[g8-sheffield] Statement on the policing of protests

[adriana]

 >>>> >>Sorry if you already have received this report. There is a call 
for witnesses of arrests on last paragraphs and useful contact numbers 
for those concerned.

 >> >> Updates will continue to appear on the G8 Legal Support Group 
website:
 >>>> >> www.g8legalsupport.info
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> The G8 Legal Support Group can be contacted by email:
 >>>> >> g8legalsupport at riseup.net


 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> Initial Statement on the Policing of the Protests against the G8 in
 >>>> >> Scotland in July 2005
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> G8 Legal Support Group
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> During the protests against the G8 over 700 people were 
detained by the
 >>>> >> police, often overnight, and around 354 people have been 
arrested and
 >>>> >> charged.  The courts have imposed draconian bail conditions, 
not only
 >>>> >> preventing those arrested from continuing their protests 
against the G8
 >>>> >> summit, but forcing those not resident in Scotland to leave at an
 >>>> >> impossible speed.  As a direct result of this tactic, some 
people have
 >>>> >> been rearrested for breach of bail.  People unable to give an 
address

in

 >>>> >> the UK have been remanded in prison, even though in all the 
cases we

are

 >>>> >> aware of, none faces serious enough charges to result in a prison
 >>>> >> sentence
 >>>> >> even if convicted.  Amongst those remanded in custody is one person

aged

 >>>> >> 16 and a woman with a child.
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> The police made widespread use and abuse of powers under 
Section 60 of
 >>>> >> the
 >>>> >> Criminal Justice & Public Order Act 1994.  This section is 
supposed to
 >>>> >> be
 >>>> >> used to search for weapons.  However it has been used as a blanket
 >>>> >> authority to stop and search in a manner designed simply to 
intimidate
 >>>> >> protesters.  For example, everyone attending the protest at 
Dungavel
 >>>> >> Detention Centre was subject to a bag search.  At the Hori-zone
 >>>> >> ecovillage
 >>>> >> in Stirling, the police at times searched everyone who came and 
went.
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> The police also often placed protesters in cordons, the legality of
 >>>> >> which
 >>>> >> is still uncertain, detaining people for many hours.  At the 
Hori-zone
 >>>> >> ecovillage in Stirling for long periods of time the poilce 
refused to
 >>>> >> let
 >>>> >> anyone leave.  No legal justification was provided for this 
abuse of
 >>>> >> power.
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> The police also banned protests.  They cancelled the G8 
Alternatives
 >>>> >> demo
 >>>> >> at Gleneagles "for reasons of public safety" and this led to 
coaches of
 >>>> >> protesters being  detented on a roundabout eleven miles away from
 >>>> >> Auchterarder for an hour. Eventually the protest was allowed to go
 >>>> >> ahead.
 >>>> >> On the this and other days many protesters were arrested whilst
 >>>> >> travelling
 >>>> >> to protests and held for alleged conspiracy. At  Waverly train 
station
 >>>> >> in
 >>>> >> Edinburgh peole were prevented from holding a spontanous protest

against

 >>>> >> the ongoing 'war on terror'.
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> The public were prevented from attending the sheriff's court, 
meaning
 >>>> >> that
 >>>> >> people faced the court without support from friends. 
Apparently the
 >>>> >> reason was that their may be protests at Court, although there 
had been
 >>>> >> no
 >>>> >> actual protests just groups of concerned friends.
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> Finally we note that this was the largest policing operation 
ever seen
 >>>> >> in
 >>>> >> the UK.  The state was clearly prepared to devote unlimited 
resources

to

 >>>> >> the policing operation, all with the sole aim of preventing the 
leaders
 >>>> >> of
 >>>> >> the G8 of being aware of the popular discontent with their 
policies and
 >>>> >> the effect of those policies on the vast majority of the worlds
 >>>> >> population.
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> For these reasons we unreservedly condemn the policing of the 
protests
 >>>> >> at
 >>>> >> the G8 summit in Scotland in July 2005.
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> NOTES
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> Updates will continue to appear on the G8 Legal Support Group 
website:
 >>>> >> www.g8legalsupport.info
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> The G8 Legal Support Group can be contacted by email:
 >>>> >> g8legalsupport at riseup.net
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> The G8 Legal Support Group urgently needs to hear from witnesses to
 >>>> >> arrests.  Please email us or complete the witness form on our 
website.
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> The G8 Legal Support Group will issue a full report on the 
Policing of
 >>>> >> the
 >>>> >> Protests against the G8 in Scotland in July 2005 in due course.
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> A prisoner support group is being set up.  Contact: July 2005 
Prisoner
 >>>> >> Support Group, c/o 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh, EH7 5HA.

Phone:

 >>>> >> 0131 208 0767  Email: july2005solidarity at yahoo.co.uk
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> www.ldmg.org.uk
 >>>> >> Postal address: LDMG, C/o BM Haven, London WC1N 3XX
 >>>> >>
 >>>> >> ---------------------------------
-- 


Please, never despise the translator. She is the mailman of human 
civilisation.
(Pushkin).