United Campaign Against Police Violence

E-petition launch: Families unite for justice

2012-01-20T10:54:00.000-08:00

The United Campaign Against Police Violence is proud to support this epetition launched by the United Families and Friends Campaign.

It was simultaneously launched by dozens of family campaigns and justice activists today. We need 100,000 signatures by next January to have the chance for it to be discussed in parliament.

You can read and sign the petition here. Please read the information below, and visit the UFFC website for more information.

The United Families & Friends Campaign (UFFC) have launched an ambitious petition appeal that calls for an independent judicial inquiry into all suspicious deaths in custody.

The United Families & Friends Campaign (UFFC) is a coalition of families and friends of those that have died in the custody of police and prison officers as well as those who died in psychiatric and immigration detention. It also has members and supporters from campaign groups and advocacy organisations from across the UK.

The Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody report published in 2011 states: in total, there were 5,998 deaths recorded for the 11 years from 2000 to 2010. This is an average of 545 deaths per year. Despite the fact there have been 11 unlawful killing verdicts since 1990 there has never been a successful prosecution.

US civil rights veteran, Rev Jesse Jackson supports the inquiry campaign.
Campaign representatives have said; “Our joint efforts have yielded some results.

However, these have not addressed the lack of justice in the many outstanding cases.

“We believe that equitable dispensation justice in the UK must be done and be seen to be done if the general public are to enjoy high levels of trust and confidence in the fair administration of justice.

“The poor quality and speed of independent investigations conducted by the Independent Police Complaints Commission and an Inquest process that is seriously under resourced, subject to delay and limited in remit and is not fit for purpose. Both critically fail to protect or support the rights of victims or their families”.

Amongst the demands of UFFC are the replacement of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) to ensure a truly independent body. That deaths in psychiatric detention must be subject to a system of properly funded investigation that is completely independent of the Health Service and that officers and officials should never be allowed to collude over their evidence and statements of fact.

Families have also long argued the unequal allocation of legal resources in custody death cases and believe there should be an automatic right to non means tested legal aid for families. “There is a lack of funds for family legal representation at Inquests whilst officers and NHS staff get full legal representation from the public purse – this is unbalanced”.

The petition will run until January 2013.

Jesse Jackson calls for public inquiry into British deaths in police custody

2011-12-15T14:44:00.000-08:00

Veteran civil rights activist Jesse Jackson was in London today (Thursday, 15 December) to call for an inquiry into deaths in police custody.

“The police have permission to behave in this way,” he said. “They are protected by the state. The choice is whether we adjust to oppression, or resist and fight back.”

See the video below of the meeting.

Click here for a report of the day in Socialist Worker.

Procession to Downing Street--no more deaths in custody!

2011-10-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, 29th October 2011

12.30pm Assemble Nelsons Column Trafalgar Square, London, to march to Downing Street

Bring banners, wear black.

Download the flyer here (PDF).

Families of those who have died in police and prison custody and secure state care will hold a silent procession and then deliver a letter of demands to the Prime Minister.

Over 300 people have died in police custody since 1998, yet no police officer has ever been brought to justice and the families still seek answers.

This annual march takes the campaign for justice to the door of Number 10.

Supported by the families of Kingsley Burrell, Sean Rigg, Smiley Culture, Roger Sylvester, Mark Duggan, Habib Ullah, Mikey Powell, Ricky Bishop and many more.

Come on Saturday to stand with these families in demanding answers.

Organised by United Families and Friends Campaign

Speaking in advance of the march, Marcia Rigg, sister of Sean Rigg who died in police custody in Brixton in August 2008 said:

"We will be marching to remember all our loved ones and to remind the Government that we are not going away. We need justice and positive action taken to ensure that this terrible list of deaths at the hands of the state has no more victims added to it."

http://uffc-campaigncentral.net

United Families and Friends Campaign annual march for justice

2011-10-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

By Families, For Families

Saturday 29th October 2011 – From 12.30pm
Assemble: South side of Nelsons Column, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

UNITED FAMILIES & FRIENDS CAMPAIGN (UFFC) PROTEST & RALLY AGAINST CUSTODY DEATHS AND ABUSE!

Silent Procession along Whitehall followed by Noisy Protest at Downing Street!

Download Flyer Here >

ALL WELCOME – BRING YOUR CAMPAIGN’S / GROUP’S BANNER

Three deaths in one week after "non-lethal" restraint

2011-08-24T04:39:00.000-07:00

Three people have died in police custody in just a week—all were restrained with “non-lethal” weapons.

Philip Hulmes, 53, was shot with a Taser gun at his home in Over Hulton, near Bolton, on Tuesday.

It is believed that before being Tasered, Philip stabbed himself in the abdomen.

Just one day before, on Monday night, Jacob Michael, 25, from Widnes, Cheshire, died after he was arrested by 11 police officers and “restrained” with pepper spray.

He was taken to hospital and died within two hours.

And last week Dale Burns, 27, died in Cumbria after he was both Tasered and pepper-sprayed by police during an arrest.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating all three deaths.

As the court system strains under the weight of mass arrests following the riots, and as young people are being locked up for crimes as “serious” as stealing an ice cream cone, isn’t it time the police looked at the ever increasing scandal of deaths in custody?

Since 1998, over 336 people have died in custody. No police officer has been convicted over these deaths.

We have to make sure the cover-ups stop.

Give Our Kids a Future! A North London Unity Demonstration

2011-08-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

A demonstration addressing the causes and concerns which led to this week's rioting has been called this Saturday by the North London Assembly.

We should not forget the role played by the police killing of Mark Duggan in the unrest, nor the everyday harassment of poor communities by police.

Details below are from the Facebook page for the demonstration:

Give Our Kids a Future!

Saturday 13 August from 1pm

Gillett Square Dalston to Tottenham Green

This march is called by The North London Assembly, a temporary Assembly which saw 70 local community activists meet at the North London Community House on Tuesday 9th August to discuss our reaction to the riots of early August in Tottenham and Hackney. It includes people from many Turkish and Kurdish community groups, like Day Mer and Gik Der, and also the Haringay and Hackney Alliances for Public Services who are all supporting this march.
We state that this is not us seeking to represent the community but it is our attempt to try to bring unity to the community in which we live. There are many different views on the events but we are seeking the most positive outcome from them.
This will be a positive and peaceful march with an Assembly at the end for people to express what they are thinking about recent events

Statement 10/8/2011

A North London Unity Demonstration

Saturday 13th August
Assemble Gillet Square, Dalston, N16 at 1pm. March to Tottenham Green, N15

Our communities need a united response to both the riots and the causes of despair and frustration that can result in riots.

We demand:
• A CULTURE OF VALUING, NOT DEMONISING YOUTH AND UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE.
• SUPPORT FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY THE RIOTING, INCLUDING THE IMMEDIATE RE-HOUSING OF PEOPLE MADE HOMELESS AS WELL AS GRANTS FOR AFFECTED
SMALL BUSINESSES.
- COMMUNITY LED REGENERATION AND RESTORATION OF DAMAGED AREAS.
• REVERSAL OF ALL CUTS TO YOUTH SERVICES IN OUR BOROUGHS
• NO CUTS TO PUBLIC SERVICES! INSTEAD, INVESTMENT INTO AND REGENERATION OF OUR COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING HOUSING, JOBS, EDUCATION AND SPORTS
FACILITIES.
• AN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY INQUIRY INTO POLICING METHODS IN OUR BOROUGHS. AND AN END TO STOP AND SEARCH.
• AVAILABILITY OF LEGAL SUPPORT FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE ARRESTED BY POLICE - YOUNG PEOPLE FACE POTENTIAL SENTENCES THAT WILL AFFECT THEM, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR WIDER COMMUNITIES FOR YEARS TO COME.

We are responding to the events of the last few days, in particular the Tottenham protest over the killing of Mark Duggan and the riots that followed in Tottenham and Hackney.

By coming together and calling for unity we want to encourage all sections of our local communities, young and old,
black and white, residents and workers, to work together to find solutions to some of our long-standing problems.

We know there are all kinds of strong feelings and differing views. We do not claim to represent the whole community, but merely seek to promote unity in the communities in which we live.

Simply labelling rioters as opportunistic criminals does little to relieve tensions and provides a poor explanation for the worst riots in decades. While the shooting of Mark Duggan provided the trigger, against a background of oppressive policing, especially towards ethnic minorities, the root causes are deeper.

Our communities have been blighted by high levels of deprivation, poverty and lack of opportunity for decades. Inequality is growing and recent funding cuts to local services, particularly youth facilities, along with rising unemployment, and cuts to EMA and benefits have exacerbated the conditions in which sections of frustrated young people turned to rioting, which unfortunately has resulted in people losing their homes and small/family businesses losing their livelihoods.

Britain is a wealthy country, but the economic crisis created by greedy bankers and financial speculators is further impoverishing already poor areas like Tottenham and Hackney. The £390 billion of combined wealth of the richest 1,000 people in Britain should be redirected to fund the services we all need.

In the last few months we have seen mass local protests against cuts, student occupations to defend free education, half-a-million strong demonstration on March 26, and 800,000 public service workers out on strike on June 30th.

We need to build on these and other inspiring local and national struggles. Let's work together for a decent society, based not on greed, inequality and poor conditions, but on justice, freedom, sharing and co-operation.

North London Unity Demonstration supported by the Haringey Alliance for Public Services, Hackney Alliance for Defending Public Serices, Day-Mer (Turkish and Kurdish Community Centre), NLCH (North London Community Centre), Day-Mer Youth, Alevi Cultural Centre, Fed-Bir, Kurdish Community Centre: Roj Women, Halkevi, Gik-Der (Refugee Workers Cultural Association). Britania Peace Council: Hundred Flowers Cultural Centre. TOHUM. Socialist Party, Youth Fight For Jobs, Right To Work, Red Pepper.

It's right to protest

2011-05-31T13:01:00.000-07:00

The Defend the Right to Protest campaign have called a meeting in the light of continued police violence on protests. At a time when people can be arrested "pre-emptively" for protesting, the need for a united response to these attacks on our civil liberties is greater than ever.

Wednesday 8 June

7pm, University of London Union (ULU), London WC1E 7HY.

Speakers include: Jody McIntyre, Alfie Meadows, Tony Benn, UK Uncut, Bryan Simpson (arrested for occupying Millbank), The Guillotine 3 (under suspicion for conspiracy to commit street theatre during the Royal Wedding), John Mcdonnell MP, Sara Tomlinson –NUT & Stop Kettling our Kids.

Unlawful killing verdict in Ian Tomlinson inquest

2011-05-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

Ian Tomlinson was unlawfully killed by a police officer on 1 April 2009, according to the jury at the inquest into his death.

Ian Tomlinson was struck from behind by PC Simon Harwood during the G20 protests in the City of London.

This is a big victory for Ian's family and all those who have campaigned for justice.

After this decision, pressure must be put back on the Director of Public Prosecutions, Kier Starmer, who last July ruled that PC Harwood would not be prosecuted for manslaughter.

Despite the roadblocks left by the police, the IPCC, the CPS, the DPP and sections of the media, the jury came to its conclusion "beyond reasonable doubt".

Now we must continue to campaign for all those who have died after contact with police, and who have been denied justice for so long.

MPs, activists and trade unionists condemn new attacks

2011-04-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

Release from Defend the Right to Protest:

A series of raids and “pre-emptive arrests” in the days leading up to the royal wedding represent a dangerous clampdown on our hard-won right to protest.

Squats have been raided by large teams of police officers. Activists have been arrested on the bizarre charge of “conspiracy to cause public nuisance and breach of the peace” for trying to organize street theatre on the day of the royal wedding. Students arrested after the tuition fees protests have had their bail hearings moved forward and been charged and banned from the City of Westminster.

These include Alfie Meadows, who nearly died of a brain haemorrhage after being hit with a baton on December 9 and has now been charged with violent disorder. This follows the kettling and police violence against student protests and the mass arrest of 148 protestors who peacefully occupied Fortnum & Mason on March 26.

Politicians condemn regimes in the Middle East that do not allow their citizens to speak out against their rulers (some of whom, including the royal families of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, are attending the royal wedding today). Yet the political policing that has preceded the royal wedding threatens to do the same in Britain, making it a crime to be a protestor on high profile state occasions.

If this can happen for the royal wedding, how can we be confident that we will be allowed to protest at the opening of Parliament, the Tory Party conference or Chancellor Osborne’s budget announcement?

Now more than ever, as the government cuts threaten the jobs, services, pensions and benefits that millions rely upon, we need to assert our right to protest without fear of arrest and intimidation. We will be protesting outside the first hearing of Fortnum & Mason occupiers on Monday 9 May, 9am, at City of Westminster Magistrates Court and invite everyone who believes in defending our democratic rights to join us there.

Initiated by Defend the Right to Protest

Signatories include:

Stop Kettling Our Kids
UK Uncut
Justice for Alfie Meadows
United Campaign Against Police Violence
Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers
Matt Foot – Campaigning Lawyer
Aamer Anwar – Campaigning Lawyer
Billy Bragg
John McDonnell MP
Katy Clark MP
Liam Burns – President NUS Scotland
Mark Serwotka – General Secretary PCS
Billy Hayes – General Secretary CWU
Roz Kaveney – Queer Resistance
Laurie Penny – journalist
Nina Power – Senior Lecturer Philosophy, Roehampton University
Michael Chessum – Co-founder National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts
Mark Bergfeld – NUS NEC, Education Activist Network
Ashok Kumar LSE SU Education Officer
Kanja Sessay NUS NEC, Black Students Committee

This is what democracy looks like

2011-04-29T11:51:00.001-07:00

Footage of street theater organisers Chris Knight and Camila Power arrested the day before the wedding.

Their "crime" was to organise street theater featuring a replica (but obviously harmless) guillotine.

So there you have it. You can be arrested for using your free speech... before you've even used it.

Chris, a anthropology professor, and Camilla have both been heavily involved in UCAPV. Good luck to them both.

Defend the Right to Protest

2011-04-29T05:30:00.000-07:00

The right to protest has been dealt serious blows in recent weeks. Dozens have been raided and arrested simply for planning to protest on the day of the royal wedding. Meanwhile, police raided squats with the excuse that they might also somehow spoil the royals’ big day.

The group Defend the Right to Protest has called several events to organise opposition to these attacks on our civil liberties.

On Thursday the group has called an emergency open meeting in London on how to respond to the attacks. Speakers include Alfie Meadows, who was given brain damage after being beaten by police on the student protests last year, and was later arrested; John McDonnell MP, a Fortnum and Masons occupier, and others.

