Today, the mass movement of youth united with immense élan to oppose Capitalism and its institutions. As I write this I am yet to see the news reports, so these are my impressions from the street and of those I talked to.

I arrived in Quebec last night, the airport was already dominated by the police with military helicopters everywhere. When I got into town I walked to the security fence, and it was immediately clear that while the State had control behind the wall, the perimeter was clearly ours. Young people walked up and down, talking, sharing stories, discussing ideas (Marxism, anarchism, how to defeat "them", etc.), there was a mood of enthusiastic tension.

This morning I headed down to the People's Summit down by the old port. It felt very much like most political events I am used to attending, trade union officials, info tables, news conferences, average age about 40. At 1pm we decided there was not much going on so we headed back up to the fence. When we got there the mood had changed considerably, many youth were congregating by the main exits. As soon as I got out any literature, people were coming up to me and asking me for it (we were selling L'Humanité and passing out English and French translations of our anti-FTAA piece). What is more, people frequently sat down on the spot to read the contents. It was clear that many of the youth here were new to politics, searching out for the right ideas, unsure what they are for but determined about what they are against. The average age at the wall was probably about 20.

The gate we were at (Saint-Jean) had a surreal quality, a womens' demonstration had woven dozens of bras onto the fence, young people danced and chalk-painted the ground, while a cop guarded a cemetery on the other side of the fence (obviously even the dead need policing!). Suddenly, almost without warning, the crowd turned into a march. This was the youngest, fastest, most energetic march I have ever been on. It started with about 1000 people, but it kept on pulling more and more young people in, almost out of the ground itself. It is hard to describe the sheer elemental nature of this movement with all the strengths (and weaknesses) of youth. Trade unionists were present but not many, also most of these unionists were already linked to the youth movement (e.g. CAW service sector, CUPE York University).

We turned up the hill to the main gate to the summit on Renè Lèvesque Boulevard. We stopped to hear impassioned speeches in English, French and Spanish. The crowd (which had now grown to about 5000) immediately went silent to hear the speakers who were speaking without the aid of platforms or sound systems. Then we turned down Renè Lèvesque away from the summit. Still the crowd swelled, until we met head-on with the march coming up the road from Laval University. Now we were at least 15,000. We turned around to face the wall.

At this point it is probably useful to point out that Quèbec City is one of the most "French" cities in Quèbec. Few people here speak English fluently and it is the home of Quèbec nationalism and separatism. At no point were these divisions present on the demo - French Canadian, English Canadian, American, and Latin American youth communicated in all languages and united against the common enemy.

Marching back towards the wall there came a point where certain groups had decided that the march should split into three. A so-called safe "green" zone, a more forceful yellow zone and the red zone where attendees should expect arrest. But this plan fell apart by the demonstrators heeding the basic need for unity - most people just marched straight ahead (I think this was the yellow zone, but it made no difference - mass action is the key). Also the "safeness" of the green zone was definitely not respected by the police, I was later told by an NDP MP that the 7000 people there were tear-gassed without warning or provocation.

By the time we got back to the wall we were about 7000 strong. The tension level rose significantly as we moved up face to face with the fence, about 30 riot cops were lined up on the other side. Then people grabbed the fence and started pulling back and forward on it. One guy climbed up on top and served as a counter-balance that increased the force of the crowd. And then with a cheer the fence came down. The first wave of tear gas came and momentarily there was panic, people ran in anticipation of the inevitable backlash. But the cops didn't come and the crowd turned around after running 10 meters. Some started throwing bottles, cans and a few stones. There was a back and forward process of the crowd pushing at the forces of the State, testing it out, working through our collective fear. We realized that tear gas hurts but is tolerable. We had done it, we had torn down the fence, that insulting symbol of corporate power on our streets.

This back and forward proceeded for 45 minutes, we were not prepared to move forward but we would not retreat (despite the gas and pepper spray). Chants of "Who's streets? - Our streets!" stiffened the crowd's nerve and proclaimed the elation. Looking up, a helicopter flew in directly above us. Obviously it's intention was surveillance for whatever the police were planning next. Almost out of nowhere a line of storm troopers appeared on the left, moving forward step-by-step while bashing their shields. A volley of tear gas overhead, straight into the heart of the crowd, got everybody running. And then behind us two huge tanks, sporting water cannons, drove up Renè Lèvesque. Now we were concerned that they would block the crowd off with no place to escape. Despite this some people attacked the tanks with stones. The tanks retreated a short way and then opened up with water. Discretion was clearly the better part of valour at this point as the crowd ran down the side streets to escape (some shouting "don't-run!" to ensure a safe retreat). Despite minor scuffles after this point it was over. The mood changed to finding answers - where now? What next? Which way forward?

The wall came down, for that we can celebrate an incredible symbolic victory of the power of youth. Yet we have to be absolutely clear that this is only a symbolic victory. We have changed nothing and we have won nothing. The FTAA will still be signed (or not signed if protectionist capitalism overtakes free-trade capitalism). Maquilladora workers will still face unbelievable oppression. McBurgers will still be flipped. The only power youth have in this society is to act as a spark to ignite the power of the workers' movement. Youth can make a lot of noise on the streets but it is workers' struggles, strikes and occupations, that can paralyze capitalism. Milosevic was only overthrown when the Serb miners struck and the security forces stood aside feeling their strength. Tomorrow the forces of organized labour will join the march. Forward to the unity of youth and workers, for socialism and international solidarity!