Home | 7th June 1996 | Issue 77

WAKE UP! WAKE UP! IT'S YER TRIGGER HAPPY...

SchNEWS

OFFENSIVE WEAPON?

POLICE CARRY GUNS IN PUBLIC FOR FIRST TIME.

Police are carrying guns on their hips openly for the first time. 'Overt carrying' has been introduced in to the Cleveland Force without any national debate, while all attention is focused on the guns amnesty introduced by the Home Secretary in the wake of the Dunblane tragedy.

Two armed response vehicles patrol 24 hrs a day with a two-man crew in each vehicle wearing pistols in holsters. They can be called to any incident where they suspect a firearm is being used. Britain has always been one of the few countries in the world that doesn't carry weapons and they've never been worn openly, with the exception of airport security.

"This is a dangerous step towards having an armed police force. There has been no debate in Parliament yet this has national implications. We have a tradition of policing through public consent, not a deal between the Home Office and the police. This changes that relationship dramatically." - Atiya Lockwood, Liberty

The policy was announced by Barry Shaw, Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, after being cleared by the Police Authority. There is no new code of practice. Cleveland Police told SchNEWS: "We are living in a far more violent society and this is a necessary evil. I think we had a very difficult decision to make."

The traditional practice, agreed by vigorous public debate, was to have any guns locked up and stored in the secured compartments of the boots of armed response vehicles. This meant that officers would have to stop and put on their guns and protective equipment before attending calls. This practice has been abandoned and officers will be ready to shoot.

The police point to a huge increase in armed incidents. But whose fault is that? There are over three-quarters of a million licensed guns in England and Wales. The police give the okay to 99% of certificates. (670,000 shotgun and 140,200 other firearms - Home Office 1995)

The private grief of a Scottish town has become a smokescreen for the arming of the police. We at SchNEWS suppose it's politically okay to blast away at a few citizens to get the nation prepared for a fully-fledged gun-totin' national police force. Well, nobody raised an eyebrow when they killed someone with CS Gas spray two months ago, just 17 days after it had been issued. The victim, Ibrahima Sey, didn't even raise a finger - he was handcuffed at the time.

* OPERATION JUSTICE is being launched by Liberty to investigate deaths in police custody. More details send sae to Liberty @ 21 Tabard St, London SE1 4LA.

EARTH FIRST! SUMMER GATHERING

12th-18th June North Wales

Everyone's favourite eco-activists will be sorting their business for a week in beautiful North Wales. In a packed schedule, new and old skills will be shared, and plenty a-foot to keep earth defenders occupied. This gathering is vital to figure out where the movement is going and to come up with new ideas and new strategies. There is an urgent need to break down the stereotypical view of protesting, to figure out where the movement is going and to take ecological direct action from a clique to a mass movement. Whether new to direct action or an old hand come for fun and frolicks but remember... THERE WILL NOT BE ANY SOUND SYSTEMS ON THE SITE. THE GATHERING IS NOT A FREE FESTIVAL. The gathering itself is free, although there is a charge of £10 per person for the week for the hire of the site.

For general enquiries ring 0171 249 9114, and if you have any offers of help, ring 01749 812665.

M66 Evicted

Last Wednesday the one camp was evicted. The huge legions of 25 people were there to attempt to stop Sheriff Andrew 'Ecocidal Maniac' Wilson and his cronies from taking the site.(where was everyone else?) The site was taken without much trouble, and it was all over before lunch. Is this an indicator that too much attention has been given to some campaigns rather than others? One activist was taken to hospital with shoulder and neck injuries, and the Sheriff's officers have acknowledged this was their fault and have opened an enquiry into the incident. Whoopee!! No M66 0161 628 4727.

BULGING SACK

SchNEWS receives over a hundred letters a week (mostly bills!). Some make us cry, some make us laugh, some are plain bizarre. Keep 'em coming! Here's just a sample from this week's mailbag:

The Rev. Swami GARFIELD Jansen writes: "Dear Friend, Please kindly put me on your mailing list and send old clothes and footwear for the poor, photo's and souvenirs of your country urgently. Please send me a generous donation of money to print my books very urgently. God bless you. Thankyou. Yours sincerely in Jesus and Mary, Rev. Garfield Jansen..Write to him at: Chapel & House of Our Lady Of Perpetual Succour, 286 Trichy Rd (1275 New), nr Sreepathy Theatre, Coimbatore 641 018, Tamil Nadu, South India.