This from the Defend the Right to Protest Facebook group:

THURS 5 MAY, 6.30PM

CENTRAL LONDON VENUE TBC

Preemptive raids on protesters before the Royal Wedding.....Alfie Meadows who underwent surgery after been hit by a police baton charged with violent disorder......Fortnum and Masons protesters charged with aggravated trespass. This must stop! Please come along and help organise a response to these attacks on our right to protest

"These raids and arrests are outrageously disproportionate and demonstrate the decline that has taken place in the protection of civil liberties in this country. Those arrested must be defended and supported by us all". JOHN McDONNELL MP

"This appears to be a worrying extension of police using powers preemptively to stop people protesting. They claim to be independent and facilitate peaceful protest its difficult to see how they can justify those statements in light of what they are doing" MATT FOOT CAMPAIGNING LAWYER

This will be followed on Monday 9 May with a protest at City Westminster Court, where Fortnum and Mason occupiers have their hearing. 140 were arrested and detained following the occupation on 26 March.

STOP THESE ATTACKS ON OUR RIGHT TO PROTEST

MONDAY 9 MAY, 9AM, CITY WESTMINSTER COURT

Protest outside the hearing of Fortnum & Mason occupiers.

On 26 March, around 140 people were arrested and detained for taking part in the occupation of Fortnum & Mason to highlight tax avoidance. Their protest was peaceful, as documented by eyewitness reports and video footage. They were told by police that they were free to leave – but as soon as the protestors left the building they were arrested. The occupiers now face charges of aggravated trespass and the possibility of a prison sentence.

The Fortnum and Mason arrests are part of a much wider project that threatens the right to protest. The student demonstrations of November and December were regularly kettled and charged by mounted officers or uniformed thugs wielding batons and shields. Tahmeena Bax and Alfie Meadows were peaceful protestors hospitalised by police. Alfie now faces charges of violent disorder – unlike the officers responsible for the brain haemorrhage that nearly killed him.

Faced with unprecedented cuts that threaten to decimate the welfare state, now more than ever we must defend and assert our right to protest. On Monday 9 May join us outside the first of the Fortnum & Mason hearing to defend the protestors facing charges and to remind the government and the police that we can and will exercise our protest without fear of arrest or intimidation.

Stay up to date with our campaign:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Defend-the-Right-to-Protest/178594298855659

http://defendtherighttoprotest.org/

Smiley Culture March for Human Rights

2011-04-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday 16 April, Assemble 12 noon

Southbank Club, 124-130 Wandsworth Road, London SW8 2DL.

The Campaign for Justice for Smiley Culture has called a demonstration to New Scotland Yard on Saturday, 16 April. It has received massive support from communities around the country, and has the potential to be very big.

The families and supporters of many of those who have died in police custody will be marching. We should also bring along others who have suffered brutality at the hands of police, whether through racist stop and search or being beaten up on a student demonstration. United we can bring change.

Over the next week we can spread the word through our campaign and community groups. Let's make this a march that the police can't ignore.

Join the Facebook group for the Campaign for Justice for Smiley Culture.

Birmingham public Meeting with families of Smiley Culture and Kingsley Brown

2011-04-07T06:13:00.000-07:00

Details from 4wardeveruk.org...

There have been 400 deaths in custody over the last 10 years. The families of Kingsley Brown and Smiley Culture are the latest to suffer tragic losses.

On Friday 8th April at the The African Caribbean Millenium Centre in Birmingham, both families united by their grief and sadness will demonstrate their determination to pursue justice. Both families will be speaking at this important public meeting alongside others.

Full line-up of speakers will include:

Lee Jasper – Nationwide human rights activist
Maxi Hayles – Birmingham Racial Attack Monitoring Unit
Merlin Emmanuel (Smiley Culture’s Nephew)
Kadisha Brown Burrell (Kingsley Burrell Brown’s Sister)
Tippa Naphtali – Mikey Powell Campaign for Justice & 4WardEver UK
John Simmit (more details to follow)

more to be announced…

The meeting will also discuss attendance at the national march for truth and justice for all victims of death in custody to be held on Saturday 16th April 2011 Wandsworth Road, London. This issue affects us all regardless of race, class colour or creed. Please help promote this meeting and remember no justice no peace.

For more information and to print posters visit:http://www.reggaeairways.co.uk/smiley-culture or join the Campaign for Justice 4 Smiley Culture on Facebook. “One Love One Aim One Destiny”

Event Details:

Friday 8th April at 6.30pm
Venue: The African Caribbean Millenium Centre, 339 Dudley Road, Winson Green, Birmingham.B18 4HB
Tel: 0121 455 6382 / Fax: 0121 454 5953

We issue a call for all communities to unite and mobilize for the demonstration for Truth and Justice to take place on the 16th April in London.

For enquiries contact:
Lee Jasper via www.leejasper.blogspot.com | www.leejasper.com | twitter.com/LeeJasper

Ian Tomlinson inquest starts Monday

2011-03-25T06:22:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: PC Simon Harwood will give evidence at the inquest tomorrow (4 April). The Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign invites people to attend in the public gallery to show their support.

The inquest into the death of Ian Tomlinson is due to start on Monday. The Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign welcomes supporters to attend from 9am in London.

This is from the campaign website. Visit the site to find more information.

The inquest into the death of Ian Tomlinson, who died during the G20 protests in 2009, will commence on Monday 28 March 2011 and is expected to last for of 5-6 weeks. It is expected to sit from Monday to Thursday from 10.00am – 4.00pm. The family welcomes supporters to attend.

An inquest is a legal investigation that is open to the public. Its purpose is to establish who the person was and where, when and how they died.

The inquest will be conducted by the Chief Coroner, Judge Peter Thornton QC, who replaces the City of London Coroner Paul Matthews. Hearings will take place at the International Dispute Resolution Centre at 70 Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 1EU.

First day

If you are attending on the first day it is recommended that you arrive at 9.00am.

Hundreds demand justice for Smiley Culture

2011-03-24T18:01:00.000-07:00

Hundreds of people crammed into Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton, last night to demand justice for David Emmanuel, aka Smiley Culture.

A demonstration to New Scotland Yard from Wandsworth Road was announced by David's nephew, Merlin, for 16 April.

Merlin's speech electrified the audience. Check it out.

Campaign for Justice for Smiley Culture Public Meeting

2011-03-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

Public meeting:

7pm, Thursday 24 March

Brixton Town Hall, Brixton Road, London SW2 1RW

Smiley Culture, aka David Emmanuel, died of a stab wound at his house on 15 March following a police raid.

The police claim that the fatal stab wound was self-inflicted. However, there are serious questions over this interpretation of events.

Emmanuel was not the first to die in police custody. We should stand in solidarity with his family and campaign together to find the truth.

Join the Facebook group for the campaign here: http://www.facebook.com/Campaign4Justice4SmileyCulture?sk=info

Read coverage of Smiley Culture's death on the Independent and Guardian websites.

Press release and Official Statement from the Emmanuel Family in relation to the death of Smiley Culture aka David Emmanuel:
On behalf of the Emmanuel Family I would like to express our deep sorry and anger with the events that lead to the death of our beloved David. As a family we are in a state of shock and confusion and are determined to search for the truth of what happened on the morning of 15th March 2011 a day that will now be forever etched in our minds.

I would like to thank the thousands of people right across the world and here in Britain who have sent messages of support and condolences. These messages have been the source of great comfort and support and I thank all those who have expressed their condolences and support for the family at this most difficult time.

My uncle David Emanuel, otherwise known as Smiley Culture is now dead, he was, and is, a British Icon who died under the most peculiar and suspicious of circumstances.

Smiley Culture was a cultural ambassador a pioneer. There would be no Tinie Tempah’s or Chipmonks were it not for him, for he was the first to integrate, lyrically, the British dialect into modern urban music. Put simply, Smiley was the first, British, rapper celebrating our urban dialect.

His tragic death is not a black or white issue, although I am sure that his ethnicity has some relevance in this tragic event, no, this is an issue for all those who stand on for those fundamental principles that should be afforded to all human beings, truth, justice and equality for all.

This is not the time to hurl allegations or vent our emotions in a way that would damage our cause for justice. So, in that respect, my family and I urge restraint from those who would seek to vent their frustrations through violence and disaccord.

Rather, let us unite as a community, as a people, and let the Metropolitan Police and Government know, that in this time of great revolution and change, both at home and abroad, we, the common citizen will not stand idly by whilst our people die in the most bizarre of circumstances, that we will seek the truth, doggedly, determinedly and we not rest until that truth has been exposed.

So I call on you, the British public, to join us in this noble cause to seek truth and find justice, that the legacy of this great man will not be forever tainted, and that we might remember him for his achievements rather than lies, unproven allegations and conspiracy theories.

I can tell you that Smiley had a great deal to look forward to. It is true that he had an impending court case but it is also true that the evidence in relation to this case was non-existent and he, along with his legal team, were supremely confident of being acquitted this coming week.

Did you know Smiley was a successful international businessman trading gold, diamonds and other commodities, and was worth millions?

Did you also know that he worked with and enjoyed the support of businessmen, politicians and leaders from around the world?

Did you know he was working with the government of Azerbaijan? And had an investment portfolio that spanned Ghana, Uganda, Liberia, South Africa, India and beyond?

Knowing these truths and the circumstances under which he died, plus the fact that the case against him was void of any real evidence means both he and the family were confident, had he been tried he would have been acquitted. Smiley was confident and looking forward to clearing his name and we have no reason to believe that he would have taken his own life. We have every obligation to investigate, procure the facts, and expose untruths, wherever they may lie and we ask those committed to justice to join us in seeking the truth.

I would also urge the press to be responsible in their reports and coverage, in that, you must present the facts in a transparent and balanced fashion. We ask that you do not print unattributable anonymous comments form people hiding on the shadows of this case. Please do not sentence Smiley and condemn him before you have heard the facts. You have an obligation, as media, to remain neutral and unbiased. My family and I pray you have the courage to do so.

One dynamic in the midst of all this confusion that is irrefutably evident is. The police have a lot of critical questions to answer and until our questions, queries and suspicions have been fully and competently answered and we will not rest!

And to the powers that be, that govern this case, until that day you will not have a moment’s peace.

We are not that kind of family, we are not that kind of community and we are not that kind of nation. Justice must be done and be seen to be done. We know the road will be long and difficult but with the support of the people we can get to our destination. In the words of the great Rev Martin Luther King “The moral arch of the universe is long but it bends towards justice” To my dear departed Uncle rest in peace and be assured and take comfort that justice will be served. Thank You.

"It seemed as if the police could arrest people for just being there"

2011-03-07T05:04:00.000-08:00

London’s Metropolitan Police have been accused of handing out an excessive number of cautions for aggravated trespass to students who took part in the 10 November protest against an increase in tuition fees, the scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance and other cuts to education.

The law firm Hodge Jones and Allen, who represent a “significant number” of students arrested in the protests, claim that the offence of aggravated trespass is easily committed and is "being used by the Met to criminalise people for exercising their right to protest".

"Conduct falling within the category of aggravated trespass can literally be anything that is potentially disruptive, such as playing a musical instrument," said Ruth Hamann, a lawyer for Hodge Jones and Allen.

Some 150 people were arrested over the course of the student protests, most of whom still await a police decision on their fate.

Hamann also voiced concern that the TUC demonstration on 26 March against public sector cuts, which is predicted to involve tens or hundreds of thousands of people, could see more arrests.

The Guardian reports one 20 year old student from Newcastle, Rees Johnson, as saying he would no longer attend protests out of fear of being arrested once again. "It seemed as if the police could arrest people for just being there," he told the Guardian. "If I found myself in trouble again, I wouldn't be entitled to a caution, so I won't be going to any more protests."

Full report in the Guardian here.

Stop police brutality in Cambridge

2011-02-27T09:51:00.001-08:00

Campaigners in Cambridge have asked that people complain to Cambridgeshire Police Professional Standards Department after officers allegedly forced their way onto King's College to arrest a student and using pepper spray on him.

Here is the text of the letter, which explains events in more detail:

Dear Cambridgeshire Police Professional Standards Department,

I wish to complain about the conduct of a number of police officers as can be viewed in this video on the popular social media site youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-hiFETOknU&feature=player_embedded

The legal observer present reported the following.

At 17:45pm police entered King's College despite being told repeatedly by porters that they had not been authorised on the premisis. These officers were 1241, 1752, 4616, 1555 and 1241. They manhandled a student despite being continually told that they had no right to do so on college property. They then grabbed a sixth form student and tried to drag him away, officer 1241 used pepper spray in the sixth former's face about 10 seconds after saying "if you don't stop resisting you will get some of this". Officer 1555 and 4616 then pushed the sixth form student to the ground and 1555 wrapped his arm round his neck. When asked what the charges were the police initially hesitated to answer and then claimed it was for obstructing a police officer. Officer 2469 entered the college, without permission from the porters. The sixth former shouted "you are strangling me" and the porters and students continually stressed that the police were acting illegally. The police kept threatening the students standing around taking photos that they were also "obstructing". College fellows ran over and again told the police that they had no right to be on college grounds. The police ignored this and dragged the victims out of the college and put them in a van heading for Parkside Police Station.

I would like to complain that all officers present (1241, 1752, 4616, 1555 and 2469) entered the premises of Kings College illegally.

I would like to complain that officers 1241, 1752, 4616, 1555 used disproportionate force in dealing with citizens who were at the time not engaged in any unlawful activities.

I would like to complain that officer 1555 and 4616 used excessive force in restraining citizens who at the time were not involved in any illegal activities, in particular officer 1555 who appears to have employed a choke hold.

I would like to complain that officer 1241 used an incapacitant spray at a distance below the minimum safe recommended distance of 1 meter as described in ACPO Guidance on the use of Incapacitant Spray 04/11/10 Version 2 section 2.6.2
http://www.acpo.police.uk/documents/uniformed/2009/200905UNGIS01.pdf

I would like to complain that officer 1241 used incapacitant spray in a situation that did not warrant the use of incapacitant spray this is a clear case of excessive force being used.

These issues are of grave concern and require immediate investigation to establish the parameters of the police operation undertaken at Kings College at 1745 on Thursday 24th February 2011. During the period of investigation I request that all the officers employed by the Cambridgeshire Constabulary mentioned in the above email text be suspended from active duties as their professional conduct is in question.

I also believe that the direct line manager / bronze commander of the operation in question should be suspended from active service as his or her judgment in ordering his or her officers to conduct themselves in this manner has been drawn into serious question.

I would also like to add that i was not present at the events in question

I have neither sought nor recieved consent written or otherwise from any persons involved in the incident

Please acknowledge this complaint by response

Insert Your name here

Please email this letter from yourself to psd.complaints@cambs.pnn.police.uk

Student arrested for stroking a horse

2010-12-26T10:12:00.000-08:00

A student from Bristol was arrested in a dawn raid and held without adequate food or legal representation by Avon and Somerset police following his involvement on the 25 November protest against fees and cuts to education, the Guardian newspaper has reported.

Paul Saville was accused of stroking a horse, which to people with half a mind might be somewhat less of a criminal offence than, say, charging a packed crowd of kettled teenagers with one. Police claim that Saville's stroking of the horse was a means to distract police while another protester threw a firework.

