Jaggi Singh
Encyclopedia
Jaggi Singh is one of Canada
's most high-profile anti-globalization
and social justice
activists. He is an anarchist
. Singh lives in Montreal
where he works with groups such as Solidarity Across Borders (a local migrant-rights organization) and the No One Is Illegal collective, among others. Singh graduated from St. Michael's College School
and attended the University of Toronto
. He also attended the University of British Columbia
.
conference held in Vancouver
. According to Canadian Member of Parliament, Svend Robinson
, the day before the summit started: "Jaggi Singh, one of the organizers of the APEC alert ... [was] arrested, wrestled to the ground on the UBC
campus by three plainclothes police officers, handcuffed, thrown in the back of an unmarked car with tinted glass, driven off and locked up during the APEC summit."
Singh was charged with assault after allegedly yelling into the ear of a campus security guard with a megaphone and spent the duration of the conference in jail. In February 1999, the assault charge was dropped by Crown prosecutors before going to trial.
Singh was one of 51 people to file a complaint against the conduct of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) at the APEC summit that sparked a formal investigation by the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP. In March 2000, he was one of three people to formally withdraw from the inquiry, alleging that Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
's rejection of an invitation to testify before the Commission was proof that the process was flawed.
In one of the findings condemning RCMP behavior issued in the final report by the Commission, it was noted that: "Mr. Jaggi Singh was arrested on a warrant based on a spurious charge; the manner of his arrest was inappropriate in the circumstances; the timing of the arrest was calculated to prevent him from attending protests on November 25; the bail conditions sought were overly restrictive."
protest in Montreal, and charged with "participation in a riot", and illegal assembly and mischief. Police claimed that Jaggi’s speech against the International Monetary Fund
incited the crowd, and that he announced the availability of medical help while riot police were charging at the crowd. In April 2003, he was acquitted of the riot charges.
Singh gained widespread notoriety as the longest-detained demonstrator arrested by police at the Quebec City Summit of the Americas
. Witnesses reported that, "he was grabbed from behind by police masquerading as protesters" and "dragged away in a beige van". Singh was held for a total of 17 days, and charged with breaking conditions from previous arrests and with weapons charges - for a mock catapult
that launched teddy bears that was actually constructed and operated by an unrelated group from Edmonton
.
During his imprisonment, "Free Jaggi Singh" protests took place in Montreal, and as far away as the Czech Republic, France, Germany and the United States. He was released on $3,000 bail with conditions that prohibited him from leading or organizing any demonstrations or using a megaphone.
In a telephone interview conducted while he was in the Orsainville jail near Quebec
, Singh explained his view that legal action against him and other political activists was designed to intimidate them into silence, and split them off from mainstream public opinion:
During the lengthy pre-trial process, the weapons charge was dropped, and Singh’s request in November 2003 for a stay of proceedings based on "unreasonable delay and abuse of process," was accepted two months before the case would have gone to trial in January 2004. In his ruling, Judge Beaulieu of the Quebec Superior Court agreed with Singh’s position that: "… the bail conditions imposed on May 2001 have restrained his right to freedom, opinion, expression and the right of freedom of association as protected by article 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms."
activism and for organizing protests in and around Montreal.
On September 9, 2002, he was present at a protest against a speech by current Israel
i Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
which was to be presented by the pro-Israel Hillel
club at Concordia University, with support from the Asper
Foundation. The talk was canceled when confrontations between protestors, police and security agents became violent, resulting in widespread coverage in the media, including an article in The Globe and Mail
written by Singh himself. (See full text of article here: http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=2315)
In January 2003, Singh was deported by Israeli authorities after having gone to the West Bank
on an invitation from the International Solidarity Movement
. He had initially been denied entrance to the country upon his arrival in December 2002, but fought the decision in court. Though he won the right to stay for three weeks, he was barred from visiting the West Bank. Singh refused to abide by the order and made public his reasons for doing so, writing: "It's not for an occupying power to decide who can or can't enter
Palestine... I've decided then to ignore the Israeli security services and listen to the Palestinian activists. It was an easy choice to make." On January 8, 2003, Singh was nabbed by undercover police officers in Jerusalem. He was held at the Russian Compound and then the Maasiyahu Prison
, before being deported
back to Canada.
