WAKE UP! WAKE UP! IT'S YER CONSPIRIN'...

Issue 130, Friday 15th August 1997

• TRIAL AND ERROR
• Crap Arrests of the Week
• Toxic Tip
• New Slave Labour
• SchNEWS in Brief
• Rainbow Keepers
• 42 Nights on the Tiles
• Diary Dates
• and finally
• disclaimer

TRIAL AND ERROR

"So, what I'm charged with in plain English is that "Somewhere in the world over a five year period (they're not sure when) I conspired with people (most of whom I don't know) to incite other people (they don't know who) to commit criminal damage (they don't know what) and that the conspiracy continued into the day after we were charged..."
- Robin Webb, Animal Liberation Front (ALF)

Some Orwellian nightmare? Well no, this is what six people were charged with when on 16th January 1996, when 30 + cops were acting for ARNI (the Animal Rights National Index ) did dawn raids and arrested four editors of Green Anarchist (GA) newspaper, the ALF Supporters Group Newsletter's editor and Robin Webb, the ALF press officer. Robin Webb has since had charges dropped on a technicality, but still continues to be harassed. This was the culmination of Operation Washington which, according to police, has been running since 1991 and which saw 55 raids across the UK throughout the course of 1995/6.

"We're accused of inciting an arson wave by the Animal Rights Militia on the Isle of Wight in 1994. We didn't write a damn thing about the Isle of Wight until after the event..."
- Green Anarchist editorial

The arrestees were all charged with `conspiracy to incite criminal damage' - for reporting direct action news or knowing others that had. This `crime' could land each of the defendants in prison for up to 5 years. According to StateWatch "Britain has the most repressive conspiracy laws in Europe." For the so-called `Thought Police' to prove their case, no criminal damage need be done nor anyone feel incited to do it: the `conspirators' need know no-one doing damage and may know each other only tenuously or indirectly (in this case, having attended the same political rally - along with thousands of other concerned people); it's all down to their intent and in practice what that means is the defendants have to prove a negative in court, that they didn't intend anything. As you can imagine many believe the conspiracy/incitement laws to be a bit of a `catch all', with its heavy penalties making it a useful tool in suppressing direct action after the failure of the Criminal Justice Act.

In a similar case in 1988 two editors of the ALF support group were jailed in for 18 months in a similar case for reporting acts against animal abuse.

According to the committal even just reporting the facts about animal lib or eco-defence actions constitutes incitement. Let alone printing opinions in favour of these. Under this, we are up against a very broad, sweeping definition and the implications of this are going to be used as a catch-all against the entire radical press... Therefore this is not just a problem for Green Anarchist alone, it is everybody's problem, because it concerns freedom of speech. There is no evidence at all suggesting that any of the defendants were involved in the acts reported, but the prosecution is trying to say that people would have been encouraged by the favourable reporting of them. Why is reporting events that have already happened incitement? Some of the news had already been reported in the national press- are they going to find themselves in the dock as well? However, one editor of GA told SchNEWS, "What's more likely to encourage people to act is the continuing abuse against animals and the planet"

There have also been over 100 raids connected with the case; an old lady who wrote to Robin Webb in prison had her door knocked down, and a man who bought a GA T-shirt was also raided.

This case has also involved the use of Public Interest Immunity orders, or, as it should be more properly called `Police Interest Impunity' - PII's are being used to suppress evidence of secret state action against Green Anarchist magazine. There has been interest from the security services, as was admitted by DI Des Thomas during the committal proceedings in December 1996, and this is being used as an excuse not to disclose documents that could be vital to the defence. The Gandalf 6 believe that they were infiltrated by an agent provocateur who encouraged them to write the articles accused of being inciting. The prosecution are not obliged to disclose their evidence so as not to compromise any agent's future activities, PII's are serving as police protection. All accounts suggest that the trial is going to be shrouded in mystery, with everybody, including the defence and defendants, being barred from the court room on the first day of the trial whilst the judge and defence decide what evidence to submit and what must be withheld.