But this is not the first time Saville has been arrested for spurious reasons. In 2009 he was arrested for writing "Liberty. The right to question it. The right to ask: 'Are we free?'" in water-soluble chalk on a Bristol pavement. Saville claims he received compensation from the police for this arrest.

Saville claims that he was arrested in a dawn raid, which also resulted in the confiscation of his laptop, hard drive, mobile phone, note pads and even his coat. He was held without charge after his arrest at 5.30am, and not questioned for 12 hours. During this time he was denied two of his three meals, phone calls, and assistance when he suffered a panic attack.

As the mask continues to slip from the police force to further display their contempt for the democratic right to protest, it is clear that these actions are designed to terrify people off the streets. There can be little illusion now in the role of the police and the state in enforcing the illegitimate agenda of the liars and thieves in parliament.

But so far this tactic has yet to pay off. With every baton charge, attempted trampling by horses or Stasi style arrests, the student movement becomes angrier and more committed.

After the brief respite as the cops licked their wounds post-Ian Tomlinson, the force are back on the offensive as if nothing ever happened.

The tragedy would be if another person dies for daring to stand up for their beliefs. Or even if someone goes to jail for stroking a horse.

KETTLE THE COPS!

2010-12-11T07:51:00.000-08:00

Peaceful protest against police violence... Wear a hard hat!

Tuesday 14 December 1pm. New Scotland yard, 8-10 Broadway, London SW1H 0BG.

Alfie Meadows was brutally assaulted by police on the 9th. He suffered severe brain haemorrhaging and has undergone 3 hours of brain surgery. His situation is now stable. This is a call for all to show your solidarity with him and the fight for our civil liberties.

Here's a reminder of the last time we kettled New Scotland Yard:

Student protests: shaken government relies on vicious policing and media spin

2010-12-10T03:20:00.000-08:00

“Attacks on police officers and property show that some of the protesters have no respect for London or its citizens,” so said Tory Home Secretary Theresa May, just hours after proving she had no respect for the young and the poor by voting to pull the rug of higher education from beneath their feet.

Last night’s student protest against the trebling in tuition fees has been characterised in the media as unprovoked mindless violence. But the main violence to be seen came not from the students carrying placard sticks or overturning litter bins. After all, shattered glass can be replaced--shattered futures can't.

The real violence came from the police force, seen to use horses to charge at dense crowds of people, beat protesters unconscious and even get caught on film pulling a student from his wheelchair.

One protester, Alfie Meadows, was beaten as he tried to leave the area. He fell unconscious and underwent a three hour operation for bleeding on the brain. Others report that police refused to allow another unconscious protester out of the kettle to receive medical help.

As one anonymous protester reported to the Guardian, “I was outside the kettle in Parliament Square yesterday watching as riot police fought with protesters and then split like the Red Sea to allow two charges of police on horseback into the crowd. It was absolutely horrific to witness. These are dispersal tactics used on the continent but the Met are using it against people who have nowhere to run because they are kettled. The horses charged at high speed and from where I was they seemed to end up wading through the protesters. It’s a miracle that no-one was seriously injured, or even killed.”

This was not simply the case of police responding to violence and disorder. Before the protest had even begun, Scotland Yard was already straining at the bit for a fight, using inflammatory language unseen since the G20 protests in 2009 which saw the death of Ian Tomlinson.

Meanwhile, David Cameron has moved beyond talk of a “violent minority”, now preferring to label most of those who came to stop the fees as “wanting to pursue violence and destroy property.” This is the talk of a man who is scared of opposition from the streets – it’s not easy to con the brave student movement into dropping their opposition to fees. They aren’t Lib Dems, after all. But it is also his attempt to brand all those wanting to stand up to his coalition of cutters as a violent mob, hell-bent of destruction.

But one thing is clear—the movement does not end here. In 1990, the poll tax became law, opposition on the streets continued, and police used horses and truncheons to beat protesters into submission. It didn’t work and the poll tax fell.

The gamble by the police was that using extreme violence against school students would scare them off the street. This gamble has failed. It has simply increased the anger of these young people, who have been taught a valuable—if painful—lesson in whose side the state is on.

This is still only the beginning.

333 custody deaths since 1998: IPCC releases grim statistics

2010-12-03T04:04:00.000-08:00

Despite 333 people dying in police custody since 1998, no police officer has ever been convicted. In 2009-10 alone a total of 16 people were killed after police contact.

INQUEST, the campaign group for those whose friends and family have died in custody, outlined a series of major concerns which arose from the findings:

· 68% of people who died were arrested for non-violent, public order offences such as being drunk and disorderly and drug-related offences;

· Police force policy and procedure in relation to custody matters was breached in 27% of cases;

· Police failed to carry out necessary risk assessments in over half of cases booked into police custody where a risk assessment was required and there was a prevalence of incidents where custody officers had not conducted proper checks or rousing of detainees;

· 58 people had mental health issues, including 17 who were detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act;

· 26% of people were restrained on arrest, in transportation or on arrival in custody. People from BME groups were significantly more likely to be restrained than white people. The study suggests restraint was directly related to death in 16 cases – a quarter of which were people from BME communities;

· Prosecutions were recommended against 13 police officers who faced a total of 36 charges yet none resulted in a guilty verdict.

As the police clamp down on student protests, it is important for us to understand the role of police in society, and the ability of the judiciary to cover their tracks. Perhaps rather than chasing after school students for fear they might beat the government cuts they should investigate the real violence perpetrated by police officers on such a massive scale.

Read the report in the Guardian.

Police deny using horse charges on students. Haven't they heard of Youtube?

2010-11-26T06:27:00.001-08:00

Spot the difference...

Exhibit A:

From the Guardian: Yesterday a spokesman for the Metropolitan police said: "Police horses were involved in the operation, but that did not involve charging the crowd." He added: "I dare say they [officers policing the Whitehall demonstrations] were doing the movements the horses do to help control the crowd for everyone's benefit, which has been a recognised tactic for many, many years, but no, police officers charging the crowd – we would say, 'No, they did not charge the crowd.'"

Exhibit B:

After the student demo... Defend the Right to Protest: Unite against the witch hunt - No to victimisations

2010-11-23T03:51:00.000-08:00

There is a meeting tonight at Friends Meeting House in London to defend those victimised after the student demonstration of 10 November.

This will be of especial importance after reports have emerged that tomorrow's student actions against cuts to education and the increase in fees are to be policed by Bob Broadhead. Broadhead ran the disastrous policing operation at the G20 protests in the City of London in 2009 which led to the death of Ian Tomlinson. The Territorial Support Group will also be on standby.

Defend the Right to Protest

Unite against the witchunt - No to victimisations

PUBLIC MEETING:

Tuesday 23^rd November, 7.30pm,

Friends Meeting House, opposite Euston Station

Speakers include: Arrested students, John McDonnell MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Mark Serwotka PCS Gen Sec, Sean Vernell London Region UCU, Ashok Kumar – President LSE/Education Activist Network, Matt Foot Socialist Lawyer and Jeremy Corbyn MP.

http://teneleventen.wordpress.com/

“A few broken windows are nothing compared to the wholesale destruction of the education system and the welfare state”

61 students have been arrested since the Nov 10^th protests and there has been a widespread moral panic whipped up against those who took part in the Millbank occupation. Despite this it is clear there is widespread sympathy with the protesters. Yesterday 299 academics signed a statement which declared “we will fight with students over fees”. Thousands have signed a statement supporting arrested students fighting to clear their names and calling for unity against the governments attacks.

Come along to Tuesday’s public meeting and help to build a united campaign against the witchunt and victimisation of students.

Statement: http://teneleventen.wordpress.com/

The Con-Dem government has launched a savage attack on further and higher education. The Tories plan to increase tuition fees to £9,000 a year, make swingeing cuts in courses and lecturers and teachers jobs. They also plan to cut the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). The EMA is a small grant given to students in further education to enable them to attend college. Any cut in the EMA would deny many poorer students the opportunity to access further education.

The ministers in this Con-Dem government all benefited from free education – they received grants and their tuition fees were paid by the state. Now they want to close the doors to higher education and further education for a generation of young people.

Their policies are creating a two-tier education system.

On Wednesday 10 November over 50,000 students and lecturers marched in central London against the Con-Dem plans. This is the biggest demonstration over education this country has seen for more than two decades.

The Guardian newspaper headline declared ‘This is just the beginning’. It is right, the Tories attacks on the poor and trade union movement means that there will be many more strikes and protests against the government’s austerity measures.

Britain is not the only country facing huge cuts and austerity measures. Across Europe, particularly in Greece, France and Ireland there have been massive protests, occupations and sit-ins against the austerity plans their governments have tried to introduce.

It therefore can be no surprise that when the students and lecturers marched passed the Tory Party HQ, thousands of protestors occupied the building and its courtyard.

The next day some sections of the media carried lurid stories attacking those that occupied Millbank.

This witch-hunt is an attempt to detract people’s attention away from the real issues. A few broken windows are nothing compared to the wholesale destruction of the education system and the welfare state.

We the undersigned believe:

It is vital that we all unite to stop the government’s attacks.

We support all those students and lecturers falsely arrested at Millbank who are fighting to clear their names.

Police censorship: Fitwatch site taken down by Scotland Yard

2010-11-16T08:53:00.000-08:00

In an astounding piece of political censorship, Scotland Yard has forced the removal of a website which has been critical of civil rights abuses by the police.

Following last week’s student protest in London against cuts in education and the increase in tuition fees, politicians and the right wing press have launched a full scale witch-hunt of those it perceives as responsible for occupying the Tory Party HQ in Millbank.

The Fitwatch website, which has chronicled police surveillance and intimidation since 2007, published an article offering information to protestors who were worried about the "irresponsible and frenzied ‘shop-a-student’” initiative being pushed by the liked of Tory blogger Guido Fawkes and the Daily Telegraph.

CO11, the Metropolitan Police’s public order branch, ordered JustHost.com to remove the Fitwatch site for 12 months. The website’s owners were only made aware of this censorship after the website had been removed.

According to the letter, which was seen by the Guardian newspaper, “The website is providing explicit advice to offenders following a major demonstration in central London… The demonstration was marred by violence and several subjects have already been arrested, with a major police operation under way to identify and arrest further offenders.”

How convenient that the police unilaterally decided to take down the website of one of their most vocal critics! After Fitwatch, who will be next?

As last Wednesday’s protest took place, David Cameron was busy pushing trade agreements in China, where he claimed to have lobbied the Chinese government to relax its restrictions on liberty and free speech.

If he meant a word of it, perhaps he could say the same to Scotland Yard.

United Families and Friends Campaign procession last week

2010-11-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

The procession from Trafalgar Square to Downing Street by friends and families of those who have died in custody on Saturday 30 October was a powerful symbol of resistance to injustice. Around 100 people marched to Downing Street, blocking off Whitehall traffic as they walked in silence to David Cameron's residence.

After powerful speeches by the representatives of the families of those who have died, protesters crossed Whitehall to deliver their letter to Cameron which demanded justice for those who have died, and reforms to British policing and the judiciary making it less likely for officers to kill, and more likely for justice to be won.

The march received coverage in the Morning Star and Socialist Worker, and check out the excellent report from Russia Today:

The marchers vowed to return next year, in even greater numbers.

March for justice this Saturday - Join the United Families and Friends Campaign demo

2010-10-25T04:03:00.000-07:00

United Campaign Against Police Violence is supporting the United Families and Friends Campaign march to Downing Street this weekend for justice for those who have died in custody.

Assemble at 12noon on Saturday 30th October at Trafalgar Square for a march to Downing Street.

UFFC includes members of the families of Roger Sylvester, Leon Patterson, Rocky Bennett, Alton Manning, Christopher Alder, Brian Douglas, Joy Gardner, Aseta Simms, Ricky Bishop, Paul Jemmott, Harry Stanley, Glenn Howard, Mikey Powell, Jason Mcpherson and Sean Rigg - all of whom have died in custody.

Join the event on Facebook...

What we believe
• That failure of State officials to ensure the basic right to life is made worse by the failure of the State to ever prosecute those responsible for custody deaths.

• That the failure to prosecute those responsible for deaths in custody sends the message that the State can act with impunity.

What We Demand
• Deaths in police custody must be investigated by a body that is genuinely independent of the police.

• Prison deaths must be subject to a system of properly funded investigation that is completely independent of the Prison Service.

• Officers involved in custody deaths be suspended until investigations are completed.

• Prosecutions should automatically follow 'unlawful killing' verdicts at inquests.

• Police forces are made accountable to the communities that they serve.

• Immediate Legal Aid and full disclosure of information be made to the relatives of the victims for investigations, inquests and subsequent prosecutions.

• Officers responsible for deaths should face criminal charges, even if retired.

• CCTV to be placed in the back of all police vehicles

Another blow for Greater Manchester Police’s violent tactics in Bolton

2010-10-22T02:33:00.000-07:00

Film footage from the Bolton protest against the English Defence League (EDL) in March apparently shows police officers attacking anti-fascist demonstrators. While this is not the first such film to emerge showing the level of violence used against those attending a counter-protest called by Unite Against Fascism (UAF), it does appear to show police officers punching and batoning Alan Clough, an anti-fascist arrested on the day of the protest and later charged with public order offences. Charges have now been dropped following the release of the footage by Granada TV.

This is the latest blow to Greater Manchester Police’s campaign of intimidation against anti-racists following the demo. Only weeks ago Leeds student Dane Kelly, was cleared of using “threatening behaviour” against PC Gareth Rowe. Kelly was taken to court for swearing at a police officer, but the police were unable to find sufficient evidence to have him found guilty even of this.

For the full story, read the Manchester Evening News report (with footage).

If you would like to get involved with justice4bolton, which campaigns on behalf of those arrested on the day, visit its website.

For more information about police violence on the day of the EDL counter-protest, read a report here.

Black people are 26 times more likely than whites to face stop and search

2010-10-18T05:05:00.000-07:00

An international report has shown that black people in Britain are 26 times more likely to be stopped and searched by police than white people.

This flies in the face of claims by the police that "institutional racism" is a problem of the past.

US civil rights activist Jesse Jackson came to London to promote a new campaign against this abuse of power, and called the findings "astonishing".

Despite the rhetoric of change in the police force, these figures show that racial profiling is still central to policing operations on British streets.

Here is the full article in Sunday's Observer newspaper.

PROTEST AGAINST CUSTODY DEATHS!

2010-09-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Silent Procession along Whitehall followed by Noisy Protest at Downing Street!

