Click to share
Defend the Right to Protest offers support & solidarity to all arrested. We encourage everyone to sign our solidarity statement below. Email info@defendtherighttoprotest.org and to support all initiaitves planned so far in support of arresttees (see bottom) “The arrest of around 280 anti-fascist protesters in Tower Hamlets on Saturday, including five independent legal observers, represents a serious escalation in the criminalisation of protest. Thousands of people had gathered to prevent the English Defence League from marching on Altab Ali Park, named after a young Pakistani garment worker killed by racists in 1978. The police kettled protesters for six hours then arrested and sent them to police stations across London. This is the largest number of arrests on a protest for many years. It follows a worrying trend of draconian restrictions on protest. Particularly shocking are the bail conditions which prevent people from attending future anti-fascist demonstrations. Scores of people arrested on a previous anti-EDL protest continue to be subject to the same bail conditions despite not having been charged. This is a shameful attack on anti-fascist protests. Such protests have played an essential role in preventing the rise of the kind of large scale fascist parties we see elsewhere in Europe. The experience of previous mass arrests, from students protesting against fees, to UK Uncut activists and Critical Mass cyclists, is that very few actually end up in court. These arrests are used instead as an intelligence gathering exercise and to prevent individuals from protesting in future. This is an abuse of police powers which represents a serious threat to civil liberties. It is therefore vital that we stand in solidarity with those arrested”. Initiated by Defend the Right to Protest. Initial signatories include: Owen Jones, John McDonnell MP, Nina Power, Bill Bowring School of Law, Daniel Trilling author Bloody Nasty People: The Rise of Britain’s Far Right, Alfie Meadows, Michael Rosen poet, Tariq Ali, Weyman Bennett UAF Joint National Secretary (pc), Bob Crow CWU General Secretary, Trenton Oldfield imprisoned protester, Nadine El-Enany, Lecturer in Law, Birkbeck College, University of London, Deepa Naik This is Not a Gateway, Jim Wolfreys KCL UCU & co-author The Politics of Racism of France, Frances Webber, Human Rights Lawyer, Dr Elena Loizidou Senior Lecturer Birkbeck, Victoria Ridler Lecturer Birkbeck School of Law , Prof. Costas Douzinas Birkbeck School of Law, Dr. Sarah Lamble Lecturer in Law, Birkbeck, Simon Behrman Lecturer in Law University of East Anglia We encourage everyone to promote and come to the solidarity gig on Sat 12th Oct https://www.facebook.com/events/629637567066530/ . Also a reminder that there is a defendants meeting tonight, hosted by LDMG in Old Limehouse Town Hall, Whitechapel, London, E14 7HA. For support contact GBC 07946 541511. For campaigning support contact DtRtP 07570052244 . If you were a witness to the weekends events contact gbclegal@riseup.net 286 arresttees will be speaking at our conference on Sunday 27th Oct http://www.defendtherighttoprotest.org/dtrtp-national-conference-austerity-injustice-and-the-power-of-protest-27-october/–please note it is free for all arrestees – to book contact info@defendtherighttoprotest.org
Click to share
Yesterday’s murder in Greece by Golden Dawn activists shows what we can expect if neo-fascism is allowed to grow. I applaud these anti-fascists for taking a stand.