Solidarity needed with defendants from London anti-cuts protests

The magnificent protests that rocked London on Saturday 26 March will have at least one major downside – mass arrests, with more to follow. Those arrested deserve and need our support.

So far it seems just over 200 people have been arrested, mainly, but not all, at either the Fortnum & Mason shop occupation, or later at night in Trafalgar Square when the cops kettled a party crowd of protesters. Most, but not all, are now out on either police or court bail. A few have taken a caution, a few released without charge, a few remain in custody. No doubt as cops trawl cctv and photo footage in the next days & weeks there will be more arrests.

27 March picket of Charing X cop shop

If you or someone you know has been arrested and you haven’t had legal advice yet, then get it fast. Ring the legal & arrest support helpline on 07946 541 511, or if you got indpendent legal advice elsewhere contact them anyway so they have your details – they may be able to help you anyway.

March prisoner list and letter-writing night

Our monthly list of political prisoners welcoming support has been updated and is published below. It’s packed with links for more info, please use them. If you have any corrections of additions please let us know. Solidarity.

March list (open office format): Prisoners list_March2011
March list (pdf): Prisoners list_March2011

Prisoner support letter-writing night – Wednesday 9 March
Our monthly public letter-writing night returns this month to Kebele social centre, at 14 Robertson Rd, Bristol BS5 6JY. We’ll be there from 7 to 9pm with list of prisoners, paper, pens and envelopes. Come along and help send messages of solidarity to people locked up in places near and far away. Plus lots of other info and interesting news available at Kebele.

Jock Palfreeman’s sentence upheld after appeal – Support needed

Jock Palfreeman’s appeal against his 20 year sentence in Bulgaria has reportedly failed, as the Bulgarian state continues to ignore the facts (background – see previous articles).

This report come from FreeJock.com, a family based support website, dated 22 February:
“The appelate court has upheld the first court’s decision and maintained the 20 year sentence. This despite all the evidence supporting Jock’s story. The family finds this appalling and will file for a further appeal with the court of Cassation. When we have the written judgment from the appelate court we will be able to make a more detailed response to this decision.”

A similar report is posted on Anarchist Solidarity dated 23 February, and includes a defiant statement from Jock:
Jock finally received court verdict on his appeal. In blatant disregard for all the facts presented to them during the process, Bulgarian authorities upheld Jock’s ridiculous sentence, complete ingoring all evidence in his defence. There are no words to describe our contempt and disgust we feel towards all those people responsible for his imprisonment. Jock can appeal the decision within 14 days and the last appeal will take place within next few months. We have to put more pressure on Bulgarian authorities if we don’t want them to get away with what they are doing at the moment.

Here is Jock’s comment on the sentencing:

Support for imprisoned student as Met cops pay out to G20 protesters

Support has been growing recently for young imprisoned student Edward Woollard, with both a Facebook campaign and a new support website.

cops defend their Millbank masters, and fail

Woollard was sentenced to 32 months in prison after dropping a fire extinguisher off the top of the Tories Millbank Towers back in November 2010, after it was stormed by students furious about education and EMA cuts. Villified by the media, its worth noting Woollard didn’t actually hurt/hit anyone, soon expressed his apologies, and had no previous convictions. His sentence was undoubtedly political – the politicians needed a ‘criminal’ to make an example of, and put other students off protesting. That hasn’t worked though has it.

Legal aid cuts will mean less justice and more prisoners

The ConDem Coalition’s attack on legal aid is just one of their many class-based attacks at present. As with nearly all of their so-called austerity measures, in practice it is once again lower or un-paid people who are being asked to foot the bill to prop up the financial system and keep the rich ever richer.

Whilst the proposed cuts of around £350 million focus on ‘civil’ legal aid, they will directly affect poorer people most and expose them to greater injustice, poverty, and quite possibly prison. We can also expect a further squeeze on criminal legal aid. All cuts to legal aid effectively reduce access to ‘legal justice’ from those least able to afford it, and in most need of it. The majority of prisoners come from poor and/or vulnerable backgrounds for example, and rely on legal aid not just for their original cases but also to defend their rights whilst in prison, and around such issues as parole hearings and any alleged offences committed whilst locked up.

Meeting in London for all arrested at London student protests

Were you arrested at any of the student demonstrations in London last November, December, or even last Saturday?

If you were, then this meeting in London on 6 February is for you. It has been organised by two London-based groups involved in providing unconditional legal support and info for our movements – the Legal Defence & Monitoring Group (LDMG) and the Green & Black Cross (GBC). Here is their callout:
New venue update: Malet Suite at University of London Union (ULU), 6 Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HY from 12 to 3pm.

Thessaloniki 4 in Greek court appeal win shocker!

In an extremely surprising decision, the Thessaloniki 4 have effectively won their appeal against sentences ranging from 5 to 8.5 years, and have been released.(except for Michaelis Triakapis who remains inside for a different matter).

Chapman's ordeal began when cops planted a black rucksack full of petrol bombs on him

This has been confirmed by a text from a close personal friend of UK defendant Simon Chapman, and by this post From the Greek Streets:
“All of the Thessaloniki 4 are free. The four comrades, including UK anarchist Simon Chapman, have been found not guilty for all (except one minor charge) in Greek court of the charges going back to the EU Summit protests and riots in Thessaloniki in 2003.

All four of the defendants are free. All the initial charges were dropped apart from “distinguished defiance of authority” which was then reduced to “minor defiance of authority”. This is a misdemeanour, carrying a 6-month suspended sentence, but none of them will be imprisoned unless of course someone is charged again during these six months. This was the best the juries could ever do, since they had to be charged of something, in order to “justify” the six months they had spent in prison back in 2003.”

Thessaloniki 4 appeal decision imminent

Court decision likely on 31 January / Bristol fundraiser on Saturday 5 February

The appeal by the Thessaloniki 4 against their sentences is likely to conclude on Monday 31 January, in Greece. The 4 face sentences of at least 5 to 8 years in a Greek prison if the appeal fails. Their alleged crimes occurred during protests in Thessaloniki in June 2003 against an EU summit. Background info here and here.

Major political trials start in Greece

The 14 and 17 January sees the start of 3 major political trials in Greece, in one instance dating back to events over 7 years ago. In the face of widespread radical opposition and street protests, the right-wing Greek state appears determined to try and lock up as many radicals as it can, while it still can.

They helped bring down a government – solidarity with the Reykjavik Nine

From Anarchist News…
An international week of actions has been called for 10th – 16th of January, 2011 in support of the Reykjavik Nine, nine individuals including anarchists and radical leftists, who face up to 16 years in prison for protest against the Icelandic parliament.

In December 2008 the bullet that killed Alexandros Grigoropoulos set fire to the streets of Athens, a fire that soon spread to every city across Greece. That same December on the opposite shore of Europe, in Iceland another revolt was already under way born out of the wreckage of the economy that had collapsed that fall.