ALL WELCOME - PLEASE WEAR BLACK - BRING YOUR GROUP’S BANNER

Further info: contact United Families & Friends Campaign: contactuffc@gmail.com

Join the Facebook group: http://bit.ly/cvX3sE

INQUEST: MAN DIES AFTER BEING RESTRAINED BY POLICE OFFICERS IN HOSPITAL

2010-09-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

This from INQUEST:

MAN DIES AFTER BEING RESTRAINED BY POLICE OFFICERS IN HOSPITAL

Olaseni Lewis, known to his family as Seni, was a young black man aged 23 years, engaged in post-graduate Masters studies in IT and Business Management at Kingston University. He had no prior history of mental illness or any untoward behaviour until the evening of Sunday 29 August 2010 when his family and friends noticed that he was behaving strangely, alternating between calm and agitated phases. They sought professional help, resulting eventually in his admission as a vulnerable voluntary patient at the Bethlem Royal Hospital early in the evening of Tuesday 31 August 2010. Within hours of leaving him at the hospital, however, they were to learn that he had collapsed after being restrained by police officers who had been called by hospital staff. Seni was taken by ambulance to Mayday Hospital where brain stem death was confirmed following tests on 3 and 4 September 2010.

Seni’s family and friends are determined to ensure that all the circumstances of his tragic death are brought under proper scrutiny so that they can obtain the answers that they need from those responsible for the fatal restraint and those to whom their loved one had been entrusted. To that end, they will be keeping a close eye on the investigations that are said to have been launched by the Independent Police Complaints Commission and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

Deborah Coles, co-director of INQUEST, that is working with the family and their lawyer said:

This is a deeply disturbing death and it is vital both for the family and the public that there is a rigorous, far-reaching investigation into the fatal restraint of a vulnerable black man in need of care and protection. INQUEST has worked on far too many cases where dangerous restraint has resulted in the deaths of vulnerable people, a disproportionate number of whom are from black and minority ethnic communities.

The family and friends of Seni Lewis are grateful for all the very many messages of support and condolence that they have received in the wake of his untimely death earlier this month. For the rest, they would ask all representatives of the media to respect their privacy so that they can grieve for their loved one in peace, and they will not be making any further comment at this stage.

Notes to editors:

INQUEST is the only organisation in England and Wales that provides a specialist, comprehensive advice service on contentious deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, lawyers, other advice and support agencies, the media, parliamentarians and the wider public. Its casework priorities are deaths in prison and in police custody, in immigration detention and in secure training centres. INQUEST develops policy proposals and undertakes research to campaign for changes to the inquest and investigation process, reduce the number of custodial deaths, and improve the treatment and care of those within the institutions where the deaths occur.

INQUEST is represented on the Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody and the Ministry of Justice Coroner Service Stakeholder Forum.

Please refer to INQUEST the organisation in all capital letters in order to distinguish it from the legal hearing.

Support anti-fascist Martin Smith in court on 7 September

2010-09-02T04:25:00.000-07:00

This from the Unite Against Fascism website:

Trade unionists and artists back Martin Smith at court hearing

PCS union leader Mark Serwotka and Drew McConnell of indie band Babyshambles will be speaking out in support of UAF officer Martin Smith, who faces serious charges after the demo against British National Party leader Nick Griffin’s appearance on the BBC’s Question Time.

Martin, who is also national coordinator of our sister campaign Love Music Hate Racism, was arrested on the protest and has been charged with assaulting a police officer. He strenuously denies the charge.

Mark Serwotka and Drew McConnell – pictured with Martin at last year’s LMHR festival in Stoke – will be speaking at a protest outside the court. They will be joined by former UCU general secretary Paul Mackney, Zita Holbourne, joint chair, Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (Barac), Rock Against Racism founder Roger Huddle and LMHR supporters The King Blues.

Join us outside the court
Please support Martin by joining us outside the court.

9am Tuesday 7 September
South Western Magistrates Court, 176a Lavender Hill, London SW11 1JU
Bring your banners!

The court is just up the road from Clapham Junction station (see map). Nearest tubes: Clapham South and Clapham Common.

UPDATE – TUBE STRIKE: There is set to be a tube strike on the day of the hearing – use Clapham Junction rail station (5 mins from Waterloo or Victoria). Bus routes 35, 37, 39, 49, 77, 87, 156, 170, 219, 295, 319, 337, 344, 345, C3 and G1 all stop close to the court. Please allow extra time to travel by bus because it is rush hour and buses will be crowded during the strike.

Trade union support
We’re asking trade unionists to support Martin by passing the model motion below and making a donation towards court costs. The RMT London Fleet 960 branch has done just that, with a £200 contribution.

Don’t forget to let us know if your organisation backs the motion – email us with the name of your union branch or group or drop us a line to the postal address below.

model motion

7th Memorial of the death of Mikey Powell

2010-08-31T02:26:00.000-07:00

This from the Justice for Mikey Powell website:

In Remembrance…

Two events are being held by the Mikey Powell family (both on 5th September 2010) in memory of Mikey Powell organised by his family. Both will be taking place in Birmingham, West Midlands.

Mikey died after being restrained by West Midlands police officers from Thornhill Road police station on 7th September 2003.
……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Mikey : RIP
Memorial Service:

From 11.00am
Holy Trinity Church
213 Birchfield Road
Birmingham B20 3DG
See Map Here >

Candlelit Vigil:

7.00pm – 8.00pm
Thornhill Road Police Station
Thornhill Road
Handsworth
Birmingham, B20
See Map Here >

The Friends of Mikey Powell Campaign for Justice was established by the family of Michael Lloyd Powell (known as Mikey), a cousin of the renowned poet and writer, Benjamin Zephaniah, following his death in Police custody. Mikey was 38 years old and a father of three young children.

He had suffered several short episodes of mental illness from which he had recovered. An episodes occurred on 7th September 2003.

Sean Rigg vigil and meeting report

2010-08-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Around 100 campaigners came to remember Sean Rigg at a vigil outside Brixton police station last night. Sean died at the police station two years ago and the family still seek justice.

A coffin was marched into the police station as campaigners demanded justice. As usual, the police were too ashamed to show their faces.

This was followed by a meeting of around 100 people at the nearby Karibu Centre. After hearing from representatives of some of the families who have lost loved ones to the police, there was a discussion abut what to do next. The meeting voted to support a "people's court" to rule on who is responsible for the deaths of so many.

More details will follow. For now, watch this excellent video of the vigil courtesy of Paul Hanes from Fourman films.

Remember Sean Rigg – two years without justice

2010-08-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

Saturday 21st August 2010

5pm, Brixton Police Station, SW9 7DD - vigil

6pm, Karibu Centre, 7 Gresham Road SW9 7PH – public meeting

On 21 August 2008, our brother Sean Rigg, was arrested by police, “restrained” and transported to Brixton police station in the back of a van. He was removed from the van in a collapsed state and died a short while after whilst in the station yard. He never entered the custody suite door.

The events leading to his death raise suspicion and concern. Although a mental health service user, Sean was fit and healthy with no illicit drugs or alcohol found in his body at the time of his death. The Independent Police Complaints Commission's (IPCC) report completed in February 2010 is, in the family’s opinion, “Heavily biased in favour of the police”, despite the obvious suspicious circumstances surrounding Sean’s death. A catalogue of errors in the investigation has caused the family to lose faith in the British judicial process following a DEATH IN CUSTODY.

For two years the family have vigorously enquired and campaigned in an attempt to find out the truth of what really happened on the night. Currently the family’s legal team are preparing for the inquest, scheduled for 2012.

Justice and Change will be hosting an open floor discussion where they and other families will talk about their experiences of injustice. The family campaigns include Christopher Alder, Brian Douglas, Roger Sylvester, Ian Tomlinson, Blair Peach and Jean Charles de Menezes amongst others, who have lost loved one’s in police custody – all have lost faith in the British Judicial System. What has really changed in the last 30 years?

Come listen and discuss your views about the controversial topic of DEATHS IN CUSTODY and the lack of accountability.

Other supportive death in custody campaign organisations, such as INQUEST, Newham Monitoring Project (NMP), Black Mental Health UK (BMH UK) and United Campaign Against Police Violence (UCAPV), will speak about the current issues and explore what can be done do to bring about awareness and change.

Family solicitor Anna Mazzola said: “It is now two years since Sean died and his family are no closer to getting answers to fundamental questions such as: why didn’t the police and NHS Trust respond to pleas for help from Sean’s mental health hostel? What happened to Sean in those crucial minutes between him being arrested and arriving in a collapsed state at Brixton police station? Why haven’t they been able to access key CCTV footage from the night? It is devastating for the family that they should have to wait until 2012 for a full inquest and deeply worrying that until that time the policies and failings which led to Sean’s death will remain unremedied.”

Deborah Coles of Inquest said: “Sean’s family’s disquiet about the lack of impartiality and independence of the investigation process and the serious delay in holding an inquest have once again resulted in a lack of confidence in the investigation mechanisms following deaths involving the police. The recent decision not to prosecute anyone in relation to the death of Ian Tomlinson follows a litany of cases where the police have not been held to account for unlawful use of force and further anger and mistrust about how the state responds to such deaths.

“Sean Rigg was another black man who has died after being restrained by police officers. INQUEST’s monitoring of deaths in custody/following police contact has highlighted how a disproportionate number of people from black and minority ethnic communities have died following the use of force. INQUEST will continue to work with his family and raise the serious issues his death raises at a parliamentary and policy level. There must be non means tested public funding for the family to be represented at the inquest in the same way that police lawyers will be paid for out of the public purse and the inquest must be held as promptly as possible given the serious family and public interest in scrutinising the events leading to the tragic death of a vulnerable man.”

Patrick Ward of United Campaign Against Police Violence, said: “The treatment of the family of Sean Rigg smacks of a justice system chasing its tail to cover up a scandal. Now the family are told to wait for the inquest in 2012, when no doubt the judicial system will seek other ways of proving its 'innocence'. We must unite at events like this to coordinate our continued campaign for justice for all those who have died at the hands of those who claim to protect us.”

The Campaign will also be hosting a private screening of the film “SUS” - a true and chilling account of one man's brush with the police in 1979 - written by Barrie Keefe who also wrote “The Long Good Friday”. Unfortunately due to limited seating, this will be by invitation only. However, SUS will be out on DVD 6 September. See the film’s website for upcoming screenings www.susthemovie.com.

Family Solicitor: Anna Mazzola, Hickman and Rose - amazzola@hickmanandrose.co.uk

Sean Rigg vigil and meeting - this Saturday

2010-08-19T07:51:00.001-07:00

"Serious, gratuitous and prolonged"... officers to face prosecution for attack on Babar Ahmad

2010-08-12T07:35:00.000-07:00

Four officers from the Met Police territorial support group are to be charged over 2003 attack on "terror suspect" at his home.

This from the Free Babar Ahmad website:

The Director of Public Prosecutions has decided that TSG officers PC Mark Jones, PC James-Bowen, PC Cowley and PC Donoghue will face a joint charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the December 2003 assault on Babar Ahmad.

Bhatt Murphy forwarded a file of papers to the CPS. The decision has been reached independently of the Metropolitan Police and Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Babar Ahmad responded to the decision:

"I am pleased that the CPS has decided that a jury will hear the evidence in this case and it will now be for the jury to determine whether any police officer should be punished for the assault upon me in December 2003. I have no further comment to make at this time."

We would now invite the Commissioner to confirm that all 4 officers have been suspended from duty.

DPP protest video

2010-08-09T07:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Indefilms333 on Youtube for this video of the protest outside the Department for Public Prosecutions on 30 July.

Letter in the Guardian: Protest at shocking Tomlinson decision

2010-07-30T05:47:00.000-07:00

Protest at shocking Tomlinson decision
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The Guardian, Friday 30 July 2010
Article history
The shocking decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to charge any officers over the death of Ian Tomlinson (Editorial, 23 July) exposes the root-and-branch corruption of the justice system. Rather than protecting the innocent, the police, CPS and Independent Police Complaints Commission have been shown to protect each other's backs. From the start, when the IPCC accepted the police line that no CCTV cameras witnessed the attack on Tomlinson, through Dr Freddy Patel's botched first postmortem, up to this latest scandal, the justice system has closed ranks to protect its own.

The fact that PC Simon Harwood, who struck Tomlinson before he died, had previously been investigated for alleged aggressive behaviour and yet was allowed to join the notoriously violent Territorial Support Group is an outrage. As revealed by the Guardian last November, 5,000 complaints were made about the activities of the TSG over four years, yet only nine were upheld.

Tomlinson's case is far from the first. Since 1969 over 1,000 people have died in police custody in Britain, yet not a single police officer has been charged with manslaughter or murder during this time. The Tomlinson family should be given public funding should they decide to continue the legal battle for justice for Ian – as should all families seeking justice for those who have died at the hands of the police. They should also have the right to see PC Harwood's disciplinary proceedings conducted in the open. We will be picketing the offices of the director of public prosectuions in London at midday today.

Patrick Ward United Campaign Against Police Violence, Samantha Rigg-David Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign, Janet Alder Sister of Christopher Alder, Saqib Deshmukh and Zia Ullah Justice for Habib "Paps" Ullah, Bob Crow General secretary, RMT, John O Miscarriages of Justice UK, Chris Knight and Camilla Power G20 Meltdown/Democracy Village, Andy Hewett and Teresa Delaney Co-conveners, Green Left, Martin Smith Socialist Workers party, Emily Apple Fitwatch, Anna Mazzola Hickman & Rose, Andy May Defend Peaceful Protest, Ian Bone, Jeff Parks Legal Defence & Monitoring Group

Justice for Ian Tomlinson: Picket against Office of Department of Public Prosecutionthis Friday

2010-07-27T05:53:00.000-07:00

A protest has been called on Friday outside the Office of Department of Public Prosecution HQ. This is in response to the CPS decision to charge noone over the death of Ian Tomlinson, despite a mountain of evidence showing him being attacked by PC Simon Harwood at the G20 protests on 1 April last year.

Everyone knows who killed Ian Tomlinson - no more lies, whitewashes or cover-ups. Let's make our voices heard and continue the fight for justice for Ian and all those who have died at the hands of the police.

Friday 30 July, 12 noon

Office of Department of Public Prosecution, Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge, SE1 9HS

Launch of Ian Tomlinson Campaign Fighting Fund

2010-07-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

This from the Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign website...

Many, many thanks for the hundreds of e-mails and messages of support sent to the campaign yesterday. We can't possibly respond to them individually but it is really important to Ian's family to know that they have so many people supporting them.

Many have asked if there is anything more they can do and today, we are launching aCampaign Fighting Fund. There is still long road ahead in the fight for justice and the Fund will help the Tomlinson family to make decisions about the direction of the campaign without always having to worry about the financial costs, especially when the emotional ones are tough enough already.

Donations by PayPal won't be up and running until next week, so check back then. But if you personally or your organisation (union branch, community or campaign group, for instance) can help by making a donation, please make cheques payable to 'Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign' and send to:

Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign

c/o Newham Monitoring Project

170 Harold Rd

London E13 0SE

No charges on officers over Ian Tomlinson's death. No justice, once again.