Their trial begins at Portsmouth Crown Court on August 26th, and a bike blockade of Portsmouth is being planned for 9am that morning. Hampshire Police, predictably, unhappy about the whole thing - appear to be panicking! They have been removing posters almost as soon as they go up, and are attempting to prosecute someone for contempt of Court for giving out 20,000 leaflets advertising the trial ! - contact Green Anarchist BM 1715, London WC1N 3XX for more details .

There will be transport going from Brighton for the first day of the trial. Ring Justice? office 01273 685913 if you want to go.

Top

Crap Arrests of the Week

With the only offence for occupying a building being "civil trespass", an unarrestable matter for the courts not the police to deal with, police have been snatching at any opportunity they can find to arrest and remove protesters from buildings. Two office occupations this week have witnessed extremely crap arrests:

• For being a journalist, one person was searched whilst occupying the Rank offices and was found to be holding an NUJ (National Union of Journalists) card. When he couldn't remember his pin number he was nicked.

• For possession of two (totally legal) hemp seeds the man was arrested and received a body cavity search.

• A Reclaim The Streets party-goer was arrested for assaulting a police officer - by viciously sprinkling mineral water on him.

Top

Toxic Tip

Newlands Park Estate near Wakefield is a 200 acre historic site containing Roman remains, a grade 2 listed building , and an important wildlife habitat, but it is now the proposed site of the largest toxic dump in Europe.

The Warmfield company (owned by Mr Horrocks, a Freemason and close friend of Thatcher) applied for permission to dump toxic waste seven years ago. Locals formed Residents Against Toxic Scheme (R.A.T.S.), and on May 18th, 3000 people staged a mass trespass.

Paul Dainton of RATS told SchNEWS "the site will contain industrial, domestic and commercial waste. This could mean anything from industrial paints to animal carcasses, fish waste, and low-level radioactive materials, such as old hospital equipment." Paul was served with an injunction prohibiting him from all land owned by Warmfield, after it accused him of inciting trouble.

The new proposal is to cover the site in 4.1 million cubic metres of toxic waste, destroying the habitat of newts, skylarks, and badgers, as well as woodland, and fishing ponds. There are other problems expected throughout its 25 year working life, and afterwards;

• Traffic - 2000 tons of waste a day will be delivered to the site, which could involve 300 vehicles per hour

• Health Hazards - with 2000 tons of toxic waste being tipped every day, dust and debris will affect a large area

• Water Pollution - 75 cubic metres of liquid waste will leak from the site every day, and contaminate the water table

• Landfill Gas - 2700 cubic metres of explosive gas will be produced.

Top

New Slave Labour

Despite Labour's promise of abolishing workfare, twenty new pilot areas have just introduced the work-for-your-dole plus-a-tenner slave labour scheme.

In Brighton the two `providers' (the people who find you crap jobs) - Training Network (TN) and AVS - have not had an easy ride. On Monday TN faced an angry classroom of naughty claimants swelled in size by `outside agitators' who would have shown-up the girls from St.Trinians!

Now attention is being turned on the few charities that are taking on placements. In Brighton this includes Tarnerland, Brighthelm Centre, Hove YMCA and Northbrook College. One claimant told SchNEWS "If people want to work for voluntary groups that's fair enough, but people are being forced into doing menial jobs under the pretence of training - with threats of losing all benefits if they refuse." Oxfam, Mind, Help the Aged and Brighton Council all oppose the scheme.

• There will be a picket this coming Monday (18th) 8.45 AM SHARP outside Tower Point, North Rd (opposite the Post Office sorting office) to let claimants know their rights.If you find yourself on this scheme remember: The providers are desperate - they cannot find enough vacancies for people. THIS IS A WINNABLE CAMPAIGN IF PEOPLE STICK TOGETHER.

