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| 19th May
1995 | Issue
23
Justice? Brighton's Campaign in Defiance of the Criminal
Injustice Act
SchNEWS
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CJA ARRESTOMETER
Hunt Sabs 151
Footie Fans 44
Road Protestors 31
Travellers# 11
Tree Defenders 11
Environmentalists 6
No Live Exports* 3
Fascist Printers 2
Peace Campaigners 1
* at least 500 arrested under the 1986 Public Order Act this
year
# not including
grief and harassment
RAIDED!
SHOCK POLICE SWOOP
ON GREENPEACE HQ
The London offices of
Greenpeace were raided by over 50 Police and MOD officials on Wednesday
in yet another step by the state to either discredit or victimise
the growing direct action green movement.
The raid follows sabotage
by Greenpeace at the Aldermaston weapons plant on Easter Monday.
Activists managed to block a pipe discharging waste into a nearby
canal (which delayed work for 12 days while it was being unblocked),
and although at first the MOD denied that it had even happened,
they are now trying to prosecute six activists for criminal damage.
The raid was supposed
to gather information concerning the case, but there are fears that
this could herald yet further crack-downs on successful protests.
Greenpeace said, "It seems [the police] actions was punishment
for the success of recent Greenpeace activities" SchNEWS
thinks 50 police and assorted offal is a bit over the top for a
criminal damage investigation.
In March Special Branch
raided the officesof Green Anarchist. Many of the magazine records
were taken, along with cheque books, computer discs and a computer.
Animal activists are
also being targeted. The Police's Animal Right's National Index
(ARN1) is gathering info on all campaigners.
Shoreham protestors are
being targeted as Special Branch flex their muscles down at the
seaside. Grinning Officers this week informed protestors that "your
time has come, we're ready to do the business". What can they
mean? "You need the business doing on you!" came the reply.
The Press has done various
reports on how MI5 may be given a role in gathering intelligence
on animal rights extremists and possibly roads protestors. This
has been justified by shock stories of "green terrorists"
in the Press to start up scare campaigns and subsequent crackdowns
on legitimate protests. This week the Sun has carried two editorials
spouting crap about people who care. The fact that a lot of the
stories either misrepresent or blatantly lie about organisations
does not bother the authorities, who seem to be looking for an enemy
to justify their existence now that the cold war is over and the
IRA have declared a ceasefire.
This was worrying enough
before the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) became law, but now there
are various sections that increase the power of the authorities
to clamp down further on protest organisations. Sections 81-83 of
the CJA give the Police powers to mount roadblocks and stop and
search within a given area for up to 28 days. It is also an offence
to gather information that could be useful to terrorists (this includes
taking photographs).
What are the Government
so scared of? Are they really worried that the growing green movement
is a threat to national security, or is it that people are beginning
to take responsibility for their own lives through direct action,
thus making the apparatus of the state; and all their vested interests
just a tad redundant?
crap arrests the
week
· Digger
driver nicked cos police thought he was a protester.
· Person
arrested for pointing out dead sheep on a lorry.
Call SchNEWS with your
crap arrests!
RAVING ROAD PROTESTORS?
Road protestors fighting
Kent County Council's proposed £65 million extension of the Thanet
Way have been nicked under the Criminal Justice Act - for raving!
So far there have been
13 arrests under Section 63 which stops people attending or preparing
for a rave. This is the second time clueless Kent coppers have got
their Criminal Justice Act knickers in a twist. Recently Hunt Sabs
up in court at Maidstone got the arresting officer to admit he'd
quoted the illegal rave sections of the act!
Yesterday morning the
Flat Oak Camp was evicted by police using the illegal camping sections
of the CJA. Apparently to stop the camp disrupting farming activities
- a bit of a feeble excuse when a huge road is soon to destroy the
surrounding area. The police have promised to evict any other camps
immediately if set up on private land so for the meantime protestors
are squatting houses along the route. The police realise this is
just the beginning of road protesting in Kent so a force-wide strategy
is soon to be formulated. Protestors have been warned they will
be arrested if they disrupt any construction site and that any interaction
between police and protestors will be videod- apparently for fairness
sake.
GET TO KENT NOW!
more Info on 01227
770 835
STREETS RECLAIMED!