On January 20, 2003, Singh was to speak at a demonstration in support of students facing disciplinary charges for the September 9 protest against Netanyahu. He was arrested on university campus by police and charged with illegal assembly, obstruction, mischief, assault, conspiracy and breaking prior conditions, for the September 9 protest.
All five charges against Singh were dismissed by December 2005. Singh mounted his own defense and filed an abuse of process motion after the prosecution failed to disclose more than 30 unedited videos taken by surveillance cameras the day of the protest. He put it to the court that the videos showed inconsistencies with the evidence given by security guards and supported his version of events.
In his ruling, Montreal Municipal Court Judge Pierre Fontaine wrote that the Concordia University Administration had exhibited "gross negligence
" that amounted to a "flagrant violation" of Singh's right to a fair trial. The dismissal of the charges at that time meant that Singh enjoyed his first totally clean judicial record in years.
The Crown successfully appealed Judge Fontaine's decision and the charges were reinstated. In his judgement rendered on August 23, 2006, Superior Court of Quebec Judge James Brunton wrote: "I agree that the trial judge erred when he held that officials of Concordia University were grossly negligent in not volunteering the production of the videocassettes before receiving a subpoena duces tecum during the motion hearing. My reading of the transcripts leads me to the exact opposite conclusion. Officials of Concordia were exemplary in their co-operation with the prosecution and the Court. They were exemplary in their dealings with the Respondent during the hearing of the motion."
On April 19, 2006, Singh was attending a pro-Palestinian poetry-reading/music fundraising event,
organized by Sumoud at the El Salon cafe, when he was arrested by Montreal police. Reports conflict as to what happened exactly. Police say they were responding to an allegation of assault reported by a "taxi driver" outside the cafe. They say they attempted to question Singh about the alleged assault and pursued him inside the cafe to do so, but that many of the 70 people in attendance attempted to obstruct them. Singh says the man who police say was a "taxi driver" was wearing a suit and driving an unmarked SUV. He says that the man pushed him after Singh asked him what he was doing parked on the side of the road wearing an earpiece. Police ended up charging Singh and one other person with obstruction, and three others were given municipal fines.
drew reference to Singh in an article about protesters against the Republican National Convention
. The article incorrectly spoke of Singh being Muslim (he was born to a Sikh father and Catholic mother), prone to violence, that he was proficient in firearms and received training from Kazi Toure (he has never met Kazi Toure or received any firearms training), and that the teddy-bear launching catapult of the Quebec Summit of the Americas had instead launched molotov cocktail
s. At the same time, the New York Post
published a photo of someone they alleged to be Singh shooting off a handgun. A friend of his who saw the picture noted: "It is some brown guy with high cheekbones and a Harry Potter haircut, but it's not Jaggi."
Singh does not readily throw himself into the spotlight due to an awareness of how the media likes to develop cults of personality: "I didn't choose to be covered in the way I have been. I've said no to interviews far more often than I've said yes." In 2001, when the CBC's The Fifth Estate aired a documentary profile of Singh, it was difficult to get his cooperation. Anna Maria Tremonti, the show's host, noted that "Often, people clamour to get in front of a microphone. But Jaggi didn't clamour."
Singh does acknowledge that not all his dealings with the media have been bad: "There are some journalists who are willing to take time on a story. That doesn't mean days, it just means making a couple of calls and getting all the background information so the story is not exploitative."