2010-07-22T03:34:00.000-07:00

The CPS report into the death of newspaper vendor Ian Tomlinson has stated that no police officers face charges of any form over Ian's death, despite video and photo evidence clearly showing Ian being attacked by a police officer.

This is another example of the police and the whole justice system denying justice to those killed by police and protecting instead the perpetrators.

We will now assemble at 1pm at New Scotland Yard to let the police know this is fooling nobody.

We will continue to fight for justice for Ian Tomlinson.

For the latest, check the Guardian report.

TOMORROW: CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICE REPORT INTO DEATH OF IAN TOMLINSON

2010-07-21T06:15:00.000-07:00

THURSDAY 22 JULY, 1PM @ NEW SCOTLAND YARD

Tomorrow, Thursday 22 July, on the fifth anniversary of the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell Tube station, we expect to hear the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) report into the death of Ian Tomlinson, the newspaper seller killed in the City of London as he tried to make his way home past the police during the G20 protests on 1 April 2009.

If a police officer is charged with manslaughter it will be the first time this has ever happened in Britain, despite over 1,000 people dying in police custody since the late 1960s. This should be seen as a step forward for those campaigning for justice.

But if it is a whitewash we don’t want them to get away with it. No matter how much they talk about a new era of policing and enshrining the right to protest, the establishment will once again have allowed police officers to kill an innocent man.

We want as many people to gather as possible to either celebrate a victory or step up our campaign for justice.

Gather at 1pm outside New Scotland Yard, 8-10 Broadway, Westminster, London SW1H 0BG.

This is short notice! Spread this message far and wide: phone, email, text, Tweet, Facebook, chalk on the pavements and bring your friends.

Goodbye Section 44!

2010-07-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

After ten years of campaigning, Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 has been abandoned by the government – with immediate effect.

The act allowed police officers to stop and search members of the public without reasonable suspicion for terrorism – primarily against protesters and disproportionately on young black and Asian men.

The European court ruled Section 44 illegal, and the government did not appeal the ruling.

But we should not rest on our laurels just yet. While this law has been changed, Home Secretary Theresa May has also made it clear that she wants to remove “red tape” for policing, and allow police to do their job with “less paperwork”.

This should be a warning. Less paperwork means less accountability. It means more young people, usually from ethnic minorities, being harassed in the street without officers being held accountable.

In rejecting one draconian law, we need to make sure it is not simply replaced with another.

For more information, check out the Guardian’s report.

The return of the ‘sus’ laws?

2010-05-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

This is an article from Socialist Worker this week, which outlines what lies ahead for policing from the Con-Dem coalition government.

New home secretary Theresa May promised to ramp up police powers in her speech to the Police Federation annual conference in Bournemouth.
May wants to give police powers that echo those of the hated and racist “sus” laws.
They would have the ability to charge people with “minor” offences without the involvement of the Crown Prosecution Service.
May also outlined plans to “untangle the knot” of police health and safety regulations.
At first glance this seems like a minor point—but remember Jean Charles de Menezes.
It was the breach of health and safety regulations that brought the police before the court.

For all the talk of restoring civil liberties, the Con-Dem coalition have made it clear that any such changes will be secondary to the huge cuts they plan to make to public services.

We have to continue to push for reforms, and at the same time stand firm against any attempts to reintroduce 'sus', which was used so draconianly - mainly against black people - during the 1970s/1980s.

Tribute to Mikey Powell - Saturday 15 May, Leicester

2010-05-13T02:42:00.000-07:00

4WardEver UK, The Mikey Powell Campaign and several other groups will present this event on Saturday to mark what would have been Mikey's 45th birthday, and to showcase other families cases and campaign groups.

The eveing includes:

Tribute to Mikey Powell following the recent inquest and to mark what would have been his 45th birthday

Family spotlights (different families tell their stories)

Focus on / solidarity with those on US death row (featuring Tony Egbuna Ford)

Speakers from key UK/International groups: INQUEST, Prison Reform Trust, Reprieve etc

Campaign banner exhibition (banners from family campaigns on display)

Live music / dance / poetry

Fundraising raffle & sign-up to the United Families & Friends Campaign

Stands by various campaign & pressure groups...

To book a ticket go to the Mikey Powell Campaign website.

Who killed Blair Peach?

2010-04-28T04:31:00.000-07:00

Blair Peach report released - after 30 years

2010-04-27T02:58:00.000-07:00

After over 30 years a report into the death of Blair Peach on an anti-fascist protest in Southall, West London, has been released. Peach was killed after being attacked by Special Patrol Group officers on 23 April 1979. This report, by Commander Cass, has been repressed ever since.

The following reactions to the report have been released by INQUEST:

Celia Stubbs, partner of Blair Peach, said:

This report totally vindicates what we have always believed – that Blair was killed by one of six officers from Unit 1 of the Special Patrol Group whose names have been in the public domain over all these years: Insp Murray, PC White, PC Richardson, PC Scottow, PC Freestone and PS Lake. That serves only to emphasise that there can be no excuse for the way in which the writer of the report, like the police generally, sought to criminalise the many protestors including Blair at the demonstration against the National Front election meeting.

Celia Stubb’s solicitor, Raju Bhatt of Bhatt Murphy Solicitors, said:

The mindset of Commander Cass and his approach to his investigation is betrayed by the following excerpt from his report where he sought to define its terms of reference and context:

“TERMS OF INVESTIGATION

My brief is to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death, so I do not propose to enlarge much further on the events of that day except to emphasise that it was an extremely violent volatile and ugly situation where there was serious disturbance by what can be classed as a ‘rebellious crowd’. The legal definition ‘unlawful assembly’ is justified and the event should be viewed with that kind of atmosphere prevailing. Without condoning the death I refer to Archbold 38^th edition para 2528: “In case of riot or rebellious assembly the officers endeavouring to disperse the riot are justified in killing them at common law if the riot cannot otherwise be suppressed [sic].”

It is telling that, despite these instincts, the investigation was driven by the weight of the evidence to conclude that the fatal blow to Blair Peach was struck by a police officer whose actions were then concealed by his brother officers. A clear and unequivocal acknowledgement to that effect is now required from the Metropolitan Police, so that we can all be confident that the years of obfuscation and prevarication have been left behind for once and for all.

Deborah Coles, Co-Director of INQUEST said:

The family, friends and community have waited for 31 years for some public recognition and acknowledgement that the police were responsible for Blair’s death. We call upon Sir Paul Stephenson to publicly acknowledge for the first time that a Metropolitan Police officer was responsible for Blair’s death. The whole police investigation into what happened on 23 April 1979 was clearly designed as an exercise in managing the fallout from the events of that iconic day in Southall, to exonerate police violence in the face of legitimate public protest. The echoes of that exercise sound across the decades to the events of the G20 protest and the death of Ian Tomlinson in 2009.

A year on, we still wait for answers about Ian Tomlinson's death

2010-04-01T04:38:00.000-07:00

From today's Guardian:

A year on, we still wait for answers about Ian Tomlinson's death

It has now been one year since the tragic death of Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests in the City of London on 1 April. While we appreciate a fair and thorough investigation takes time, Ian's grieving family has been left in limbo for a year waiting for a full explanation about the circumstances of his death. There is now very real concern as to whether the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) proposes to charge anyone in respect of the assault and death of Ian.

The CPS has been in possession of the provisional Independent PoliceComplaints Commission investigation findings since August 2009. We understand that these findings, at least in part, will provide the basis for a decision on whether to prosecute anyone for Ian's death. We also note that the director of public prosecutions said in a Guardian interview (21 September 2009) that he hoped the CPS would reach a decision "within a few months".

Delays in the investigation and charging decisions increase the suffering for families of victims leaving them unable to gain closure and move on with their lives. Families are greatly concerned not to prejudice the process and are therefore effectively silenced from expressing their views publicly about the death of their loved one. They are desperate to ensure any potential future legal proceedings are not undermined nor an excuse found to abandon any cases that might be brought. The Tomlinson family has endured a year of public scrutiny unable to respond to questions about Ian's death, with little they can do but wait for the outcome of a decision. The delay however is now intolerable.

The policing of the G20 protest caused widespread public concern around use of excessive force by police officers. Proceedings against many protestors arrested on the day, as well as a number of reviews and investigations into the events of the day, have all been concluded. In the case of Ian Tomlinson, there is a heightened need for the statutory investigating body to be seen to be carrying out justice in a robust, transparent and timely manner to address public confidence. One year later the public, like the Tomlinson family, are still left with unanswered questions about how and why Ian died at the G20.

In the absence of any updates from the CPS, we have growing concerns about the investigation into Ian's death. There has been a complete lack of communication and transparency about the delay into concluding the investigation into Ian's death that calls the CPS's credibility into question.

As we have already set out, we do not wish to prejudice any investigation or potential proceedings but believe that either a decision or public explanation is due. We call on the CPS to fulfill its public duty regarding the investigation into the death of Ian Tomlinson.

Julia Tomlinson, Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign

Estelle du Boulay, Newham Monitoring Project

John McDonnell MP

Dr Caroline Lucas MEP

Jean Lambert MEP

Bob Crowe, RMT

Mark Serwotka, Public and Commercial Services Union

Shami Chakrabarti, Liberty

Deborah Coles, Inquest

Vivian Figueiredo, on behalf of the family of Jean Charles de Menezes

Samantha Rigg-David, on behalf of the family of Sean Rigg

Penny Green, professor of law and criminology, King's College London

Samantha Patterson, sister of Jason Mcpherson

Terry Stewart, The Friends of Blair Peach

Jenny Jones, Green party Metropolitan Police Authority member

Peter Herbert, Society of Black Lawyers

Cllr Duwayne Brooks, Liberal Democrat for Downham Ward

Pete Firmin and Andrew Fisher, Labour Representation Committee

Darren Johnson, Member of London Assembly

Frances Wright, Camp for Climate Action

Val Swain and Emily Apple, Fit watch

Pragna Patel, Southall Black Sisters

Sukhwant Dhaliwal, Women Against Fundamentalism.

Christine Shawcroft, Labour Briefing

David Rosenberg, Jewish Socialists' Group

Patrick Ward, United Campaign Against Police Violence

Estella Schmid, Campaign Against Criminalising Communities

Professor Gargi Bhattacharyya, sociology and public policy, Aston University

Councillor Romayne Phoenix, London Green party campaigns co-ordinator

Joseph Healy, Green party regional councillor for London

Andy Hewitt, co-chair of the Green party trade union group

Teresa Delaney, co-chair of the Green party trade union group

Frances Webber, human rights lawyer

Harriet Wistrich, solicitor at Birnberg Peirce

Ronan Toal, barrister, Garden Court Chambers

Hossein Zahir, barrister, Garden Court Chambers

David Watkinson, Garden Court Chambers

Anya Lewis, Garden Court Chambers

Richard J Harvey, Garden Court Chambers

David Emanuel, Garden Court Chambers

Yasin Patel, 25 Bedford Row Chambers

Rajiv Menon, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers

Professor Mick Ryan, former chair of Inquest

Zoe Mercer, When No One is Watching Campaign

Dr Emma Williamson, Research Fellow, Centre for Gender and Violence Research, University of Bristol

Professor Phil Scraton, Queen's University, Belfast

Dr Sacha Darke, senior lecturer in socio-legal studies and criminology, Department of Social and Historical Studies, University of Westminster

Mohan Ambikaipaker, University of Texas

Yasmin Khan, War on Want

Camilla Graham Wood

Alastair Morgan

Doctor Sheila Preston

Nick Moseley

Zareena Mustafa

Jill Phillips

Guy Williams

Simon Mercer

Lochlinn Parker

Sally Stanton

Jack Gordon Harris

Rachael Horner

Chris Heatley

David Mery

Sam Walton

Fiona Harrington

Bruce Benjamin

Ian Tomlinson: One Year Anniversary

2010-03-31T10:14:00.000-07:00

ONE YEAR ON AND STILL NO JUSTICE
REMEMBER IAN TOMLINSON

PLEASE JOIN THE TOMLINSONS IN LAYING FLOWERS AT THE SPOT WHERE IAN DIED THURSDAY 1ST APRIL 11:00 am

CORNHILL BY THREADNEEDLE STREET, LONDON, EC3V (BANK TUBE)

PLEASE ARRIVE AT 10:45 SO THAT WE CAN OBSERVE A MINUTE'S SILENCE AT 11:00

Ian died in tragic circumstances - an innocent passer by, trying to get home, who died after a police assault at the G20 protests on April 1st 2009.

G20 police officer Delroy Smellie cleared of assault

2010-03-31T06:47:00.000-07:00

Police officer Deloy Smellie, who attacked Nicola Fisher at the G20 protests, has been cleared of common assault for striking Fisher with a metal truncheon.

Smellie apparently thought that the object in Fisher's hands - a carton of orange juice - was a weapon. The magistrates believed him.

Here is that footage again. Does Smellie really look under threat? Or does it look like he is attacking an innocent protester?

To make sure other police officers aren't let off the hook for their contempt for peaceful protest, join tomorrow morning's vigil to remember Ian Tomlinson, who died after being struck by police as he was trying to get home.

Greater Manchester Police line up with English Defence League racists

2010-03-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

Thousands of supporters of Unite Against Fascism (UAF) went to Bolton on Saturday to challenge the racists of the English Defence League (EDL).

The multiracial mix of anti-fascists outnumbered the EDL several times over. But it didn’t take long for the Greater Manchester Police force to show their true colours and lay into the anti-fascist majority.

The police had spent weeks dissuading locals from attending the protest against the EDL, but, having largely failed, they brought out the riot police, the dogs, the horses... and the media spin machine.

Hundreds of young, local Asians were prevented from joining the protests, and the demo was already divided by police erecting barriers to prevent a united assembly. The previously agreed designated demonstration area was quickly shown to be nothing of the sort, with riot police storming in early on to attack anti-fascists and arrest leading organisers of UAF, including Weyman Bennett, who was arrested for “conspiracy to commit violent disorder”.

Police then proceeded to attack protestors with batons and dogs. The fact that they were plastered in riot gear from the start shows that they were not there for peaceful reasons. Officers went around the protest with child protection officers, warning parents that if they did not leave they would report them, threatening photographers, and swooping on leading organisers, knocking bystanders to the floor as they did so.

Meanwhile, the EDL side of the protest was left virtually un-policed, despite a barrage of bottles, coins and lighters being lobbed at UAF protesters and racist chants flowing over the separation barrier.

In total, 64 UAF protestors were arrested, with 60 released without charge. When the secretary of Manchester UAF was arrested police took the keys to her house from her whilst she was in her cell and went into her home to snatch her computer and files, using anti-terrorism laws to justify this.

Police meanwhile laughed and joked with the EDL racists, with Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan, who led the police operation, saying, “I would also like to praise the efforts of the EDL stewards who worked with us in the face of some very ugly confrontations.”

