FINANCIAL APPEAL: Help fund Defend the Right to Protest

A special appeal for funds supported by John McDonnell MP and Louise Christian Human Rights Lawyer. 

Make a one off donation:  http://www.defendtherighttoprotest.org/donate/

Support us monthly: http://www.defendtherighttoprotest.org/subscribe/

Defend the Right to Protest is launching a special financial appeal to raise funds to support our campaigning work. We are writing to ask if you will contribute.

The freedom to protest is fundamental for us all.  The unanimous acquittal of Alfie Meadows and Zak King after a campaign lasting over two years - and three trials - is an important victory for the right to protest. But too many student protesters have ended up in jail. Time and again, young people have found themselves isolated and unable to defend themselves effectively. Often the campaign met them too late in the day. We need to extend the reach of the campaign.

Alfie is now campaigning to hold the police responsible for his injuries to account. Despite the success of students in fighting their cases not a single officer has been charged with violence relating to the protests. This is part of a wider pattern of police violence, reflected in the shocking numbers of deaths in police custody, which needs to be challenged. This will be a campaigning priority in the coming months.

The struggle against austerity - from the bedroom tax to the attacks on the NHS - makes the work of Defend the Right to Protest crucial at this time.

A highly critical report by the UN Special Rapporteur outlines some of the threats to the right to protest in the United Kingdom.  Kettling is ‘detrimental to the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly due to its indiscriminate and disproportionate nature.’ He described ‘appalling stories of peaceful protesters held for long hours with no access to water or sanitary facilities.’ (United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, 25th January 2013)

Please support our work to protect those who march, demonstrate, occupy or strike. As a grassroots network we are entirely reliant on the support of trade unions, campaigning groups and individuals to resource the work we do.

One way to support us it by making a monthly payment.  Options range from £5 to £50 and its easy to set up. Click  http://www.defendtherighttoprotest.org/subscribe/ choose your amount and click subscribe.

One off donations can also be made by clicking here: http://www.defendtherighttoprotest.org/donate/

Thanks for supporting the campaign. More info about how your money can help and Defend the Right to Protest’s campaigning work are below.

In Solidarity

Defend the Right to Protest

www.defendtherighttoprotest.org

Your money will help us to

Mount effective campaigns behind individual defendants as in the case of Alfie Meadows and Zak King

Pay for bust cards for distribution on major protests and demonstrations

Cover the expenses incurred by people providing court support for defendants

Produce campaigning material such as flyers, stickers and placards

Fund literature packs for defendants and families going through the court system

Resource up to date research on attacks on protest and policing

Build our campaigning work nationally

Host conferences and major public events

Extend the solidarity and campaigning work we do in support of others campaigning against police violence and injustice

Maintain a DTRTP contact phone line

Help us take the campaign forward:

Defend the Right to Protest has made a difference. But we face fresh attacks that require an effective response. At Sussex University, for example, major campaign against privatisation has been met with a campus wide ban on protest and 5 students are facing criminal charges.

Alfie Meadows will be campaigning to hold the police responsible for his injuries to account.  We must show that we will not allow the police to act with impunity against protesters.

As part of this campaign we intend to highlight and support others challenging the wider scandal of police violence and injustice which has seen 1443 die in police custody since 1990. This will include supporting the United Family and Friends march on 26 October and a major national conference in the Autumn 2013 to discuss attacks on protest and wider issues of police violence and racism.

DtRtP will be mounting a challenge to the excessive charging of protesters: in particular the use of the violent disorder charge under the Public Order Act to secure custodial sentences and deter protesters with “exemplary sentences”.

We will also produce up to date research on the policing of the student protests and a publication which will enable us to carry the expericnes of the campaign and testimonies of defendants into our movement.