He was interviewed and included in the PBS documentary # Commanding Heights:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/minitext/int_naomiklein.html#11 about the global political economy. Of free trade agreements, like NAFTA, he says: "We are not here to negotiate the terms of our own misery."
in Montreal, Singh has outlined the links between global apartheid and the work of groups like No One Is Illegal towards protecting the rights of refugee claimants in Canada and migrants around the world. He has said that, "You can't define human beings as illegal, as exploitable [or] as non-status." He has also criticized the high bar for refugee status in Canada saying that, "You have to prove that there is a gun to your head or there will be a gun to your head," in order to be allowed to stay.
Singh also took part in a protest of Immigration Minister Monte Solberg
's speech at the annual meeting of Citizens for Public Justice
in 2006, demanding a moratorium
on all deportations of refugees. He was one of about a dozen protestors whose presence was cited as a disruption of the event, and which resulted in Solberg cancelling his speech and leaving the hall.
Singh currently produces No One Is Illegal Radio, which is broadcasted on CKUT and podcasted by the A-Infos Radio Project
.
at a press conference convened by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
at the Montreal General Hospital.
The arresting officer’s report stated that the RCMP asked Singh to leave based on his reputation as a political dissident and that he was arrested for refusing to leave after being asked to by hospital security.
At the bail hearing, the prosecution argued for denial of bail on the basis that Singh’s history of arrests made it likely that he would re-offend. In his defense, Singh stated that, "I was targeted not for what I did, but for my reputation," and further pointed out that he had won five of the six cases previously brought against him.
Singh also submitted that, "Standing up and asking a question is not illegal. Standing up and challenging the Prime Minister’s policies is not illegal."
Municipal Court Judge Pascal Pillarella ruled that Singh had not actually violated the conditions of his earlier bail and should not have to spend months in jail awaiting trial. Singh was released on $2000 bail, and his trial for charges including obstruction and assault was scheduled for May 2007.
A 3-day trial was held, during which testimony was heard from RCMP and Montreal police officers, as well as hospital security. Representing himself, Singh did not testify. On December 4, 2007, he was convicted of obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duties, as well as breaching court-imposed conditions. Municipal Court Judge Morton Minc later sentenced him to a total of $1000 in fines, plus costs. In his judgment, the judge mentioned among other things Singh's prior convictions, the fact that Singh had shown a total lack of respect for the security forces, and the fact that the offence was committed in a hospital during a conference about cancer, a subject that deserves respect.
A media alert sent out on the day of the march by a fellow demonstrator describes the particulars of Singh’s arrest as follows:
during the G-20 Summit
in Toronto
. According to immigrant rights group No One is Illegal, Singh turned himself into Toronto police
following the issuance of an arrest warrant.
He was granted bail on July 12, after $10,000 was paid by two sureties, one of which was the Québec provincial deputy Amir Khadir
, from the Québec Solidaire Party
. In addition to this bail, $75,000 more, guaranteed this time by Amir Khadir and two other people whose identities were not revealed, will be charged if Singh breaks his release conditions, which are the following: house arrest at the home of one of the garantors; handing in his passport to the authorities; he must not use a cellular phone; he must not have any contact with the 16 other activists charged with conspiracy in connection with the G20 protests.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's most high-profile anti-globalization
Anti-globalization
Criticism of globalization is skepticism of the claimed benefits of the globalization of capitalism. Many of these views are held by the anti-globalization movement however other groups also are critical of the policies of globalization....
and social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
activists. He is an anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
. Singh lives in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
where he works with groups such as Solidarity Across Borders (a local migrant-rights organization) and the No One Is Illegal collective, among others. Singh graduated from St. Michael's College School
St. Michael's College School
St. Michael's College School is a private, all-boys Roman Catholic day school in Toronto, Canada. Currently administered by the Basilian Fathers, it is the largest school of its kind in Canada, with an enrollment of approximately 1,080 students from grades 7 to 12. St...
and attended the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. He also attended the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
.
1997 APEC summit
Singh first came into the public spotlight during the protests outside the 1997 APECAsia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim countries that seeks to promote free trade and economic cooperation throughout the Asia-Pacific region...
conference held in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. According to Canadian Member of Parliament, Svend Robinson
Svend Robinson
Svend Robinson is a former Canadian politician. He was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 2004, representing the suburban Vancouver-area constituency of Burnaby for the New Democratic Party...
