PUBLIC FUNDING FOR THE ANTI-RACIST ACTION
-----------------------------------------
A report prepared by
the CANADIAN PATRIOTS NETWORK
July 10th 1996
INTRODUCTION
------------
A short while ago, a group known as "ARA" or "Anti-Racist
Action" filed an application with the Metro. Toronto Council
for an $11,100 grant for a "Youth Against Hate" conference.
This conference was held on June 22-23 at a Toronto Board of
Education public school.
We object to the Anti-Racist Action receiving any public
funding, considering the hard economic times. The Canadian
taxpayers should not fund self-serving special interest
groups. If special interest groups such as the ARA truly
have public support, they should be able to fund themselves
through their own fund-raising efforts. Our objection to
them receiving public funding is compounded by the fact that
the Anti-Racist Action has repeatedly used violence to
further its cause. Evidence of its violence has been
thoroughly documented in numerous articles in the Toronto
Star and the Toronto Sun.
Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
guarantees all Canadians the right to freedom of speech, and
the right of peaceful assembly. If the ARA was a peaceful,
law-abiding organization, we would have no objections to them
using a public school to hold their conference. However, the
ARA is definitely not a peaceful, law-abiding organization.
Because of this fact, we do not feel that the Anti-Racist
Action, or any other violent group, should be permitted to
use public buildings to hold their functions.
EVIDENCE OF ANTI-RACIST ACTION VIOLENCE
---------------------------------------
If someone wants to advance a political cause, there are
many options as his or her disposal. A person can write
letters, hold peaceful protests and meetings, make a speech
in public, or even form a political party. The ARA, however,
has used different methods to advance its political cause.
ARA supporters have repeatedly attacked the home of
Toronto publisher and Holocaust Revisionist Ernst Zundel.
They used their usual projectiles of paint bombs, rocks, eggs
and human excrement. The attacks on Ernst Zundel's home have
been so fierce, he has had to resort to covering his home
with a gigantic plastic sheet to protect it.
In January, 1993, when Heritage Front members were
summoned to a Canadian Human Rights tribunal, ARA members
attempted to break through police lines. In the process,
they attacked police and their mounts, and they pelted them
with eggs, rocks and sticks. At all subsequent riots, police
horses have been equipped with plexiglass visors to protect
their eyes.
In June, 1993, Anti-Racist Action members stormed the
East Toronto home of a Heritage Front supporter. They threw
various projectiles at the house, including pink paint,
rocks, cherry bombs and human excrement, and even a child's
tricycle. Their attack caused substantial damage to the
property.
When Police Constable Todd Baylis was murdered in the
line of duty, ARA activists wildly applauded his death on
their CIUT radio show, "Upper Cut." They cheered this
"victory" over social injustice and oppression, and they
emphasized their enthusiasm by playing the rap song "Cop
Killer."
On December 9th, 1995, about two dozen ARA members
interrupted a private dinner meeting that was being sponsored
by Citizens for Foreign Aid Reform at the Europe Restaurant
in downtown Toronto. Ignoring repeated requests to leave,
they spat on the owner and on several people attending the
function. They also threw cream at items on a book table and
assaulted an elderly lady.
On their Internet world wide web site, they boast of
having shut down the meeting. Here is the entire text from
their website. It has been reformatted for this report, but
the text has not been changed:
---[start]---
It's fun to crash a party. On December 9th Paul Fromm's
Canadians for Foreign Aid Reform (C-FAR) tried to hold a
meeting. ARA had other ideas.
Paul "Squeaky" Fromm - Neo-Nazi and former high school
teacher - formed C-FAR (also known as Crackers For the Aryan
Race) as a lobby group for the racist right.
On the 9th C-FAR was hoping to meet in a not-so-trendy
Blue Cellar Room restaurant on Bloor St., but ARA decided to
be a fly in their ointment. Sitting in the back room sipping
tea, about 40 ARA folks waited for the meeting to start.
When the dozen or so withered old Nazi freaks began to show
we made our move and forced our way into the banquet hall.
"Call the police!! Call the police," shouted a Nazi hag.
"Fucking commie Jews, you're just like Stalin," cried
Steve Dumas (pronounced dumb ass). This Nazi jock, and
keynote speaker, founded the pro-apartheid Northern
Foundation. For his efforts he got a nice gob right between
the eyes from one of the grrrls.
When the kkkops finally showed it took them over half an
hour to finally get us out. Once outside we set up a loud
protest and picket letting neighbours know the score, and
lots of people wanted to know what else they could do to get
rid of nazis.
The meeting was over before it had a chance to begin.