• Brighton Against the JobSeekers Allowance meet every Tuesday 5.30 pm Brighton Unemployed Centre, 6 Tilbury Place.

Top

SchNEWS in Brief

• Scotland had its first Reclaim the Streets last week on the 1st day of the Edinburgh Festival. A joint event with theatre group RoadRage, 200 people had an impromtu Ceilidh for a few hours, before the Police - taken completely by surprise - nicked 22 people. As usual if you witnessed any arrests, give us a ring and we will pass on details

• 30 people occupied Rank's offices in Central London on Wednesday, attempting to persuade them to reconsider their plans to build an Oasis holiday village in Lyminge Forest, Kent. Activists barricaded themselves into rooms, rearranged files and keys, dropped banners from the roof tops and quizzed bemused office staff. After a few hours the TSG arrived and removed protesters from the building. Inside information suggests that Rank are still unsure as to whether they will go ahead with the [sterling]100 million scheme, so keep the pressure up on Rank. Oh, and special thanks to Sir Denys Henderson for the use of the shower!

• A man walking his dog in a Hastings park had a plastic bag snatched from his hand by a young thief on a bicycle. The police however declined to investigate - as the bag contained only dogs excrement collected by the thoughtful owner

• A Greenpeace occupation of BP's Stena Dee oil platform, 70 miles west of Shetland, began last Saturday with seven activists D-locking themselves to the platform. A survival capsule has now been hoisted up the rig, and is housing the activists 40ft above sea level

• Activists gathered in Brussels on the 52nd anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, and put into action the International Court of Justice ruling that nuclear weapons are illegal by shutting down the main entrance of the NATO headquarters. Four `war crimes inspectors' who cut their way into the base were given half an hour to put their point across to the head of the Secretary Generals' private office. On the anniversary of the bombing of Nagasaki 3 days later activists `visited' nuclear sites across Europe and entered bases to inspect for further illegal activities. Over 50 activists gathered at Aldermaston (where the UK assemble the trident warheads) and spent a fun afternoon learning how to climb over a variety of fences. Two people were arrested for `suspicion of criminal damage to a CCTV camera'.

• The campaign against the proposed 300 million pound M11 Link Road in east London continued last Wednesday with a spectacular raft action carried out by Reclaim The Streets and the London Cycling Campaign. Contractors are trying to construct a bridge over the River Lee. The road will bring around 75 000 motor vehicles a day into inner London. Contact RTS 0171 281 4621.

Top

Rainbow Keepers

On July 16 Rainbow Keepers set up a protest camp against Rostov nuclear power plant in the south of Russia, and organised information pickets in nearby Volgodonsk. A week later activists blocked the road to the power plant with people chained to a barricade of concrete filled barrels.

For a few days local administration and police tried to break the barricade with a car, then about 500 workers, lead by the union bosses and administration, finally attacked the barricade and burned down the camp. As a result of violently breaking the concrete/human chain all of the protesters were injured and beaten, five of them were taken to hospital with head injuries, broken noses and damaged spines. All the tents in the camp were burned, cameras smashed and films exposed, many of the protesters lost their documents and personal possessions. Police, who were there, didn't move to prevent the attack and their chief later declared he was proud of this operation.

Top

42 Nights on the Tiles

On June 19 1997 at 6.15 am six people scaled the walls of the Liverpool Irish Centre and began a roof top protest against the closure of the centre by the receivers. In October 1994 the local Irish community formed a co-op to save the Irish centre after the businessman who had previously owned the centre went bankrupt. In order to raise the finance the co-op borrowed [sterling]330.000,- from Scottish Newcastle Brewery (who own McEwans Lager ) .

