Doses of tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons and concussion grenades didn’t keep four NIU students from protesting at a meeting of representatives of the Free Trade Area of the Americas in Quebec City from April 19 to the 22.

The activists, who are all members of the Labor Rights Alliance, endured a 22-hour drive to Canada.

The weekend included two legal marches, one illegal march and ended with a day of clean-up on Earth Day. General reasons for the protest included the

opposition of a globalized economy

Chants of “This is what democracy looks like,” “Solidarity” and “The people united will never be defeated” were shouted during the marches.

Junior biology major Michelle Gerber, who has been to national protests in Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., said this protest was different. She has never experienced so much support from the residents of the city they protested in.

Senior history major C.J. Grimes said while showing a photo, a woman from her second-floor apartment held a hose out her window so they could fill up their water bottles. A sign hung below her window that read, “d’eau pour le monde,” which is French for “water for the world.” She added that store owners would open their businesses so the demonstrators could purchase food, allowing tear gas to creap into their buildings.

On the days of the major protests, the activists spent about 12 hours surrounded by tear gas. The only protection they had against the tear gas were bandannas, Grimes said.

Grimes, who vomited from the tear gas, said “it felt like my lungs were turned inside out.” She said she remembered resting her face on the concrete to cool her face from the stinging, burning feeling the tear gas left.

Sophomore history major Kim Conrad said the tear gas made her eyes water vigorously and produced a feeling of disorientation.

Grimes said a chain-link fence, built to surround the building where the representatives met, was designed to keep the protesters from influencing those attending the meeting.

She is against the agreement and attended the protest because the proposed trade agreement, which would broaden the free trade range from the Arctic to Argentina, “inhibits the ability of people to better their lives.” She said this is a real consequence because multi-national corporations are taking advantage of people and the environment.

Conrad said the Quebec City protest was her first and that people already can see the effects of the trade agreement now with the closing of plants like Motorola.

Junior communications major Michael Klass said the effects on the environment already can be seen. The North American Free Trade Agreement, which is similar to the Free Trade Area of the Americas, almost completely eliminated the Clean Air Act.

Grimes said when she was younger she thought trade was good but now thinks “trade is a fancy word for environmental and labor laws.” She said blue collar workers who are close to the poverty line will be the most effected once the agreement is in action.

Gerber and Grimes were arrested last year at the April 17 World Bank and IMF protest in Washington D.C., and they, along with Conrad and Klass, may plan to attend another protest Sept. 29 against the same organizations in the capital city.