.

[PDJane]

2. Criminal Convictions, yes.

However, these are misdemeanors. THAT is not criminal, and the fact that the FBI would put misdemeanors on that sheet is scary as hell.

These are NOT criminal offences. An activist and student, Alison Bodine, 22, washarassed and jailed in BC too, and it's making me angry as hell...I don't want to live in the US. I hope Harper does NOT get his majority, but he's far too cocky about it. One wonders what kind of vote-rigging advice he has received to be so cocky.

[cali]

4. Nope. As I said in my OP even if it's a misdemeanor

odds are you won't be able to cross. If you don't believe me, check it out yourself. If you have any kind of conviction, you are first supposed to contact the nearest embassy or consulate to get a waiver before traveling to Canada. I know several people with misdemeanor comvictions who have not been able to cross the border.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. That is exactly right.

Alaskans with even one DWI conviction cannot drive across Canada to get to the southeast portion of our state.

[Bitwit1234]

3. My Canadian relatives are as upset as hell with the right leanings

of this Prime Minister. Did you know that most PM's re elected per the heavily populated areas in Quebec and the East. That the Canadians in the west have absolutely no say. They don't have the population to elect anybody. AND THEN the new PM gets to appoint the representatives for each providence.

[partylessinOhio]

5. Thank you for posting this. A caller had referred to a member of Code Pink

being denied entrance into Canada on Friday's Washington Journal. I had not had the time yet to search for a link to post here.

This certainly is not a good development for protesting the Bush/War is not a criminal offense. Protester names should not be placed on a Watch List.

Medea Benjamin (R) and another member of women's peace
group CODEPINK plead for U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates (L)
and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace
(not pictured) to end the war in Iraq, before a Senate Appropriations
hearing on U.S. President George W. Bush's FY2008 supplemental
request for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, on Capitol Hill
in Washington, September 26, 2007.

[RufusEarl]

6. With the new requirements for a pass port,

to leave and enter the USA we're going to see allot more of this. All the FBI has to do is add someone to the LIST, and wham you're more or less trapped in the USofA.

Peace!

[Crabby Appleton]

8. Ann Wright & Medea Benjamin both have criminal records

and therefor are in the NCIC.

From Canadian Embassy we site
http://geo.international.gc.ca/can-am/washington/visas/inadmissible-en.asp

Persons who are inadmissible to Canada

Members of Inadmissible Classes include those who have been convicted of MINOR OFFENCES (including shoplifting, theft, assault, dangerous driving, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of illegal substances, etc.), or of INDICTABLE CRIMINAL OFFENCES (including assault with a deadly weapon, manslaughter, etc.). As well, those who have been convicted of DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED (DWI) are considered Members of an Inadmissible Class. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is regarded as an extremely serious offence in Canada.

Those who have received TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS (including parking/speeding tickets, etc.) and other minor violations (i.e. littering, etc.) most likely will NOT be prohibited from entering Canada. Similarly, those who have JUVENILE CONVICTIONS (convictions for crimes committed while under age 18) most likely will NOT be prohibited from entering Canada unless they could have been tried as an adult for their offences.

also see:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/02/23/NEVIUS.TMP

[cali]

9. I think a lot of folks aren't familiar

with how it works. Really, this isn't anything new. I do know that it's easier to fly in than drive across if you have a criminal conviction.

[Desperadoe]

10. DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED (DWI)

Sounds like an awful lot of American baseball players should not be allowed to go to Toronto or Montreal. I wonder how many on each team fit this description, not to mention drug busts, assaults, etc.

Enquiring minds should be asking these questions.