*** A pensioner in Paisley writes: "Dear All at SchNEWS, Thanks to youngsters like yourselves, this world will become a kinder one someday, All the best wishes, from an OAP"

*** A sister from Cheltenham writes: "Hello! I think SchNEWS is a really great paper, the only way I can find out what's happening. My boyfriend hates it. He will not support me in anything I get involved with. He says it's for my own good and he doesn't want to see me get into trouble! He can talk - he has been in court loads of times (for motoring offences). But sod 'im, I'm still subscribing!"

**** Thanks also to Mother Theresa and Nelson Mandela for your fine words

*** If you'd like to help with the mail call the office 685913.

CRITICAL ARRESTS

Magistrates contributed to National Bike Week this week by fining three cyclists £200-£300 each for participating in Brighton's Valentine's Day Critical Mass. They were charged with 'obstruction of the highway as part of an illegal demonstration', and the guilty verdict could have important implications to Massers nationwide. Cops could now use the verdict as an excuse to pile into the newly "illegal" Critical Mass, even though magistates can't set such a legal precedent. The three were arrested after Inspector DC Flowers ordered cops to arrest "anyone you can get hold of". It could have been any of us.

Critical Mass is where cyclists, pedestrians, and other like-minded souls take over the streets to show what our towns and cities could be like free of cars, their congestion and pollution. Critical Mass takes place in over 20 towns and cities throughout Britain and in places as far apart as India, Canada, Ukraine and Russia. Howeer this has been all too much for the Brighton plods who have applied for bikes to be destroyed and have used helicoptors, video surveillence and undercover cops to try to stop the Criticial Mass.

* Yer ever-popular SchNEWS was produced in court during the trial in a flimsy attempt at 'evidence' despite the cops involved not having seen it before that morning!

* The "Critical Mass 3" plan to appeal but need to raise money to pay fines; they are all on the dole - any offers of help? Leave a message at the office 685913.

Brighton Critical Mass is the first Saturday of every month 12:30 St. Peters Church

TRIBAL UNGATHERING

Tribal Gathering has been confirmed for June 29th in Bedforshire in Luton Hoo, providing locals don't object and the police get a huge wad! The final hearing is 14 June. Cutting it close, again.

*The Mean Fiddler crew are in another dispute with Thames Valley Police, regarding at the Reading Festival. Mean Fiddler had no probs last year with 13 plods. Thames Valley Police want 100 this year, and want the Fiddler to pay their overtime!

Job Seekers Allowance

Brighton dole workers are celebrating after a five day strike against the Job Seeker's Allowance. Management had tried to force 14 benefit agency workers to move to the frontline at Brighton Job Centres to speed up the delayed JSA, which will introduce forced labour, throw 70,000 off the dole in the first year and sack thousands of benefits staff. Work on the JSA should be voluntary, so on hearing the plans, workers came out on strike. They succeeded, and now inexperienced casuals will be drafted in to implement the legislation. The strike in Brighton has important implications nation-wide: there have been wildcat strikes in Sheffield and Leeds, where the union (CPSA) is balloting for all-out industrial action. In London's East End, the Newham and Waltham Forest offices are on strike over forced JSA transfers.

The JSA is the biggest issue within the CPSA, and Employment Service and the Benefits Agency conference activists have begun to talk about co-ordinating action to block the JSA. The successful imposition of the JSA is on a knife edge. Activists believe that if only 30% of all Job centres come out on strike for 3 weeks, it will be sunk for good. In Manchester, staff have received special training to deal with demonstrations.

The claimants movement against the JSA is growing, especially in the North, as shown by the Groundswell Conference, where they agreed to target the 10 JSA implementation managers (JIMs) this summer. These top management bods are responsible for enforcing the JSA. Actions targeting the JIMs will start in July...we know where you live!

This summer could see the JSA becoming unworkable. Contact Brighton Against the JSA, c/o UWC, Tilbury Place, Brighton, or meet at The Quadrant, Queens Road on the first and third Monday of the month at 5.30pm.

* Edinburgh Claimants have launched a new initiative in response to the attempted crackdown on dole fraud - entitled Three Strikes and You're Out! Officials guilty of harassing claimants will be sent a written warning by the group, and if they persist will find their photo and 'crime' plastered over the walls of Edinburgh.

* And you thought the JSA was bad. Bob Dole, Americas Republican presidential nominee has come up with a great idea to save cash. Introduce drug testing for welfare claimants - anyone testing positive (or refusing tests) would then receive no cash. Simple. SchNEWS does not know whether this plan also applies to tobacco and alcohol.