The police told the media that two officers were injured in the protests, one receiving a broken finger and one after being bitten by a dog. They forgot to mention that it was a police dog (and who can blame the dog?).

From Cable Street to Welling and now Bolton, the police have a long history of standing up for the “right” of fascists to divide communities and terrorise ethnic minorities.

For the rest of us this is another serious attack on the right to protest, and one that can’t be ignored.

Ex-undercover police officer exposes how force infiltrates campaign groups

2010-03-15T10:25:00.001-07:00

A fascinating look into the methods used by the police to infiltrate campaigns in Britain in this weekend's Guardian:

Undercover policeman reveals how he infiltrated UK's violent activists

For four years, Officer A lived a secret life among anti-racist activists as they fought brutal battles with the police and the BNP. Here he tells of the terrifying life he led, the psychological burden it placed on him and his growing fears that the work of his unit could threaten legitimate protest... (read more on the Guardian website).

Campaign in support of protestors facing jail for demonstrating against Israel's attack on Gaza

2010-03-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

Campaign in support of protesters facing jail for demonstrating against Israel's attack on Gaza

In January 2009 police attacked hundreds of mainly peaceful protesters on a Stop the War Coalition march against Israel's invasion of Gaza. Protesters later spoke of being harassed, kettled and injured by the police in scenes similar to those we saw several months later on the G20 protests in the City of London.

But British "justice" has a strange way of turning these events onto their heads.

Here are further details of the campaign, from the Stop the War Coalition website:

Meeting in Parliament Tuesday 2 March: Report by Nahella Ashraf

Young people who took part in the mass demonstrations against Israel’s attack on Gaza in January 2009 are being handed down jail sentences for minor offences. Israel's barbarism -- which devastated Gaza and left 1400 dead -- brought tens of thousands on to London's streets, including the demonstration of over 100,000 on 10 January 2009.

Numerous complaints were made about police aggressive behaviour on the Gaza demonstrations. Thousands of protestors were 'kettled' -- illegally held for hours and only released after the police had obtained their names and addresses.

In the months that followed the demonstrations, over 90 protestors were arrested -- most of them Muslims, many of them teenagers -- often in intimidating dawn raids. Many of the young people had been under surveillance by the police for months and during some of the arrests family members were handcuffed and put in a separate room. Others were questioned at police stations without a lawyer present, after being told by officers that they would face long delays if they waited for a solicitor to arrive.

On Tuesday 3 March, over 70 people, including families of those arrested and some of the defendants, attended a meeting held in Parliament, at which the overriding message coming from all the speakers was that the arrests and disproportionate sentencing was politically motivated.

Joanna Gilmore, a research from Manchester University, told the meeting that these are the highest number of mass arrests in relation to a political demonstration since the Poll Tax riots of 1990.

Mohammed Kozbar, of the British Muslim Initiative, added that it was clear the latest sentencing was designed to deter the Muslim community from exercising its democratic right to protest.

It was clear to everyone that the treatment of these young demonstrators is a direct result of this government’s war on terror and the increase in Islamophobia.

The next steps agreed by the meeting was for a petition to be drawn up demanding all the charges of those still waiting to face trial be dropped and circulated as widely as possible. This will then be presented to the Director of Public Prosecution and the Justice Secretary Jack Straw. It was also agreed that a meeting be called for the families and various legal teams. The campaigning lawyer Imran Khan has agreed to take on all the appeals.

The meeting agreed the following aims:

Release all those already in prison
Drop all charges
Hold an independent enquiry into the policing of the demonstrators.
Hold an independent review of all complaints raised against the police from the demonstrations.
End the criminalisation of the Muslim community.
Defend the right to peacefully demonstrate.

Send message of support

For background see:

See also: Stop the War dossiers on police violence
03 March 2009 demonstration
10 March 2009 demonstration

European Court: UK Stop and Search Powers Illegal

2010-01-12T08:39:00.000-08:00

From today's Guardian newspaper:

"The ability of UK police to use "arbitrary" counter-terror stop and search powers against peace protesters and photographers lay in tatters today after a landmark ruling by the European court of human rights.

"The Strasbourg court ruled it was unlawful for police to use the powers, under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, to stop and search people without needing any grounds for suspicion."

Read more at Guardian.co.uk...

Video from Ian Tomlinson memorial, 1 December

2009-12-26T15:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Paul Hanes for this.

'You're filming for fun? I don't believe you'

2009-12-15T15:08:00.000-08:00

This from the Guardian website...

'You're filming for fun? I don't believe you'

Report from vigil for Ian Tomlinson

2009-12-02T05:45:00.000-08:00

The vigil for Ian Tomlinson in the City of London last night brought together friends and family of Ian as well as some of us who have campaigned for justice to be served.

Julia Tomlinson, Ian’s wife, said at the vigil, “All we want is a proper investigation… We will not give up until we get it.”

The following weeks will especially difficult for the family as they cope with their first Christmas without Ian.

Alongside family members, those who gathered heard from John McDonnell MP and Vivian Figueiredo, Jean Charles de Menezes' cousin.

The road to finding justice still has far to go. The family are currently awaiting the CPS decision on how they will respond to the IPCC dossier into Ian’s death.

The United Campaign against Police Violence will support the Tomlinson family however we can in the tough months ahead, and they should know that ourselves and the organisations represented in our campaign are with them.

The protest was covered widely on the evening news, click here for reports from BBC News and the Evening Standard.

Pictures and video from the vigil will follow shortly - watch this space. Check out the Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign website and the Harpymarx blog for more information.

Vigil for Ian Tomlinson - Tuesday 1 December

2009-11-25T07:45:00.000-08:00

Candlelight vigil to remember Ian Tomlinson

Royal Exchange by Threadneedle Street, London, EC3V 3LL

Tuesday 1st December

6pm - 7.15pm

The United Campaign against Police Violence would like to encourage all our supporters to come along to this vigil for Ian Tomlinson on Tuesday. It has been called by the Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign.

It is important that we keep Ian’s memory alive and continue the fight for justice, I hope as many people can come as possible.

Speakers include:
Ian’s family
Samantha Rigg David - Sean Rigg Justice & Change Campaign
Deborah Coles - INQUEST
John McDonnell MP

The Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign said:

"Ian died in tragic circumstances, an 'innocent passerby' trying to get home, after a police assault at the G20 protests on April 1st 2009.Eight months on, our family are preparing for our first Christmas without him and still waiting for justice.

"We have been grateful for public support this year and would like an opportunity to hold this public memorial gathering to remember Ian, with our friends and supporters around us.We ask that those who attend please wear black as a mark of respect and remember that this is peaceful event.

"PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE COMING so we can estimate numbers and please send messages of support - a number of these will be read out at the vigil.

"RSVP to iantomlinsonfamilycampaign@gmail.com"

Notting Hill Carnival policing (continued)

2009-09-02T03:36:00.000-07:00

Anyone who was at Carnival this year would have seen another great event, with around a million people celebrating together.

The police were out in force, as anticipated, and spent much of the day walking in single file through the crowds, dividing groups of people street partying, setting up a series of what looked suspiciously like checkpoints, and stopping young black men as they came out of Tube stations.

According to the "Notting Hill Carnival News" section of the Metropolitan Police website there were eventually 139 arrests on Bank Holiday Monday. The report also talks of mass arrests at Victoria station (quoted below).

More details as we get them. UCAPV has also put in a Freedom of Information request to the Met Police querying the number of people searched, their ethnic background, how many of these were arrested and how many charged. This should take a few weeks but the results will be posted here when we have them.

The following is from the Met Police website, "Notting Hill Carnival News":
19:20hrs - 40 arrests at Victoria station

A total of 40 people have now been arrested at Victoria mainline station. They were arrested in order to prevent a breach of the peace at the Notting Hill Carnival.

At 1510hrs today, police contained an initial group of 25 people who we believe had travelled by train from south London. They were stopped based on intelligence to suggest that the group was going to the Carnival to commit disorder.

Of that 25 people, two were arrested straight away after police recovered body armour and a knife. The remaining 23 were arrested on a case-by-case basis.

As the group were being dealt with at Victoria, more people arrived at the station associated with the initial group. These 15 people were also arrested to prevent a breach of the peace on a case-by-case basis.

All 38 people will be taken by bus to a south London police station. They will be held until police are satisfied that there is no longer a risk they will commit disorder at Carnival.

The other two arrested are in custody.

22:40hrs - Those detained at Victoria released

The thirty-eight people arrested at Victoria mainline station to prevent a breach of the peace were released at 22:00hrs.

Those arrested were taken to a south London police station. The time they remained in custody was kept under constant review
until the opportunity for them to commit a breach of the peace had passed.
Where we identified juveniles we arranged collection by a guardian or responsible adult.

Notting Hill Carnival is not a policing operation

2009-08-30T09:05:00.001-07:00

For most of us, Notting Hill Carnival represents the best of London life. It is a celebration of diversity, multiculturalism and culture attracting 1.5 million people from all around the world.

While the majority of us come to Carnival to enjoy taking part in Europe’s largest street party, the Metropolitan Police see Carnival is something to be controlled, curtailed and harassed.

This year’s Carnival will see 11,000 police officers on patrol. They will be enforcing a curfew from 6.30pm and ensuring that sound levels don’t pass the “agreed” 135 decibels. If the policing operation is anything like that of 2008, it will also see hundreds of mainly black youths being stopped, contained and searched indiscriminately as they make their way to the celebrations.

Most sinister of all, directing the policing operation will be Commander Bob Broadhurst. He was in charge of policing during April’s protests against the G20 in the City of London, which saw hundreds harassed, beaten and arrested by the police. This was also when we saw the death of Ian Tomlinson, who was struck by a police baton and died minutes later, despite the fact he was not even a protester but was simply making his way home. The fact that Commander Broadhurst is now directing this operation is a scandal.

This year we have already seen raids of “known troublemakers” prior to Carnival, and 150 letters hand-delivered by police to others commanding them not to attend. Can you imagine if this happened in the run up to London’s New Year’s Eve celebrations or the London Marathon?

The police seem to have a very different approach when the event involves the Afro-Caribbean community. While Carnival is a celebration of people coming together, it seems the police are more than willing to stoke racist divisions.

We believe that the Notting Hill Carnival should be a celebration – not a heavy-handed police operation.

Climate Camp: Has the climate changed for policing of protests?

2009-08-27T05:32:00.000-07:00

As the government drags its feet over the vital task of saving the planet from environmental destruction, those who see the need for a radically different approach to fighting climate change have once more been forced to take direct action at the Camp for Climate Action.

But anyone who has been at the previous Climate Camps knows that while the criminal actions of multinationals go unchallenged by the state, those who fight against them are criminalised.

The recent publication of police log entries from the G20 protests against environmental and financial crimes have exposed the level of police brutality meted out. “I punched him in the jaw and he moved backwards,” wrote one officer, while another hit protesters with “shield strikes both flat and angled” and “open palm strikes…and fist strikes as well”.

A recent Christian Aid survey suggests that around half of the UK population believe the police have been too aggressive in the policing of environmental protests. In light of these revelations, we now see a police force tactically confused, dodging a constant barrage of criticism.

SOFTLY, SOFTLY?

Preparations for Climate Camp have reflected this. Much has been made of their new “softly, softly” approach, which suggests less use of force, increased communication with organisers, and, of course, their use of Twitter.

While the G20 protests were the tipping point for public opinion, it has built up over time, from the kettling and harassment of those on Stop the War protests over George W Bush’s visit to London last year and the invasion of Gaza to the Kingsnorth power station protests.

The staggering increase of stop and search – 322 percent for black people and 277 percent for Asians – since 2007 adds to this contempt. The issue of deaths in custody refuses to go away either, thanks to the continued fight for justice by the families of people like Sean Rigg, who died at Brixton police station one year ago, and Ian Tomlinson.

But the “community policing” of protests such as Climate Camp will not last unless this pressure is kept up on the police.
This tactic is an exercise in damage limitation, not a change of heart, and whether the police hit you with batons or not, they are still there to limit resistance at events such as this, by whatever means necessary.

We must ensure that the pressure is kept on until we are ensured the fundamental right to protest, to live without harassment, and win justice for those brutalised by the baton-wielding strong arm of the state.

GOOD COPS, BAD COPS
We should also recognise that the “softly, softly” approach seems selective. The man behind the operation in the City of London on that fateful day the G20 came to town, Commander Bob Broadhurst, is to direct the 11,000 police shifts at this year's Notting Hill Carnival.

If the policing operation at Carnival is anything like that of 2008, it will also see hundreds of mainly black youths being stopped, contained and searched indiscriminately as they make their way to the celebration of diversity and culture.

The United Campaign Against Police Violence (UCAPV) was formed in the wake of the G20 violence to ensure the right to peaceful protest, the protection of civil liberties, and to stop deaths at the hands of police – whether on protests, in police stations, during “terror raids” or anywhere else. UCAPV is an alliance of protest groups, trade unions, family justice campaigns, political parties and many others. Working together we can hold the police to account and push for reforms of British policing.

Community Policing? Tuesday's Stop the War Protest

2009-08-27T05:23:00.000-07:00

A few videos from the Stop the War protest against Israeli PM Netanyahu's visit to Gordon Brown.

Is this the new "community policing" we can expect?

Christian Aid Survey: Half of UK adults displeased with policing of environmental protests

2009-08-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

A new poll by Christian Aid confirms what many of us suspected - that the tide of public opinion has swung against the police after their violent responses to legitimate protests over the past year.

Read the full article on the Guardian website.

In Loving Memory of Sean Rigg - 1 Year On

2009-08-24T02:13:00.000-07:00

As further evidence of police cover-ups comes out, remember Sean Rigg tonight in Brixton

2009-08-21T06:02:00.000-07:00

The Guardian has published the latest astonishing piece of evidence today into the death of Sean Rigg at Brixton Police Station, one year ago today.

It makes public a recording of Suzanne Wallace, a chief inspector who was in charge of the station, saying CCTV was working at the station and that recordings had been seized, including in the metal cage outside the station where Sean was imprisoned. This contradicts earlier claims by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which said that only CCTV footage from inside the station was seized.

Join us to remember Sean from 5.30pm tonight, at the junction of Fairmount Road and Brixton Hill. Then on to rally at Brixton Police Station.

No more lies. No justice, no peace.

Sean Rigg memorial procession

2009-08-11T03:59:00.001-07:00

The 21 August procession in Brixton to remember Sean Rigg's death in police custody will be an important event to call on the police, the IPCC and the CPS to start taking this case, and the other cases of deaths in custody, seriosuly.

UCAPV is calling on everyone who can to help build this event. You can download the latest leaflet here.

Please get in touch if you can help leaflet tube stations, rail stations, shopping centres, high streets, work places, public meetings etc.

No justice, no peace!

