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| Friday 20th March
2008 | Issue 625
NO FOREST FOR THE WICKEDThere was victory in court this month (3rd) for voluntary sector group the Celtic Heritage Trust (CHT) in their case against Gwent Police force, who had beaten the crap out of them for no reason at a Easter celebration at Wentwood Forest, Wales, last year. OK, so yer resource-strapped SchNEWS can’t win ‘em all and misses the odd story here and there -. so let us take you back to the golden days of early spring 2007... The all chat and smiles not-for-profit CHT, an educational group who peddle a mix of environmental and sustainability information – were invited to take their library and youth cinema to attend an Easter Gathering festival to be held at Wentwood Forest. They thought it would be a good place to follow their not extremely anti-state mission of encouraging young people to vote and to understand how important it is to become an active citizen. Upon their arrival they were shepherded in to the site by police usual florescent-jacketed staff and proceeded to set up and their pitch and began spreading the message – and were pleased to sign up thirty new volunteers keen to help with their subversive programmes of tree planting and working with a pensioners gardening initiative. But little did they know that the organisers of the festival had committed that most heinous of 21st century crimes and had not got prior permission for their do. This meant their day was about to take a frightening turn for the worse. Karen Sumser-Lupson told SchNEWS “In the late afternoon a police presence became evident and the young people began to clear up the picnic area and were filmed packing up audio equipment - they were without a doubt complying with the orders of the Gwent police force. Our organisationwas not at any time informed of what was happening even though we attempted to speak with officers. Some two hours later another police force dressed in black riot apparel appeared – and within five minutes of their arrival all hell broke loose.” She reports how one cop came at her with baton raised, tucked his shield under her feet and sent her flying. All their equipment was seized – including suspiciously dangerous items like books and film equipment. She then tells how she witnessed (all it of it handily recorded on police video), “police officers striking and beating young individuals for truly no reason at all. I am still stunned by the events of that afternoon. Never have I seen such an awful bloodbath meted out on peaceful individuals some of which were barely 16 years of age.” After the baton-twirling display, the cops finally said they were free to go – battered and shocked, they’d barely got a mile down the road before their vehicle was were pulled over and they were ordered out of it. Police seized it and drove off – leaving the CHT staff to walk nearly ten miles out of the forest. A few miles down the road, and some hours trudging later, they actually came across their truck – crashed with one of the tyres hanging off. It was later moved to a Police holding bay where it was impounded for two months as it was ‘unfit for the road’! The Gwent Police investigation (unknown whether it was worked on by the ‘Seaside Five’ - see SchNEWS 623) eventually led to 23 defendants, including the two CHT staff present,. facing a court case under Section 63, of the CJA for failing to leave the land. The defendants were originally split into three groups. By November magistrates duly found all the accused guilty, handing out large fines and ASBO’s all round. Karen’s conviction was based on video evidence of her assault in which they decided she “did not look scared enough”. Yes, in modern Britain your facial expression will he taken down, subjectively assessed and used against you in a court of law. Fair play to Karen though – they lodged an immediate crown court appeal which finally got to court at the start of March. They successful and swiftly managed to convince a jury of the real facts of the case and their convictions – and those of the other 21 people – were quashed. CHT have also submitted complaints to the ‘Independent’ Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) – but are yet to hear back how Gwent police will no doubt be blameless and face no further charges, but a double SchNEWS thumbs up for their dogged persistence... www.celticheritagetrust.org.uk
 
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