, the day before the summit started: "Jaggi Singh, one of the organizers of the APEC alert ... [was] arrested, wrestled to the ground on the UBC
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
campus by three plainclothes police officers, handcuffed, thrown in the back of an unmarked car with tinted glass, driven off and locked up during the APEC summit."
Singh was charged with assault after allegedly yelling into the ear of a campus security guard with a megaphone and spent the duration of the conference in jail. In February 1999, the assault charge was dropped by Crown prosecutors before going to trial.
Singh was one of 51 people to file a complaint against the conduct of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) at the APEC summit that sparked a formal investigation by the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP. In March 2000, he was one of three people to formally withdraw from the inquiry, alleging that Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
's rejection of an invitation to testify before the Commission was proof that the process was flawed.
In one of the findings condemning RCMP behavior issued in the final report by the Commission, it was noted that: "Mr. Jaggi Singh was arrested on a warrant based on a spurious charge; the manner of his arrest was inappropriate in the circumstances; the timing of the arrest was calculated to prevent him from attending protests on November 25; the bail conditions sought were overly restrictive."
G-20 & the Quebec City Summit of the Americas
Singh continued to attend Canadian rallies and protests, and continued to face arrests. In October 2000, he was arrested at a G-20G-20 major economies
The Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 major economies: 19 countries plus the European Union, which is represented by the President of the European Council and by the European Central Bank...
protest in Montreal, and charged with "participation in a riot", and illegal assembly and mischief. Police claimed that Jaggi’s speech against the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
incited the crowd, and that he announced the availability of medical help while riot police were charging at the crowd. In April 2003, he was acquitted of the riot charges.
 |
Singh gained widespread notoriety as the longest-detained demonstrator arrested by police at the Quebec City Summit of the Americas
Quebec City Summit of the Americas
The 3rd Summit of the Americas was a summit held in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, on April 20--22, 2001.This international meeting was a round of negotiations regarding a proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas...
. Witnesses reported that, "he was grabbed from behind by police masquerading as protesters" and "dragged away in a beige van". Singh was held for a total of 17 days, and charged with breaking conditions from previous arrests and with weapons charges - for a mock catapult
Catapult
A catapult is a device used to throw or hurl a projectile a great distance without the aid of explosive devices—particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. Although the catapult has been used since ancient times, it has proven to be one of the most effective mechanisms during...
that launched teddy bears that was actually constructed and operated by an unrelated group from Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
.
During his imprisonment, "Free Jaggi Singh" protests took place in Montreal, and as far away as the Czech Republic, France, Germany and the United States. He was released on $3,000 bail with conditions that prohibited him from leading or organizing any demonstrations or using a megaphone.
In a telephone interview conducted while he was in the Orsainville jail near Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Singh explained his view that legal action against him and other political activists was designed to intimidate them into silence, and split them off from mainstream public opinion:
During the lengthy pre-trial process, the weapons charge was dropped, and Singh’s request in November 2003 for a stay of proceedings based on "unreasonable delay and abuse of process," was accepted two months before the case would have gone to trial in January 2004. In his ruling, Judge Beaulieu of the Quebec Superior Court agreed with Singh’s position that: "… the bail conditions imposed on May 2001 have restrained his right to freedom, opinion, expression and the right of freedom of association as protected by article 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms."
Pro-Palestinian activism
Singh is also known for his pro-PalestinianPalestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
activism and for organizing protests in and around Montreal.
On September 9, 2002, he was present at a protest against a speech by current Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
which was to be presented by the pro-Israel Hillel
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, working with thousands of college students globally...
club at Concordia University, with support from the Asper
Asper
- People :* Aemilius Asper, Latin grammarian* David Asper, Vice-president of CanWest Global Communications Corp.* Gail Asper, President of the CanWest Global Foundation and managing director and secretary of The Asper Foundation...