Ian Tomlinson's family speak out

2009-08-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

New video interview at the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2009/aug/06/tomlinson-family-speak

Remember Sean Rigg

2009-08-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

This is a message from Samantha Rigg-David, from the Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign:

Its nearly 1 year since Sean died, the time has gone so fast it is unbelievable - It has been a tough year to say the least and we continue to fight and campaign for answers.

The memorial will mark one year and will end our weekly Thursday vigils outside Brixton police station - we will continue to campaign there as long as necessary at landmark times only.

The family would like to thank everyone for their continued support and encouragement - without some of you we would never have made it this far, thank you again.

I enclose a memorial flyer with details for you to pass to all your contacts. If anyone can print some and hand them out that would be great, we should have some print outs available at our usual vigil tonight 7.30pm.

There could be some very poignant media coverage of the 21st - There is high interest.

In Peace And Solidarity
Samantha Rigg-David

IPCC recommends changes to policing

2009-08-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

The Independent Police Complaints Commission demanded immediate changes to policing following its investigation into the G20 protests in London.

This was the result of some 134 complaints to the IPCC regarding policing at the protests in the City of London on 1 April. Much footage has since emerged of police brutality on the day, including the death of innocent bystander Ian Tomlinson.

We need to ensure that we continue to push for policing reforms - not only the limited reforms recommended by the IPCC, but the full right to protest without harassment, and justice for those who have died in police custody.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/aug/06/ipcc-police-public-protests

Tomlinson Family Say “CPS Must Leave It To A Jury” After IPCC Refer Evidence To CPS

2009-08-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

Message from Ian Tomlinson's widow, Julia Tomlinson, on the Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign website.

“It has been a very difficult four months since Ian died and it is a relief to see some progress. The last information that the coroner put out was Dr Cary’s view that Ian died from internal bleeding. Video footage made it clear to us, and everyone else, that Ian was the victim of an unprovoked assault by a police officer. If there is going to be any justice then it must be left for a jury to decide if the police officer is guilty of killing Ian. I hope the CPS will get the case in front of a jury as soon as possible. We would like to thank everyone who came forward as witnesses”.

Any enquiries to be sent to iantomlinsonfamilycampaign [at] gmail dot com. More info about the campaign can be found at: www.iantomlinsonfamilycampaign.org.uk

Who killed Ian Tomlinson?

2009-08-04T11:07:00.001-07:00

United Campaign Against Police Violence urges Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute officer involved.

The United Campaign Against Police Violence (UCAPV) welcomes the step forward in the investigation into the death of newspaper vendor Ian Tomlinson. As the Independent Police Complaints Commission passes its files on the investigation into the police officer seen to strike Ian Tomlinson to the Crown Prosecution Service, we hope that this case will finally come to court and that justice is done.

If the officer is charged and found guilty of Ian's death it would be the first time an officer has ever been charged with manslaughter.

Millions have now seen the footage obtained by citizen journalists of Ian Tomlinson being struck from behind by the police officer. We can only assume that the 1,200 hours of footage obtained by the IPCC from CCTV cameras in the area will give a far more detailed account of the event.
UCAPV has been part of the movement calling for justice for Ian Tomlinson, and also for the many others who have died in police custody. We recognise the efforts of the thousands who have campaigned over the death of Ian Tomlinson, and we will campaign further to ensure that there will be a thorough and fair criminal investigation into Ian's death, but also the deaths of others who have died in police custody – numbering over 1,000 since 1969, but as yet without any verdicts of murder or manslaughter against any police officer.

As we await the trial date for the officer in question, UCAPV is playing a key role in organising a memorial event for Sean Rigg, who died at Brixton Police Station in August 2008. This will take place on 21 August, more details to follow.

VESTAS WORKERS BESIEGED BY RIOT POLICE

2009-07-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

VESTAS WORKERS BESIEGED BY RIOT POLICE (Updated Press Release)

Workers staging a sit-in at the soon-to-close Vestas wind turbine plant on the Isle of Wight are being starved out by police.

The police, many inside the factory and dressed in riot gear, have denied food to the workers who took over the factory offices last night, to protest the closure of their factory. The police, operating with highly questionable legal authority, have surrounded the offices, preventing supporters from joining the sit-in, and preventing food from being brought to the protestors.

Around 20 workers at the Vestas Plant in Newport, on the Isle of Wight, occupied the top floor of offices in their factory to protest against its closure which will result in over 500 job losses.

Acting without an injunction, on private property, the police have repeatedly tried to break into the office where the protesting workers have barricaded themselves, and have threatened the workers with arrest for aggravated trespass, despite the fact that no damage has been done to the property where the protest is taking place. Police have also forcibly removed people from private property, another action that is of very questionable legality in the absence of a formal injunction.

The office involved in the latter action was number 3606. The officer who appears to be in charge is 3115.

This heavy handed response is the latest in a long line of over-reactions to protest by various UK police forces.

The Vestas workers inside the factory released a statement earlier today:

“As workers at a wind turbine manufacturer, we were confident that as the recession took hold that green or renewable energy would be the area where many jobs could be created – not lost.

So we were horrified to find out that our jobs were moving abroad and that more than 525 jobs from the Isle of Wight and Southampton were going to be added to the already poor state of island unemployment.

This has sent, and will continue to send, shockwaves of uncertainty through countless families on the island – many of which are being forced to relocate away from the island.

We find this hard to stomach as the government are getting away with claiming they are investing heavily in these types of industry.

Only last week they said they would create 400,000 green jobs. How can the process start with 600 of us losing our jobs?

Now I’m not sure about you but we think it’s about time that if the government can spend billions bailing out the banks – and even nationalise them – then surely they can do the same at Vestas.

The people of Vestas matter, and the people of the island matter, but equally importantly the people of this planet matter. We will not be brushed under the carpet by a government which is claiming to help us.

We have occupied our factory and call on the government to step in and nationalise it. We and many others believe it is essential that we continue to keep our factory open for our families and livelihoods, but also for the future of the planet.

We call on Ed Miliband as the relevant minister to come to the island and tell us to our face why it makes sense for the government to launch a campaign to expand green energy at the same moment at the country’s only major wind turbine producer closes.

Please show your support.

Protest at Newport Vestas at 5pm today (off Dondor Lane - Monks Brook Newport, Isle Of Wight, PO30 5WZ)

Demonstrate Friday 24th of July Friday 5.30pm St. Thomas square Newport”

Contact details:
(ed) 07775763750
(martin) 07950978083
savevestas.press@googlemail.com
http://savevestas.wordpress.com

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

525 redundancies in the UK were announced by Vestas at the start of April.

Two factories (that make wind turbines) on the Isle of Wight (in Newport and Cowes) are due to close at the end of this month.

Vestas (a Danish company) profits grew 70% in 2008, revenue went up 58% while shipping volumes went up 28%.

There are currently 20-30 workers occupying the offices of the factory in Newport. There are about 50 workers forming a picket line outside.

For more information, and updates, visit

http://savevestas.wordpress.com

Retaking our liberties

2009-07-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

A benefit for the United Campaign Against Police Violence.
Thursday 16 July from 7.30pm
The Cross Kings, 126 York Way, London N1

Featuring: Woodstock legend Barry 'The Fish' Melton, Sameh Moussa, Angry Sam, Graham Larkbey & The Escape Committee, Reddog Visuals.

£5 (+ donation) on the door.

Organised by irb productions.

Put the IPCC on trial - 10 July, London

2009-07-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

10 July - Put the "Independent" Police Complaints Commission on trial!

2009-06-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

On Friday July 10th it will be 100 days since the death of Ian Tomlinson. To mark this sad occasion, and to show solidarity with the Tomlinson family and the countless other families and friends still awaiting justice the United Campaign Against Police Violence asks you to join us in putting the Independent Police Complaints Commission on trial.

WHERE: IPCC HQ, 90 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6BH
WHEN: Friday July 10th, 4-6pm
WHY: Currently those who police the police have shown themselves to be neither independent nor just. We are going to hold our own public investigation and trial of the IPCC and invite all those with complaints to bring them down to be aired (and judged) in public. We also come to stand in solidarity with all victims of police brutality, their families and their friends.

View Larger Map

AFTER 30 YEARS REPORT INTO THE DEATH OF BLAIR PEACH TO BE DISCLOSED

2009-06-25T05:29:00.000-07:00

This from a press release from Inquest:

Today the Metropolitan Police Authority and the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police conceded to the family’s request that the full report by former Commander John Cass into the death of Blair Peach in Southall in 1979 should be disclosed, subject to any legally necessary redactions. This momentous decision followed an ongoing campaign that was given added momentum following the death of Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests and the similarities between the two fatal indicents. Prior to the MPA meeting today, INQUEST met MPA member Jenny Jones, Blair’s former partner Celia Stubbs and his brother Philip Peach to discuss the motion requestingdisclosure.

Deborah Coles, Co-Director of INQUEST, said:

We welcome the lifting of the veil of secrecy surrounding this death that has undermined family and public confidence in the Metropolitan Police Service. The challenge now is to ensure that there is as full disclosure as legally possible and that reasons are given for any redactions given ongoing public concern about this process.

It was the negative experience of Blair Peach's family and friends with the investigation and inquest system that led them to join with others to set up INQUEST in 1981. Sadly, the need for the organisation remains as urgent today. Non-disclosure of evidence has been one of the most problematic issues following deaths in custody and has seriously undermined family and public confidence in the police complaints system. The whole basis on which the Cass report has been withheld from the Peach family for 30 years has been discredited and it is accepted by government that the results of investigations into deaths following police contact are now disclosed to families.

More police brutality

2009-06-16T05:34:00.000-07:00

Nottingham police have been busy in recent weeks.

First we read about the case of Reece Staples, 19, who was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.

Reese, a former Nottingham Forest midfielder, was taken to Oxclose Lane Police Station. At 5am the police called an ambulance, finding him to be unwell - he was pronounced dead when he arrived at the hospital.

This story is all too common, and is similar to the story of Sean Rigg, who also died in highly suspicious circumstances having been taken to a police station in South London.

Today reports come out of the police Tasering and allegedly beating an apparently unarmed man in Nottingham.

Both incidents have been reported to the IPCC - which has a 100% record of protecting the police involved in such cases of brutality.

This is why UCAPV is organising protests at the IPCC offices around the country on 10 July. More details will follow, but get in touch with the campaign if you can help us build it.

The day we kettled New Scotland Yard

2009-05-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who turned out on Saturday for the brilliant demonstration against police violence. It was an angry, united protest, and we managed to (pretty much) entirely surround New Scotland Yard!

It was interesting to note the police attitude to the demo. Other than some half-hearted attempts to clear the road outside the Yard at the end, there was little police intimidation.

Have a look at some of the videos of the day below on our YouTube playlist.

Yesterday the campaign had another boost - the lecturers' UCU union is the latest to affiliate nationally!

Our next action will be a protest outside the office of the IPCC on 10 July. More information to follow...

Saturday: Get ready to march and kettle!

2009-05-21T10:44:00.001-07:00

Don't forget! 3pm, Trafalgar Square, this Saturday!
Just a few days to go now before we march from Trafalgar Square to New Sctoland Yard to kettle the police... Please note the map of the route on this site.

We have been picking up more support this week, with Sussex and Essex Students' Unions affiliating. Today we also have the great news that the public service PCS union has become the first national trade union to affiliate!

Today London's Green Party MEP, Jean Lambert, said this is a press release to publicise the protest:

"It was horrifying to witness the heavy-handed tactics employed by police on the streets of London during the G20 summits in April, and deeply disturbing to learn of the death of Ian Tomlinson, an innocent man. This Saturday we will remember Ian Tomlinson, Jean Charles de Menezes, who was killed four years ago, Brian Douglas who died in 1995, Blair Peach, who was killed 30 years ago, and all those people – more than 1,000 – who have died in police custody since 1969.

“Of course we recognise that the police face an increasingly difficult task in keeping our streets safe, but there must be no trade-off with our civil liberties.

“The police should be helping to rid our streets of violence – not adding to it. The breadth of support for the UCAPV shows that people from all backgrounds are no longer prepared to see civil liberties undermined and threatened by the very force which exists to protect us. We must ensure that public trust in the police is rebuilt, and that respect for human rights becomes a fundamental principle of modern policing.”

Saturday 23 May - Stop Police Violence, Kettle New Scotland Yard!

2009-05-15T03:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday 23 May - assemble 3pm Trafalgar Square
March via Downing Street to New Scotland Yard.

The United Campaign Against Police Violence has called a national demonstration to highlight the issues of police violence and demand justice for those who have died in police custody.

The police tactic of "kettling" demonstrators - essentially detaining protestors and bystanders without charge - will be turned on its head on the protest, when we kettle New Scotland Yard.

At the end of the protest there will be a naming of the dead for those who have died in police custody, led by the families of the bereaved who have yet to receive justice. Over 1000 people have died in police custody in the last 40 years - yet no one has been found responsible.

Protestors will demand the disbanding of the Territorial Support Group, the resignation of "Independent" Police Complaints Commission chair Nick Hardwick, justice for those killed in police custody and for the right to protest.

John McDonnell MP, chair of Labour Representation Committee, said:
"Increasingly, evidence demonstrates policing of major demonstrations has got out of control and specialist police units have been acting with virtual impunity.

"This campaign is about achieving democratic control over policing and securing protection from state violence and harassment for members of our communities."

Mark Serwotka, General Secretary, Public and Commercial Services union, said:
"The right to protest is a fundamental right which in these times is more important than ever. That's why everyone should support this campaign to ensure people can protest without the threat of brutality."

The Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign, said:
"We believe in standing up for our moral and human rights and for speaking for our loved ones who can no longer speak for themselves - Christopher Alder, Brian Douglas, Roger Sylvester, Azelle Rodney, Mikey Powell, Ricky Bishop to name a few... They are among thousands who have received no justice for their death and their blood is crying out from beneath the grave - these lost lives must not be forgotten, their cases need to be re-opened and re-examined, like that of David Oluwale, so that true justice can prevail.

"For Sean Rigg, Paps Ullah, Ian Tomlinson and many others we expect independent investigations that are robust, fully competent and unbiased towards the police in their search for the unequivocal truth - the IPCC are not fit for that purpose . Overall we demand full accountability of police officers who kill due to violence or negligence - why should they have impunity from prosecution? No Justice, No Peace!"

Jenny Jones, Green Party member of the Greater London Assembly and Metropolitan Police Authority, said:
"This is a demo with a difference - we are going to show the Met that we are tired of the illegal imprisonment that they call 'containment' and that we want them to change their attitude to protesters and become law abiding themselves.

"Change is hard, but the Met is losing public confidence and it's time they understood that their job is to reduce violence, not add to it."

Chris Nineham, Stop the War Coalition, said:
"What happened at the G20 was part of a trend. In recent months the police have attacked many of our protests. They have raided the homes of people who came on our demonstrations in solidarity with Gaza. They are trying to prosecute others who protested against George Bush's visit in 2008. This is a very important demonstration because the attempt to criminalise protest and intimidate protestors must be stopped."