LIVE EXPORTS

Dover kicked off again on Monday, with seven arrests for wilful obstruction. As the wagons came through, people locked onto the first - before another five eventually made it to the docks. Shipments have now been cancelled until a review in July, after local vet Stirling refused to inspect animals due for export. He received a lot of flak during the last round of exports, from locals refusing to use his surgery. Stirling was unavailable for comment due to a pressing holiday engagement!

INSIDE SCHNEWS

Kenny Carter, a Middlesborough man , victim to an unjust conviction and prison warders merciless brutality, is desperately in need of donations for medical treatment. Kenny was convicted of the murder of a cellmate who committed suicide. His insistence of his innocence has led to serial beatings, leaving him with injuries inlcuding a broken wrist and dislocated kneecap. The prison doctor has refused to acknowledge the extent of his injuries, and £530 is urgently needed for a knee brace. Send donations payable to G. Jackson to: The Treatment For Kenny Carter Fund, c/o Newcastle ABC, PO Box ITA, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE99 1TA. All donations needed by July 15th. Write to Kenny Carter AD 3434, HMP Longlartin, South Littleton, Evesham, Worcs., WR11 5TZ

PARTY AND PROTEST

*** 13th Disabled Action Network action against Alister Burt, minister for the disabled 0161 303 9613

*** 15th Ambient Picnic against the CJA celebrating 7 years of GuilFin. 1pm onwards. Guildford 01483 203245

*** 16th Anti-coarse fishing campaign 0117 944 1175

*** 21 June - 21 July Action Camp against the Oresund bridge. Stop the 17km Swedish concrete superbridge - actions, workshops + more! Call Faltbiologerna at +46 46 145018 for info!

*** 17th Shut Down RAF Valley - protest against low flying military aircraft training pilots for the Indonesian airforce. Meet noon outside Valley train Station (N. Wales coast - Holyhead line)

*** 21st- Counter summit planned for the week before the G7 Summit in Lyons, France. ASEED Europe PO Box 92066, 1090 AB Amsterdam , Netherlands +31 206 682 236

*** 22nd Sundance Festival Earlham Park, Norwich 01953 488150

*** 22nd Great Brighton Water Fight 1:30pm North Laine - keep yer eyes peeled - we're everywhere!

*** 23rd Mass vegetarian rally & picnic 0181 681 8884

*** 23rd Ghost Bike Rally 01702 338519

*** Wed 12th Democracy for Nigeria Commemoration Event 0171 627 1299

***12th - 18th EF Gathering Call 0122 238 3363

*** Mon 24th Picket by Incapacity Action London of the AGM of the British Medical Association (Brighton) 0181 520 4582

*** 28th-30th Bracknell Festival, South Hill Park, Bracknell, (Chumbawamba, Ian Dury, Back to the Planet) 01344 484123

*** 28th-30th Cheesefoot Head 'Alternative to Glastonbury' Festival nr. Winchester, Hampshire

*** 28th-29th June Direct Action Network action in Cardiff, targeting two MPs. Call 01222 704 906

AND FINALLY

That dear, dear man, Lord Alistair McAlpine has put a new perspective on the road protest movement. He admits that the Newbury road will go through an area of outstanding beauty, but questions, "what on earth is wrong with that? I hold the view that motorways should go through areas of immense beauty, because then the countryside would be opened up for more people to see it conveniently without trampling all over the wretched place." Help!!

DISCLAIMER

The SchNEWS warns all readers not to attend any illegal gatherings or take part in any criminal activities. Always stay within the law. In fact please just sit in, watch TV and go on endless Xmas shopping sprees filling your home and lives with endless consumer crap. you will then feel content. Honest.

Subscribe! Keep SchNEWS free! Just send 1st class stamps (eg 20 for 20 issues) or donations (payable to Justice?) Mark 'Original' if you plan to copy: SchNEWS c/o on-the-fiddle PO Box 2600 Brighton East Sussex BN2 2DX. SchNEWS is free to prisoners tel/fax: (01273) 685913. email: justice@intermedia.co.uk e-SchNEWS: http://www.cbuzz.co.uk

SchNEWS crew are having a well earned rest next week, but back with a vengeance on 21st!

Message for Dr Timothy Leary: Where should we redirect your subscription?

SchNEWS, PO Box 2600, Brighton, BN2 0EF, England
Phone: +44 (0)1273 685913
email: schnews@brighton.co.uk

@nti copyright - information for action - copy and distribute!