Foundation. The talk was canceled when confrontations between protestors, police and security agents became violent, resulting in widespread coverage in the media, including an article in The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
written by Singh himself. (See full text of article here: http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=2315)
In January 2003, Singh was deported by Israeli authorities after having gone to the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
on an invitation from the International Solidarity Movement
International Solidarity Movement
The International Solidarity Movement is an organization focused on assisting the Palestinian cause in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict using nonviolent protests. It was founded in 2001 by Ghassan Andoni, a Palestinian activist; Neta Golan, an Israeli activist; Huwaida Arraf, a...
. He had initially been denied entrance to the country upon his arrival in December 2002, but fought the decision in court. Though he won the right to stay for three weeks, he was barred from visiting the West Bank. Singh refused to abide by the order and made public his reasons for doing so, writing: "It's not for an occupying power to decide who can or can't enter
Palestine... I've decided then to ignore the Israeli security services and listen to the Palestinian activists. It was an easy choice to make." On January 8, 2003, Singh was nabbed by undercover police officers in Jerusalem. He was held at the Russian Compound and then the Maasiyahu Prison
Maasiyahu Prison
Maasiyahu Prison is a minimum-security Israel Prison Service prison specifically designated for illegal immigrants and others awaiting deportation...
, before being deported
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
back to Canada.
On January 20, 2003, Singh was to speak at a demonstration in support of students facing disciplinary charges for the September 9 protest against Netanyahu. He was arrested on university campus by police and charged with illegal assembly, obstruction, mischief, assault, conspiracy and breaking prior conditions, for the September 9 protest.
All five charges against Singh were dismissed by December 2005. Singh mounted his own defense and filed an abuse of process motion after the prosecution failed to disclose more than 30 unedited videos taken by surveillance cameras the day of the protest. He put it to the court that the videos showed inconsistencies with the evidence given by security guards and supported his version of events.
In his ruling, Montreal Municipal Court Judge Pierre Fontaine wrote that the Concordia University Administration had exhibited "gross negligence
Gross negligence
Gross negligence is a legal concept which means serious carelessness. Negligence is the opposite of diligence, or being careful. The standard of ordinary negligence is what conduct one expects from the proverbial "reasonable person"...
" that amounted to a "flagrant violation" of Singh's right to a fair trial. The dismissal of the charges at that time meant that Singh enjoyed his first totally clean judicial record in years.
The Crown successfully appealed Judge Fontaine's decision and the charges were reinstated. In his judgement rendered on August 23, 2006, Superior Court of Quebec Judge James Brunton wrote: "I agree that the trial judge erred when he held that officials of Concordia University were grossly negligent in not volunteering the production of the videocassettes before receiving a subpoena duces tecum during the motion hearing. My reading of the transcripts leads me to the exact opposite conclusion. Officials of Concordia were exemplary in their co-operation with the prosecution and the Court. They were exemplary in their dealings with the Respondent during the hearing of the motion."
On April 19, 2006, Singh was attending a pro-Palestinian poetry-reading/music fundraising event,
organized by Sumoud at the El Salon cafe, when he was arrested by Montreal police. Reports conflict as to what happened exactly. Police say they were responding to an allegation of assault reported by a "taxi driver" outside the cafe. They say they attempted to question Singh about the alleged assault and pursued him inside the cafe to do so, but that many of the 70 people in attendance attempted to obstruct them. Singh says the man who police say was a "taxi driver" was wearing a suit and driving an unmarked SUV. He says that the man pushed him after Singh asked him what he was doing parked on the side of the road wearing an earpiece. Police ended up charging Singh and one other person with obstruction, and three others were given municipal fines.
