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| 2nd
February 1995
| Issue 8
Justice? Brighton's Campaign
in Defiance of the Criminal Injustice Act
SchNEWS
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WOMAN KILLED IN LIVE
EXPORT DEMO
A 31-year-old Coventry
woman was killed on Wednesday 2nd February during a demonstration
against live animal exports at Coventry airport. Jill Phipps well-known
and respected animal rights protester, was crushed by a truck carrying
calves for veal export. Police apparently waved the vehicle on despite
protesters being in its path.
The company responsible
for the exports, Phoenix Aviation were previously exposed as illegal
arms dealers, as well as chartering the freight aircraft that crashed
next to a housing estate last December.
Company director Christopher
Barrett-JolIey allegedly dabbled in arms deals and drug smuggling
("these weapons will save a lot of lives. I have no regrets.")
before turning his attentions to the animal death trade. He threatened
journalists with "if this is printed, you'll be dead".
Last year, foreshadowing this weeks tragic events, he personally
tried to run down a protestor m his Range Rover, and attacked another
with a crowbar. Why are Warwickshire Police so eager to protect
this odious business, and why do Coventry Airport continue to allow
use of their facilities?
Ask them yourself - Phoenix
Aviation 01203 301234
Viv Oliver, Manager,
Coventry Airport 01203 301717
There has been much recent
media and police hype of violent animal rights extremists. THE FACT
REMAINS THAT THREE ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS HAVE DIED UNDER THE WHEELS
OF ANIMAL ABUSERS' VEHICLES AND NO-ONE HAS BEEN PROSECUTED FOR ANY
OF THEIR DEATHS.
Results from the
CJA Arrestometer
CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT
Hunt Sabs 103
Travellers 11
Road Protestors 7
Animals 3
Tree Defenders 2
Squatters 0
Footie Fans 0
(squatting sections
apply from Mar)
Remember: If you're
gonna do it - do it
Justice?
VIOLENT ENTRY NOW
LEGAL
From today any landlord
- or his mates - can enter homes using violence to evict their occupants.
As another insidious
section of the Criminal Justice Act comes into force it will now
be legal for the owners of squatted properties, or anyone acting
on their behalf, to use violence to gain entry into a squat. One
Conservative MP said "I would consider anyone behind in their
rent to be a squatter."
In a couple of months
- when yet another section becomes law - if you fail to leave you
could find yourself in a nice new home - a prison cell for up to
6 months and! or a fine of up to £3000.
Don't be fooled by these
new 'anti-squatting' laws. They represent an enormous threat to
every tenant, council or private.
If someone squatted a
house where people are living they have always been able to kick
them out. But now anyone who has an interest in the building can
smash the door down at six in the morning - even if it was empty
before people moved in.
The law does state they
will not be able to use violence against the person but seeing as
bailiffs often get away with using violence already what use is
that?
These sections have obviously
been condemned by squatting groups, who see it as yet another attempt
by the government to avoid the social reasons behind why people
squat (the rising homeless figures along with the increasing number
of empty properties left to rot), and going for the symptoms of
its insane housing policies and not the causes. The police are not
all in favour of this change to the law either, as they will have
to get involved in what has previously been a civil matter. Mike
Bennett, Chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation said about
evicting squatters: "that's not what I joined the police for and
I don't think a lot of people did."
Squatting is still legal,
but the worse sections are yet to come. In April or May sections
75 to 76, will allow owners to get Interim Possession Orders and
kick squatters out within 24 hours - meaning they have to fight
the case in court while homeless. You can only appeal after you've
been thrown out of your house AND for the first time you will have
no right to represent yourself when the court order is made. This
will make things even more difficult than they already are for people
who have enough on their plate as it is, and shows the true injustice
of the CJA.
THE COURTHOUSE
The Courthouse is to
be made into a fortress and left to decay. On a visit yesterday
(through a wide open front door!) SchNEWS found the building in
a even more trashed state and there is dog shit lying on every corridor.
What was home to Brighton's
squatted community arts and action centre - which was evicted on
Nov 10th last year - is now home to two security guards and a dog.
Despite pledging in court to use the building for a homeless initiative
this winter the guards tell us it will be pulled down. We also know
that a contract has gone out to string iron railings across all
facing windows to stop any entry. It's strongly suspected the owners
plan to pull the 100-year-old building down and use the site for
prime office development. One well-known unscrupulous local landlord
was seen hovering with an air of authority by the door.
SO IT'S LAWFUL TO LET
A BUILDING ROT BUT CRIMINAL TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE IN CREATING HOMES.
* 1.9 million people
in Britain are homeless. 850,000 properties lay empty (figures from
Shelter)
SchNEWS LIVE!
Fastest with
the facts, accurate with the truth!
@ The New Kensington,
Kensington Gardens, Brighton.
Every Friday 5.45pm
SchNEWS LIVE!
 
TRUE BLUE KENT ATTACKS
POLICE
Over the top Kent policing
has been condemned by readers of Kent Today
74% of respondents answered
"yes!" to the question "Are Kent Police over-reacting to demonstrations
about the Criminal Justice Act?"
The poll was prompted
after Maidstone Police arrested 33 "ringleaders" of last Saturdays
demo. These naughty people marched without permission, and were
nicked under the 1986 Public Order Act, which we're seeing used
more and more. Several protesters were badly beaten by the police,
including one man who required stitches for a head wound.
And Kent in particular
seem keen to take the lead in arresting people under the CJA. Last
Thursday two hunt sabs appeared in Maidstone charged with aggravated
trespass. Earlier charges were dropped against another when she
accepted a bindover.