Throughout this period the centre was continually harassed by our dear friends in Merseyside Police. A St Patrick's day march in 1996 of over 1000 people was stopped by mounted riot Police, because 30 fascists had blocked the route. On March 21st the Centre was raided by 20 uniformed and 6 plain clothes police, while a Woodcraft Folk Meeting (sort of green version of the Scouts) was happening. Only 6 days later, the Centre was surrounded by armed Police and a helicopter (who "happened to be passing"), because they had apparently received a report of a break-in, and threatened to shoot someone on the roof who was checking the light space!

In April 1997 Scottish Newcastle broke an agreement on repayments and sent in the receivers, who also broke their promise to keep the centre open and on June 18 closed the doors of the centre on the community. The following day the roof top protest began, and they have been there for 6 weeks, relying on support from well-wishers and passers-by.

Support is urgently needed, and they are calling for a boycott of McEwans lager. You can ring Scottish Courage on 0131 556 2591 and tell them what you think of their beer.

Top

Diary Dates

August Dates

• 16 - peace fair from 10 am. at the peace camp outside the Alvis tank factory Coventry 01926 831439
• 25 - Worthing friends of the earth eco-festival, homefield park Worthing. 01903-529583 Sophie
• 30- Rave Against Roads. 2 days of party and direct action. meet 2pm. at Dissen/Bad Rothenfelde rail station. Take the wochenende-ticket (5 persons for 35DM). Directions: 1 hour train ride from Bielefeld. The last at 12.55. By car/hitching, take the B68 in the direction of Osnabruck for about 25 km (it leads you straight to Dissen). The anti-A33 roadcamp, Germany, info. (+49) 5425-270.
• 31- National demonstration. Child Okeford, Blandford, Englands most notorious Mink Farm. 12 noon.
• 31 - London Forum meeting. 4pm.-7pm. Conway Hall (Red Lion Square, WC1).

September Dates

• 1st - Mass Blockade and other Direct Action against Britain's biggest arms fair, at Farnborough Airfield. Transport details and info: 0171 281 0297
• 31st Aug-5th Sep - Actions against the Royal Navy and British Army Equipment Exhibition. CAAT: 0171 281 0297
• 4 - Bookcellar, a workers co-op radical bookshop in Lancaster is one year old today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 01524 849313
• 4-6 - Disabled Action network National Action, Bristol. Tel 0181 889 1361
• 6-7 - Day of Fun in the sun at Newbury to mark the anniversary of the main construction contract. Bungee jumping, cycle walk on the wildside, music 01635 550552/ Rapid Response: 0468 505344
• 14 - National Demo at Shamrock Farm Sussex Primate Prison, one mile south of Samll Dole, henfield, W. Sussex.
• 25-28 - Groundswell DIY forum, "housing a sustainable future", tel: 0171 833 2071
• 27 September - Fuming Mad rally, 2pm@ Trafalgar Square

Top

and finally

Manager "What the hell you are doing here with a goat?"
Angry Claimants : "Well, Project Work really gets our goat, and we're not prepared to be scape-goated because we are unemployed"
Manager: (losing it a bit now - the goat is beginning to use the office as a toilet) "I think you'd better leave"
Claimants: "you must be kidding"...

Top

disclaimer

SchNEWS warns it's readers not, at any time, or over any period, to talk to any people about how to encourage, in any way, other people to do any thing. In fact sit alone in a small cold white box alone. Then you will secure your liberty... Honest!!!

Top

Subscribe to SchNEWS: Send us first class stamps (e.g. 20 for the next 20 issues) or donations (cheques payable to "Justice?"). Or £15 for a year's subscription, or the SchNEWS supporter's rate, £1 a week. Ask for "original" if you plan to copy and distribute. SchNEWS is post-free to prisoners. You can also pick SchNEWS up at the Brighton Peace and Environment Centre at 43 Gardner Street, Brighton.

SchNEWS, PO Box 2600, Brighton, BN2 2DX, England
Phone/Fax (call before faxing): 01273 685913
Email: schnews@brighton.co.uk Web: http://www.cbuzz.co.uk/SchNEWS/