Media portrayal in United States
In 2004, the New York Daily NewsNew York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
drew reference to Singh in an article about protesters against the Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
. The article incorrectly spoke of Singh being Muslim (he was born to a Sikh father and Catholic mother), prone to violence, that he was proficient in firearms and received training from Kazi Toure (he has never met Kazi Toure or received any firearms training), and that the teddy-bear launching catapult of the Quebec Summit of the Americas had instead launched molotov cocktail
Molotov cocktail
The Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, Molotov bomb, fire bottle, fire bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
s. At the same time, the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
published a photo of someone they alleged to be Singh shooting off a handgun. A friend of his who saw the picture noted: "It is some brown guy with high cheekbones and a Harry Potter haircut, but it's not Jaggi."
Singh does not readily throw himself into the spotlight due to an awareness of how the media likes to develop cults of personality: "I didn't choose to be covered in the way I have been. I've said no to interviews far more often than I've said yes." In 2001, when the CBC's The Fifth Estate aired a documentary profile of Singh, it was difficult to get his cooperation. Anna Maria Tremonti, the show's host, noted that "Often, people clamour to get in front of a microphone. But Jaggi didn't clamour."
Singh does acknowledge that not all his dealings with the media have been bad: "There are some journalists who are willing to take time on a story. That doesn't mean days, it just means making a couple of calls and getting all the background information so the story is not exploitative."
He was interviewed and included in the PBS documentary # Commanding Heights:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/minitext/int_naomiklein.html#11 about the global political economy. Of free trade agreements, like NAFTA, he says: "We are not here to negotiate the terms of our own misery."
Civil liberties & Montreal Police tactics
Singh provided an "activist arrest and trial calendar" to the United Nations International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights in support of a complaint filed by La Ligue des droits et libertés, outlining heavy-handed Montreal police tactics that had resulted in 2,000 arrests between 1999 and 2004. In November 2005, the UN body's report singled out Montreal police for the disproporionate use of mass arrests, stating: "The State party should ensure that the right of persons to peacefully participate in social protests is respected, and ensure that only those committing criminal offences during demonstrations are arrested ... The Committee also invites the State party to conduct an inquiry into the practices of the Montreal police forces during demonstrations, and wishes to receive more detail about the practical implementation of article 63 of the Criminal Code relating to unlawful assembly." Singh cited the results of the report as a vindication for Montreal activists: "The report validates what protesters have been saying about these protests, that these mass arrests are essentially a tactic by Montreal police to prevent by fear the involvement of young people who take to the streets in protest."Migrant rights advocacy
In talks he has given at Concordia University and McGill UniversityMcGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal, Singh has outlined the links between global apartheid and the work of groups like No One Is Illegal towards protecting the rights of refugee claimants in Canada and migrants around the world. He has said that, "You can't define human beings as illegal, as exploitable [or] as non-status." He has also criticized the high bar for refugee status in Canada saying that, "You have to prove that there is a gun to your head or there will be a gun to your head," in order to be allowed to stay.
Singh also took part in a protest of Immigration Minister Monte Solberg
Monte Solberg
Monte Kenton Solberg, PC is a former Canadian Member of Parliament, representing the riding of Medicine Hat in the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He was the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development...
's speech at the annual meeting of Citizens for Public Justice
Citizens for Public Justice
rightCitizens for Public Justice is a Canadian non-profit organization of over 1500 members across the country inspired by faith to act for justice in Canadian public policy.- History :...
in 2006, demanding a moratorium
Moratorium (law)
A moratorium is a delay or suspension of an activity or a law. In a legal context, it may refer to the temporary suspension of a law to allow a legal challenge to be carried out....
on all deportations of refugees. He was one of about a dozen protestors whose presence was cited as a disruption of the event, and which resulted in Solberg cancelling his speech and leaving the hall.
Singh currently produces No One Is Illegal Radio, which is broadcasted on CKUT and podcasted by the A-Infos Radio Project
Radio4all.net
The A-Infos Radio Project was formed in October 1996 by Lyn Gerry and other grassroots broadcasters, free radio journalists and cyber-activists to provide the means to share radio programs via the Internet. Programs are typically submitted from "Independent or Alternative media", which refers to a...
.