Last Sunday saw a rather
amusing little street party in the middle of Camden High St. Protesters
and party-goers out-smarted the local constabulary staging a fake
crash with two donated cars to block the road to launch a summer
season of anti-car actions. Perplexed tourists watched open-mouthed
as a café was promptly set up and the street, hastily bedecked
in bunting, became a circus of jugglers, magicians, cyclists and
a vision of a car-free society. Police could only stand and stare
as the party swelled in numbers, dancing to the pedal-powered Rinky
Dink mobile sound system.
The party pointed to
the increasing diversification of road activists, and the growing
awareness that it's not just new roads that are a threat to the
environment by destroying our green spaces, but that the whole car-owning
ethos of the country needs changing. Watch out for more street reclaiming
soon! 0171 254 2290
MASS TRESPASS
& PICNIC ON THE
DOWNS - SUNDAY 21st MAY
An afternoon of fun and festivities defying the Criminal Justice
Act. Bring instruments, drums, food and friends Meet 12 noon
at Lewes Railway Station
ReACTiON 01273 685913
 
SHELL SHOCKED!
"For a change
the directors were forced to earn their inflated wages, facing a
barrage of pointed questions, going some way to making them account
for their actions. Even if nothing gets changed it is satisfying
to see their justifications torn to shreds and their lack of logic
and humanity exposed."
The AGM is the exercise
in share-holder democracy that companies are obliged to carry out.
Directors must be elected and accounts voted on and the companies
annual report accepted or rejected by the assembled shareholders.
SHELL AGM
Police violently broke
up a demonstration at the Shell AGM on Thursday. Over 150 protesters
stormed the foyer of the QE11 Conference Centre in Westminster,
where the AGM was being held. They then told delegates what they
thought of Shell's activities in Nigeria, where over 150 indigenous
Ogoni tribespeople have been murdered by the Shell financed military
regime. Guess whose land the oil is under?
The police, shocked at
this show of compassion in the face of genocide, responded by kicking,
pressure pointing and assaulting the demonstrators. Several campaigners
were hurt, and one had his glasses smashed in front of him while
police held his arms. Following several arrests, the Shell flags
surrounding the venue took the matter into their own hands. All
but one fell from the flag poles they were occupying. The one remaining
flag then went further, landing on the roof of the foyer where it
spontaneously combusted, much to the approval of the activists holding
it.
The police, now assisted
by more TSG and dogs, took one look at the flag anarchy enveloping
them and responded with more assaults and arrests. According to
one activist: "This is only the beginning. AGMs will be hit
harder and harder - and by next year Shell will be regretting the
day it started killing people to boost its dividends. Get your share
certificate now!"
0171 254 2290
RTZ AGM
On the 10th of May people
from a diverse range of groups gathered at the QE2 Conference Centre
in London for the annual ritual of disrupting Rio Tinto Zinc
(RTZ are the biggest mining company in the world and complete bastards!)
One issue of concern
this year is the Madagascar mineral sands project which could lead
to the destruction of much of a remaining rare forest eco-system
and the extinction of several species. RTZ is also investing in
a copper and gold mine in the Indonesian occupied western half of
New Guinea. This threatens thousands of tribal people with eviction
as the mine expands and has already led to the deaths of around
40 people as the Indonesian army opened fire on an anti-mine demonstration
on Christmas Day. Two West Papuans had also come thousands of miles
to ask questions, which were predictably but oh-so courteously side-stepped.
At the end, incensed
by the directors high-handed and complacent attitude some of the
protestors made a dash for the stage. They were met with extreme
force by security and ejected from the meeting - head first out
the back door. Partizans - 0171 700 6189
TACTICS
Companies who do nasty
things have to have annual general meetings. Buy yourself some shares
and get in the faces of the faceless ones and let them know what
you think.
1. Try to know the issue:
Try to remain calm and collected - getting hysterical with these
callous wankers will get your nowhere. One guy at the RTZ AGM said
he was from the Deutschbank criticising the West Papuan project
on economic grounds - this caught them off guard. Also questions
from those actually affected and who have made great sacrifices
to be there to ask one question eg the West Papuans, wrong-foots
them as well as bringing them face to face with the enormity of
their crimes.
2. If there are enough
of you, pay no heed to the AGM etiquette shout your head off, run
around, do handstands, waltz with security, anything to disrupt
as much as possible. We know what their answers are gonna be - do
we need more debate?
