Anarchists change the name of a street in Old Quebec

north america / mexico | anarchist movement | press release Wednesday June 18, 2008 11:56 by NEFAC-Quebec - NEFAC

Sunday, June 15th, members of the Northeastern Federation of Anarcho-Communists (NEFAC) celebrated in their own way the 400th anniversary of Quebec City: they renamed Saint-Paul Street, at the corner of the Côte Dambourgès, the Edouard-Beaudoire Street.

Who was Edouard Beaudoire?

Edouard Beaudoire was a worker and a socialist of French origin who participated in the 1871 Paris Commune. On June 12th 1878, he was shot in the head by soldiers at the corner of the Saint-Paul Street and the Côte Dambourgès. Beaudoire took part in a demonstration organized in response to the poor working conditions of workers engaged in the construction of government buildings.

While the ruling class of Quebec, starting with the mayor Régis Labeaume, is preparing to offer the Canadian Army the "Droit de cité", members of NEFAC wanted by their gesture to remember one of the most tragic episodes in the history of working class struggles in the city, while denouncing the bloody role played by the military in suppressing popular demands. The life and struggle of Edouard Beaudoire remind us that the fight for justice and equality remains more than ever a necessity. Today as yesterday, we're right to rebel

Northeastern Federation of Anarcho-Communists

Note: There's a short video on our blog (just after the text) http://voixdefaits.blogspot.com/2008/06/des-anarchistes-changent-le-nom-dune.html