Model Motion: Affiliate to UCAPV

It is less than a week since the United Campaign Against Police Violence (UCAPV) was launched to remember Ian Tomlinson, to stop deaths in police custody, to call for the right to demonstrate and stop the erosion of civil liberties.

We have already received affiliations from Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition, RMT London Underground Engineering Group and George Green’s School NUT, Isle of Dogs.

Others are in the process of supporting us. Supporters are also due to put emergency motions for affiliation to UCAPV to the conferences of the PCS, FBU, BECTU and UCU trade union conferences.

United Campaign Against Police Violence – model motion

• Notes:
  The tragic death of Ian Tomlinson on 1 April after he was hit and pushed to the floor by police involved in containing demonstrators protesting against the G20.
  
• That there have been numerous complaints, many with video evidence, against police brutality and violence on the demonstrations around the G20, including those relating to the tactic of “kettling” (detaining demonstrators for hours on end without access to food, water, toilet facilities, etc.).
  
• Restrictions on demonstrations and those participating in them have increased recently, with high-profile cases such as the much criticised policing of protests at the Kingsnorth power station, and the pre-emptive detention of 114 people planning to attend climate demonstrations in Nottinghamshire.
  
• Sadly, the death of Ian Tomlinson is not an isolated case. Many families who have lost loved ones in police custody are still campaigning for justice after many years, including the families of Sean Rigg, Brian Douglas, Harry Stanley, Roger Sylvester and Christopher Alder.
  
• The formation of the United Campaign Against Police Violence (UCAPV), set up following Ian’s death and the events of 1-2 April around the slogans “Remember Ian Tomlinson – no more deaths in police custody” and “Freedom to protest – defend civil liberties”.
  
• Believes:
  Evidence suggests that aggressive police behaviour is not the result of individual officers, but is an institutional issue.
  
• There is a need for a broad-based active campaigning strategy around all these questions. The Independent Police Complaints Commission and its predecessor the Police Complaints Authority, have never secured a single conviction of a police officer involved in many of the cases of deaths in police custody over the years.
  
• Resolves:
  To support the UCAPV and future actions it is involved with.
  To add our name to those backing the national demonstration against police violence called on Saturday 23 May (assembling 3:00pm at Trafalgar Square, marching to New Scotland Yard). To mobilise for and encourage members to attend the demonstration.
• To affiliate to the UCAPV at a cost of £100 / make a donation of …………..