3. Know the AGM procedure
for maximum annoyance such as challenging previous minutes, demand
polls on election of every single director etc.
4. Make them feel uncomfortable.
Stage invasions, drum banging, pouring water over their heads, throw
their papers every where - makes them feel uncomfortable. Sale paper
airplanes, overturn the table, grab the mike and rant, light smoke
bombs, drop stink bombs, set off fire extinguishers - use your imagination.
INSIDE SChNEWS
Jim Chambers still on
remand for alleged criminal damage to a road construction site.
PY 2504.
Chris Cole inside for
six months for breaking an injunction against British Aerospace
PB0538. Both at HMP Pentonville Prison, Caledonian Rd., London,
N7 8TT.
Tracey Hart on remand
for trumped up charges of criminal damage to the perimeter fence
of Menwith Hill Spy Base in Yorkshire. Low Newton Prison, Brasside,
Durham. DH1 55D.
e-SchNEWS
pHreak BBS
- 0171 434 3800
Web http://www.mistral.co.uk/cbuzz
SChNEWS IN BRIEF
In protest against the
UK Government continuing to allow the dumping of chemicals into
our waterways Greenpeace have organised three 'Reclaim our Sea'
Days at the Solent, Hampshire (20th May), Merseyside (27th), and
Tees-side (29th) They're asking to return any rubbish you find on
a beach to John Gummer the Environment Minister. Any sewage washed
up on Brighton beach would be most appropriate. 0171 354 5100 Four
whales found dead on the Belgian coast At the end of last year were
discovered to contain such high levels of hazardous chemicals that
they should have been disposed of as toxic waste!
*** Joan Le Mesurier,
the widow of 'Sgt. Wilson' of Dad's Army fame, was yesterday arrested
at Dover as demonstrators against the live animal export trade staged
an impromptu march around town coinciding with 'The Antiques Road
Show'. The police read the 1986 Public Order Act which bans marches
that haven't got permission, they were ignored so nicked the elderly
lady with the megaphone...
*** Government plans
to build five Children's Prisons for 12-14 year olds are behind
schedule due to opposition - three of the sites still haven't got
planning permission! The Home Office are inviting companies to design,
build and manage the new 'Secure Training Centres' and so far such
dignitaries as Tarmac, Taylor Woodrow, the Premier Prison Service
Ltd and the Correction Corporation of America (honest!) are interested.
These new prisons will have none of the protections against abuse
that children's homes have - children can be forcibly strip-searched
by a single member of staff with no-one else present, all mail can
be read and censored, family visits can be stopped at any time and
- just to make sure no one finds out too much about what what's
going on in these places - the Home Secretary has to give permission
for a child to communicate with anyone - or for any outsider to
visit these centres.
Party and Protest
FRI 19th - 28th Amazon
Festival. Menwith Hill Womens Peace Camp. women only. 0585329313
SUN 21st Mass trespass
somewhere near Lewes, East Sussex 01273 685 913
SUN 21st Rally and picnic
against Avon Ring Road 01635 521 770
MON 22nd Mass digger-dive
at Pollok Park, Glasgow against M77 cutting thru' Europe s largest
urban park. 0141 946 2700
FRI 26th - 30th Earth
Spirit Spring Awakening Camp, Crowborough, Sussex 01323 811 632
FRI 26th Mass trespass
at Pollok 0141 946 2700
SAT 27th March + rally
to protest against Britain's leading role in the restructure and
recolonisation of Africa. From Kennington Park to Trafalgar Sq.
1pm 0171 924 9033
SAT 27th Mass action
Againast Baked Potatoes - Fruitarian/Raw Food Day
SUN 28th Demo against
brutality at Winson Green Prison, Birmingham. 12.30-2pm 0161 976
5265
MON 29th Maidstone Green
Fair, Mote Park, Maidstone Noon till 8pm
MON 29th Kingston Green
Fair, Surrey. 0181 224 1236
For further copies of
the SchNEWS send stamps/donations (payable to Justice?) SchNEWS
c/o on-the-fiddle PO Box 2600 Brighton East Sussex . Tel: (01273)
685913. Or pick one up @ Peace Centre, Gardener St, Brighton and
around town e-mail: Justice?@intermedia.co.uk
Justice? meet every wednesday
7pm @ the (71) grand parade squat
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