Protesting Canadian involvement in the War in Afghanistan
On November 24, 2006, Singh was arrested yet again and charged with violating earlier bail conditions for taking part in a 15-person protest against Canadian involvement in the war on AfghanistanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
at a press conference convened by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
at the Montreal General Hospital.
The arresting officer’s report stated that the RCMP asked Singh to leave based on his reputation as a political dissident and that he was arrested for refusing to leave after being asked to by hospital security.
At the bail hearing, the prosecution argued for denial of bail on the basis that Singh’s history of arrests made it likely that he would re-offend. In his defense, Singh stated that, "I was targeted not for what I did, but for my reputation," and further pointed out that he had won five of the six cases previously brought against him.
Singh also submitted that, "Standing up and asking a question is not illegal. Standing up and challenging the Prime Minister’s policies is not illegal."
Municipal Court Judge Pascal Pillarella ruled that Singh had not actually violated the conditions of his earlier bail and should not have to spend months in jail awaiting trial. Singh was released on $2000 bail, and his trial for charges including obstruction and assault was scheduled for May 2007.
A 3-day trial was held, during which testimony was heard from RCMP and Montreal police officers, as well as hospital security. Representing himself, Singh did not testify. On December 4, 2007, he was convicted of obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duties, as well as breaching court-imposed conditions. Municipal Court Judge Morton Minc later sentenced him to a total of $1000 in fines, plus costs. In his judgment, the judge mentioned among other things Singh's prior convictions, the fact that Singh had shown a total lack of respect for the security forces, and the fact that the offence was committed in a hospital during a conference about cancer, a subject that deserves respect.
International Women's Day 2007
On March 8, 2007, Singh attended a demonstration for International Women’s Day in Montreal where he was again arrested by police. He was held in jail for five days. At the bail hearing, police contended that Singh violated a bail condition prohibiting him from attending illegal or non-peaceful demonstrations. Several witnesses, including a Cégep professor and a medical resident at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, testified that the women’s day march had been peaceful. He was released on $1000 bail. The judge commented that the "hefty bond" might work to deter Singh’s activism.A media alert sent out on the day of the march by a fellow demonstrator describes the particulars of Singh’s arrest as follows:
G-20 Toronto 2010
In June 2010, Singh participated in the protests2010 G-20 Toronto summit protests
The 2010 G-20 Toronto summit protests began one week ahead of the summit of the leaders of the G-20 on June 26 and 27 in Toronto. Protests included demonstrations, rallies, marches, as well as a destructive riot that broke out on June 26 which caused vandalism to several businesses in Downtown...
during the G-20 Summit
2010 G-20 Toronto summit
The 2010 G-20 Toronto summit was the fourth meeting of the G-20 heads of government, in discussion of the global financial system and the world economy, which took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, during June 26–27, 2010...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. According to immigrant rights group No One is Illegal, Singh turned himself into Toronto police
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
following the issuance of an arrest warrant.
He was granted bail on July 12, after $10,000 was paid by two sureties, one of which was the Québec provincial deputy Amir Khadir
Amir Khadir
Amir Khadir is a politician in the National Assembly of Quebec , Canada for the electoral district of Mercier, and currently the male spokesperson for Québec Solidaire, a sovereignist and left-wing political party which was created by the merger of the Union des Forces Progressistes and Option...
, from the Québec Solidaire Party
Québec Solidaire
Québec solidaire is a democratic socialist and sovereigntist political party in Quebec, Canada, that was created on 4 February 2006 in Montreal. It was formed by the merger of the left-wing party Union des forces progressistes and the alter-globalization political movement Option Citoyenne, led...
. In addition to this bail, $75,000 more, guaranteed this time by Amir Khadir and two other people whose identities were not revealed, will be charged if Singh breaks his release conditions, which are the following: house arrest at the home of one of the garantors; handing in his passport to the authorities; he must not use a cellular phone; he must not have any contact with the 16 other activists charged with conspiracy in connection with the G20 protests.