Up in Newcastle Dermot
Morrow, arrested while being beaten up by hunt supporters in November,
was given a conditional discharge on charges of ag trespass and
a £100 fine. This was paid immediately by an anonymous local resident.
Dermot said he would carry on sabbing.
In Corby charges of ag
trespass were dropped on two sabbers from Leicester who were arrested
for videoing a hunt! A spokesperson for the Hunt Sabs Association
said. "'The Criminal Justice Act is simply not working and we anticipate
there will be more acquittals, more charges dropped, and that those
police forces who seek to use the act in the aggressive and oppressive
way that the Kent and Northamptonshire forces have done will be
facing a hefty bill for damages with precious little to show in
the way of convictions.".
SUN 19th FEB Mass Trespass
At Windsor Castle Meet 12 pm Windsor BR Station (coaches leaving
from Brighton 9.30 am St. Peters Church Tickets from Peace Centre
£3)
LACEY QUITS!!!!!!!!
All of us at the SchNEWS
were shocked and dismayed by the sudden resignation of Shoreham
Port boss Phillip Lacey on Thursday. It seems the Port Authority
for whom he works were equally distraught. Pat Hawkes of the Authority
Board said "At last the man has seen sense and I'm glad to see the
back of him."
Adur District Council
have driven another nail into this coffin by issuing an enforcement
order on the Port Authority to cease live exports from the council-owned
berth in Shoreham harbour, for which the port does not have planning
permission. This will take effect from Sunday 5th Feb. Protests
this week will intensify around the high tides.
Friday 3rd 01.21-13.37,
Sat 4th 01.57- 14.12, Sun 5th 02.31 -14.45, Mon 6th 03.02
- 15.19, Tue 7th 03.35 -16.01, Wed 8th 04.25 - 17.07, Thurs 9th
05.41- 18.23
* News just in....Someone
has been arrested under the new "aggravated trespass" offence in
connection with the protests at Shoreham.
INSIDE SCHNEWS
As a host of trials take
place this month it seems inevitable that the first person will
be jailed under the CJA. Liberty's Public Order Monitoring Project
will keep tabs on the arrests and follow it to trial. Justice? will
continue with the Arrestometer and have agreed to follow this through
to prisoner support.
Arrested and on remand
in Holloway prison this week for allegedly planting an incendiary
device at Hursley Hambleton Hunt AGM on Monday: Janet McClunan RL0363J
and Gillian Peachy RL0362, HMP Holloway, Parkhurst Rd, London, N7
0NU
M65 COSMIC TREE VILLAGE,
PRESTON. On Thursday tree-dwellers met with the Chairman of Tarmac,
to try to join the new Tarmac Environmental Audit Committee!
Brightlingsea, Essex.
There have been 69 arrests in the last five days, tho' none so far
under the CJA, as the protest against the live animal exports continues.
Holyhead, Scouseland..
Picketing continues although apparently it's dead quiet.
HUNT SABS ARREST TOP
1005 more sabs were charged with ag trespass yesterday (wed 1st)
in Bilsdale Moor, Yorkshire bringing the number of sabs charged
to the BIG 100 on the Arrestometer.
STOKE COLLECTIVE have
opened a new squat community centre in path of Coventry's new North/South
road. Help 01203 226130
TRAVELLERS FOR REFUGEE
STATUS? Travellers in Folkestone say they are being discriminated
against on ethnic grounds. When evicted they plan to go to Devon
to claim refuge status.
BY-PASS New issue now
out. Underground magazine aimed at co-ordinating, reviewing and
networking independent publications. P0 Box 61 Wallasey Merseyside
L44 8HZ £1.20
LIBERTY have produced
"What's wrong with the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act" £1
+ SAE to 21 Tabard Street, London, SE1 4LA.
DIARY DATES
Sat 4th Feb Black &
White Unite Churchill Square Brighton 12 pm
Sun 5th Shoreham Defence
Meeting Brighton Unemployed Centre 2pm - Have you or your friends
been arrested at Shoreham? Phone 01273 685913 with details
Wed 8th "To Pollok With
Love". Convoy leaves Oxford for Glasgow to create a Carhenge of
old rust-buckets. If you have an old car to donate, or want details
of the "lurve convoy" ring 01865 721898.
10/11/12 Feb Student
campaign for animal rights Conference in Brixton.
SAT 11th NATIONAL ANTI
CJA DEMO IN BIRMINGHAM. Assemble Victoria Square 12pm 021 449 5452
followed by allnighter with Zion Train, Test Department, acid +
deep house, spacious dub, chill out space and cinema £7 conc./£8
SAT 11th get all loved
up in the face of the cja with smokescreen/go tropo/diy (tel 081
450 6929 after 8pm on day)
- Anti CJB Conference
at Strathclyde University 041 552 1179
- Anti-Live Exports Protest
Siskin Drive, Boguton Airport, Coventry 12 mid-day.
drop a line to...
Arrested at anti-CJA
demo - Sean Cregan @ EP3544, HMP Belmarsh. Western Way, Thamesmead,
London SE28 0EB (four months, Section 4, Public Order Act)
Hunt sab, Phil @ EJ3496,
HB2, HMP Elmley, Church Rd. Eastchurch, Sheerness, Kent ME12 4AY
For further copies of
the SchNEWS send stamps/donations to SchNEWS c/o on-the-fiddle PD
Box 2 600 Brighton
East Sussex Tel: (01273) 685913.
Or pick one up @ Peace Centre, Gardener St, Brighton and around
town at last!
on-line e-mail: Justice?@intermedia.co.uk
dedicated to Jill Phipps
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