The owner quietly let Fromm out the back door. It was a
great photo opportunity as they scuttled to their cars and
went wee wee wee all the way to Zundel's home.
---[end]---
The ARA has also demonstrated their disregard for
law-and- order through their street posters. One poster
shows a mug-shot of Holocaust Revisionist Ernst Zundel with a
"cross-hairs" targeted on him. The poster says "GURU of
HATE...YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED..." and it mentions Ernst
Zundel by name.
Another, more shocking poster, asks the reader whether he
or she is "Bored?" It gives instructions on how to make a
"Molotov cocktail" (an incendiary device), directions to
Ernst Zundel's home, and a picture of Mr. Zundel. There is
also a drawing of a person throwing a Molotov cocktail. His
face is blank, and inside there is a caption that reads "YOUR
PICTURE HERE."
When the Anti-Racist Action is not plastering the streets
of Toronto with their posters, they are busy daubing graffiti
on walls. One of their stenciled graffitos has the caption
"NAZI SCUM OFF OUR STREETS." The irony of this particular
grafitto is that one of the workshops in their conference was
entitled "Street Art and Propaganda." One of the activities
in this workshop was stencil making! Another, more shocking
example of their "street art" is a grafitto with the caption
"Zundel watch your back ARA", and "Die Nazi SCUM." The
grafitto also has a picture of a swastika inside a "no"
circle. Another grafitto has the caption "DRIVE ZUNDEL OUT!"
Ernst Zundel is a notable public figure who has some
controversial views about an historical event known as the
"Holocaust." He is also is an admitted admirer of Adolf
Hitler and National Socialism. Many people find his views
offensive, and they may applaud the Anti-Racist Action's
attacks against Ernst Zundel because of his views. However,
I would like to remind you that in Canada, EVERYONE has the
right to freedom of speech and thought under section 2 of the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including Ernst
Zundel. If we do not respect Ernst Zundel's right to freedom
of speech, then we may as well throw away the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and fly the "Hammer and
Sickle" above Parliament Hill.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE $18,000 GRANT
---------------------------------
The ARA is asking for $18,000 to fund a two-day
conference. According to people who attended their
conference, there were approximately 80 people who attended,
including the speakers. It is possible that the entire cost
of the conference went into the several thousand dollar
range, but did its conference really cost $18,000? If it
did, is the ARA willing to prove it? Is it willing to
pubicly release a detailed list of its expenses? If the
Canadian taxpayer must fund its conference, certainly it is
only fair that the Anti-Racist Action disclose its expenses
to justify the hefty sum of money that it hopes to receive.
Another question that we ask is, exactly WHO are we
giving $18,000 to? The ARA is not an established, registered
organization. The ARA has no physical street address;
instead, it has a post office box address. It has no real
telephone number; instead, it has a voice mail box telephone
number. Aside from a few spokespersons, the ARA has no
official leadership or command structure. "Anti-Racist
Action" is only a name for a loose-knit gang of violent
anarchists and social misfits. If it receives the money, who
will take charge of it? Who can people contact if they have
any questions?
There is absolutely no question that the ARA is a violent
terrorist group. Therefore, if the Metro. Toronto Council
funds the ARA's conference, it will be condoning the ARA's
actions. This will open the door for the City of Toronto to
be sued by future victims of the ARA. Ultimately, it will be
local taxpayers who will have to pay damages to victims of
the ARA. As mentioned before in this report, we are in hard
economic times, and Toronto taxpayers cannot afford to pay
damages to future victims of the Anti-Racist Action.
THE TRILLIUM FOUNDATION
-----------------------
The Trillium Foundation, which is the arm's length
funding agency of the Ontario Lottery Corporation, gave the
Anti-Racist Action an $8,000 grant. According to an article
by Christie Blatchford in the Tuesday June 11, 1995 edition
of the Toronto Sun, the Trillium Foundation's executive
director (Julie White) and its program manager (May Wong) did
not know the location of the ARA's conference. "The issue
wasn't WHERE it was, but whether it would be constructive"
Ms. White said in her article.
Arguably, the $8,000 that the Trillium Foundation gave to
the ARA was not taxpayers' dollars, but since the Trillium
Foundation is connected with the Ontario government, the
$8,000 grant was most definitely public funds. It is hard to
understand how the Trillium Foundation would even consider
giving $8,000 to a group that is notorious for comitting
violent acts. Furthermore, it is absolutely outragious that
they would give $8,000 to the ARA, without even knowing where
their conference was being held! It is the opinion of the
CPN that the Trillium Foundation used poor judgement, and
demonstrated gross incompetance when it gave public funds to
the Anti-Racist Action. We feel that this warrants a public
enquiry.