LOBBY AND PROTEST AT THE IPCC'S NICK HARDWICK!

2009-05-09T17:01:00.000-07:00

LOBBY AND PROTEST AT THE IPCC'S NICK HARDWICK!

6pm, Tuesday 12 May 2009

The Karibu Centrel, 7 Gresham Road, London SW9

“The meeting will be an opportunity for Lambeth residents to raise any issues of concern with IPPC (sic) Chair Nick Hardwick.” - So says the Community Police Consultative Group for Lambeth (CPCG) website.

The United Campaign Against Police Violence is calling for those angered with the way the IPCC is squarely on the side of the police to come along, build the 23 May demo against police violence outside the event and put some questions to Nick Hardwick that he won't want to hear!

A great start! ...Now on to the demo!

2009-05-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

All roads lead to 23rd May…
DEMONSTRATION LEAFLET - Download here!
DEMONSTRATION POSTER - Download here!

Stop Police Violence! Launch meeting report

We had a fantastic official start to our campaign this week. Around 150 people gathered for the launch meeting of United Campaign Against Police Violence in London on Tuesday. The rally heard from Green Party member of the London Assembly, Jenny Jones, Anna Fairclough from Liberty, Sam Rigg-David from Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign, Deborah Coles of Inquest, Andrew Burgin from Stop the War, Martin Smith from the SWP and Andy from Legal Defence & Monitoring Group. We were also privileged to hear from family members of both Roger Sylvester and Habib 'Paps' Ullah - both of whom died in the custody of police. A video of the meeting will be forthcoming on the website.

It was announced at the meeting that our forthcoming demonstration on Saturday 23 May will march from Trafalgar Square to New Scotland Yard, via Downing Street. We aim to "kettle" New Scotland Yard - let's give the police a taste of their own medicine!

The campaign is now well and truly on the road, so now we need to go all out to build the demonstration. You can download a poster for the event here. Click here to print off fliers.

We also decided that Thursdays would be devoted to building the demonstration - leafleting local tube stations and railway stations at rush hour. There is a huge amount of anger in society at the moment - over the death of innocent bystander Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests, the huge number of people hurt and arrested following the Gaza demonstrations earlier in the year, the continual attacks on civil liberties and the attacks on the right to protest. We need to tap this anger and unite together in protest!

Gaza demonstration arrests

The Metropolitan Police today sent out a press release saying that six more people have been arrested over the Gaza protests in December/January. This takes the total number of arrests to 93. The press release states that this relates to "a series of demonstrations in central London descended into violence, with attacks on police officers and a number of shop windows being smashed".

What the police "forget" to mention is the sheer scale of repression on those wanting to take to the streets peacefully over the attacks on Gaza by Israel. For example, those marching to the Israeli Embassy were "kettled" (in effect, detained without trial) in the Hyde Park underpass, having been directed there by police. There followed a series of baton-charges and panic which, amazingly, did not lead to any serious injuries or deaths. Other reports indicate general levels of verbal and physical abuse by police officers, the penning in of groups of protestors for prolonged periods, and intimidation of press photographers. If the police wanted a violent confrontation they certainly went out of their way to ensure it.

The United Campaign Against Police Violence wants all those who experienced these actions by the police to join us in demonstrating for the right to peaceful protest on 23 May - and we would also like to hear from anyone who has been arrested for daring to take to the streets for something they believe in.

UCAPV rally - Tuesday

2009-04-30T08:04:00.000-07:00

Launch rally of United Campaign Against Police Violence
This Tuesday (5 May) - 7pm - Friends Meeting House (opposite Euston
Station).

Get leaflet/poster for rally here. Get leaflet/poster for demo here.

Today we held a protest/lobby outside City Hall for the first meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority and managed to get it into ITN, BBC, Sky and Al Jazeera news bulletins as well as some of the papers.

What we need now is a large launch event which will put us on the map and encourage people to build the campaign in their areas. We have speakers including Bob Crow and also speakers from the Green Party, Liberty, Inquest, Stop the War. This is in the build-up to a national demo against police violence on Saturday 23 May in central London.

Please find attached leaflets/posters for both rally and demo. It is important to get them publicised!

Patrick

Latest news...

2009-04-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

UNITED CAMPAIGN AGAINST POLICE VIOLENCE
http://www.againstpoliceviolence.org.uk - office@againstpoliceviolence.org.uk - 07894 497705
NEWSLETTER, 27 APRIL 2009

Please forward this around to everyone you know! Make sure you are on our mailing list (via http://www.againstpoliceviolence.org.uk)!

1: LOBBY OF MET POLICE AUTHORITY
2: UCAPV IN MILLWALL
3: LONDON RALLY
4: LONDON DEMO
5: HAVE YOU CONTACTED THE IPCC?
6: AFFILIATIONS AND SUPPORTERS
7: MESSAGE FROM JENNY JONES

1: Join the lobby of the MPA meeting this Thursday morning!
Called by UCAPV
Assemble 9:00am, Thursday 30 April
Outside City Hall (http://www.london.gov.uk/gla/locationmap.jsp)

Calling all organisations, trade unionists and activists! We will be gathering outside City Hall from 9:00am on Thursday morning to lobby the meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority - their first meeting since the events of the G20 demonstrations. Come and join the protest against the Met's violent policing of the demonstrations and their extensive use of batons, dogs and "kettling".

In particular, come and make your voice heard against the Met's Territorial Support Group (TSG) which supposedly specialises in public order. Ian Tomlinson collapsed and died after being hit and pushed by a TSG officer who has since been questioned on suspicion of manslughter. If we're going to get justice and defend our right to protest we need to keep the pressure up on the Met.

Please bring trade union banners, and forward this information far and wide. A press release will be out soon - please also forward this to all relevant contacts.

Also, please see below a message from Jenny Jones, Green Party member of the London Assembly, who will be at the protest.

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2: Fantastic response at Millwall on Saturday with Bob Crow!

On Saturday members and supporters of the UCAPV, including Bob Crow, General Secretary of the RMT, went to The Den, homeground of Millwall FC, to give out leaflets about the campaign and forthcoming events.

Ian Tomlinson was a big Millwall fan, as is Bob Crow, and the support for the campaign was immense. We got rid of well over 1,000 leaflets within half an hour, with many Millwall fans coming back for more. The press were in attendance too with Bob being interviewed for both Channel 4 News and The Times. In fact, the only people who weren't happy to see us were a few shifty Met officer pacing around the ground.

Thanks to everyone who came along to help on Saturday. More information including hopefully a picture or two will be on the website soon.

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3: Stop Police Violence!!!
Public meeting, 7:00pm, Tuesday 5 May
Friends Meeting House, Euston Road (opposite Euston station)

Speakers include:
· Jenny Jones, Green Party member of the London Assembly
· Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary
· Anna Fairclough, Liberty
· Sam Rigg-David, Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign, UCAPV
· Andrew Murray, Stop the War Coalition Chair
· Brenda Weinberg, United Friends and Family Campaign
· Martin Smith, SWP National Secretary
· Other speakers to confirm…
This rally is both the public launch of the UCAPV and a chance to pull hundreds of people together to go through the important political issues and questions that face us, and to build and strengthen our resistance. It will also be a vital launch pad for our national demonstration.

A new leaflet will be available soon.

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4: National demonstration against police violence
3pm, Saturday 23 May
· Remember Ian Tomlinson - no more deaths in police custody
· Freedom to protest - defend civil liberties
Assemble 3:00pm in Trafalgar Square, central London. March to New Scotland Yard via Downing Street.

This is our chance to put thousands on the streets of the capital, against police violence and in defence of our civil liberties and right to demonstrate. We will march past Downing Street, right up to the headquarters of the Metropolitan police. We know that we can't rely on the "Independent" Police Complaints Commission or hand-picked government bodies... mass mobilisation will be the key to our success.

Leaflets and posters will be available soon. Activists in London need to begin spreading the word, using the publicity, and using the model motion to get trade and student union backing. Activists outside London need to start thinking about booking transport to get down to London - ideally fundraising or getting union backing to fund coaches. If you are trying to get down to the demo from outside London please get in touch. We aim to post a list of coaches coming down soon. Watch this space!
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5: Have you contacted the IPCC?

If you have lodged a complaint with the IPCC about your treatment at the G20 protests, please let us know. The solicitors dealing with the investigation into the death of Ian Tomlinson would like to gather as much information on this as possible. Email us at office@againstpoliceviolence.org.uk.

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6: Affiliations and supporters

In just a week of existence the campaign has attracted a lot of support. Trade union branches have started affiliating to the campaign, including London Underground Engineering branch of the RMT, Jubilee South & East London Line RMT, George Green's School NUT. We expect more to come, so please find the model motion on our website! Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition and London Green Party are now also official supporters. Spread the word!

7: Message from Jenny Jones, Green Party member of the London Assembly

Jenny Jones, Green representative on the MPA will be addressing the lobby prior to the MPA meeting this Thursday and would like to update all those concerned about the policing of the G20 protests on April 1st and those who have written to her. A call to write to members of the MPA then follows. Please use this opportunity to impress upon all members of the MPA the importance of our campaign ahead of the meeting and as they convene it.

JENNY JONES: "I'm writing to bring you up to date with the actions which I am taking to ensure that the police are both brought to account for their past actions and more professional in handling future protests.

"I've written two letters to the Commissioner outlining key questions about the G20 protests. I've also written to the London Mayor making practical suggestions about changing public order policing in the short term.

"Along with Dee Doocey, I have put forward the following motion [below] to the next public meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority, 10am on 30th April at City Hall. This motion falls short of the full public inquiry which some of you have called for, and falls short of my own aims, but I'm keen for the MPA to pass something which takes the debate forward and developing that consensus is going to be quite challenging.

"Don’t forget that I am only one member of the MPA and there are lots of other members who would love to hear your views. The London Mayor chairs the MPA, then there are 11 elected politicians, who are members of the London Assembly and 11 independent members whose appointment is approved by the London mayor.
Contact details below are taken from the MPA website: http://www.mpa.gov.uk/about/people/members/

"Thanks again for taking the time and trouble to write in. Let's hope for an end to repressive policing here in London."

Jenny Jones
Members Services
Metropolitan Police Authority

MOTION TO MPA: “This Authority recognises that the job of policing the G20 demonstrations on 1st April was difficult but believes that the strategy and tactics adopted by the Metropolitan Police were fundamentally wrong. This Authority notes that the Commissioner has asked HMIC to review public order policing, and that the IPCC are investigating a number of specific complaints. In order to begin the process of restoring public confidence the HMIC review must take evidence in a public forum from all concerned, including protesters, and closely examine other recent protests to consider the growing concern that police tactics have become more aggressive in recent years. The HMIC review should make recommendations that would form the basis of long-term policies on the policing of protest in recognition of the following principles:

1. Demonstrations and other peaceful forms of protest are a fundamental democratic right, which all public bodies are under a duty to facilitate and protect.
2. Policing of demonstrations must always be proportionate, and must discriminate between the need to facilitate peaceful protest and prevent criminal acts committed by a minority.
3. The police must use aggressive tactics such as kettling’, baton charges, and attacks with dogs only when they are absolutely necessary and proportionate. The seizure of personal property from demonstrators is not acceptable. The use of aggressive or intimidatory tactics against peaceful protesters is provocative, inappropriate, and counter-productive, since it increases the tension and likelihood of violence.
4. Any officers not clearly identifying themselves by wearing an identification number are committing a disciplinary offence.
5. The police must exercise due care and attention when making statements to the media since predictions of violence can be self-fulfilling. The police must never exaggerate the likelihood of violence, nor should they dissemble the facts after a demonstration has occurred.
6. The police must consider Britain’s reputation abroad and not commit acts that set a poor example and thus undermine our country’s efforts to promote human rights.
If these principles are not fully incorporated into the HMIC review and any recommendations that arise from it, then this Authority will re-examine what further steps need to be taken, including the possibility of instigating a further review.”

DETAILS FOR MEMBERS OF THE MPA

Please write to membersservices@mpa.gov.uk and include the Member's name in the subject header. See http://www.mpa.gov.uk/about/people/members/ if member links not live below.

Chair
Boris Johnson Mayor of London (London Assembly)
Vice Chairman
Kit Malthouse Deputy Mayor for Policing and Conservative Member of London Assembly
London Assembly members
Jennette Arnold – Labour constituency Assembly Member for Waltham Forest, Hackney and Islington
Victoria Borwick - Conservative Londonwide Assembly Member
James Cleverly - Conservative constituency Assembly Member for Bexley and Bromley
Dee Doocey - Liberal Democrat Londonwide Assembly Member
John Biggs – Labour constituency Assembly Member for Barking and Dagenham, City of London, Newham, Tower Hamlets
Jenny Jones – Green Party Londonwide Assembly Member
Joanne McCartney – Labour constituency Assembly Member for Enfield and Haringey
Stephen O'Connell – Conservative constituency Assembly Member for Croydon and Sutton
Caroline Pidgeon - Liberal Democrat Londonwide Assembly Member
Richard Tracey – Conservative constituency Assembly Member for Merton and Wandsworth
Independent members
Reshard Auladin
Faith Boardman
Christopher Boothman
Valerie Brasse
Cindy Butts
Toby Harris
Kirsten Hearn
Neil Johnson
Clive Lawton
Deborah Regal
Graham Speed

Model Motion: Affiliate to UCAPV

2009-04-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

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 …………..

Lights Out and upcoming events

2009-04-21T03:27:00.000-07:00

LIGHTS OUT!

REMEMBER IAN TOMLINSON AND DEATHS IN POLICE CUSTODY
20.30 – 21.30, Friday 24 April

To remember Ian Tomlinson and those who have died in police custody, the United Campaign Against Police Violence (UCAPV) has called for lights across Britain to turn off for one hour this Friday.

Businesses, homes, universities, and other institutions are asked to pay their respects through an hour of darkness and contemplation.

This is the first activity in a rolling programme of action called by the newly formed United Campaign Against Police Violence, set up following the outcry over G20 policing and the death of 47-year-old newspaper vendor, Ian Tomlinson.

The action is supported by, amongst others, ex-Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, John McDonnell MP, Green Party assembly member, Darren Johnson, and Samantha Rigg-David, whose brother, Sean Rigg, died in police custody in August 2008.

Darren Johnson AM said: “The images of police violence against innocent people were absolutely sickening. I fully support the Lights Out action – London needs to stick together on this.”

Ken Livingstone said: “Those who talk up the threat of violence have to ask themselves whether they played a role in creating the circumstances that led to Ian Tomlinson’s death.”

John McDonnell MP said: “Ian Tomlinson's death was a tragedy. We need to know the truth about why and how it happened and we need to ensure that lessons are learned so that no other demonstrator suffers harm or dies on our streets. I fully endorse the call for Earth Hour to be repeated in memory of Ian Tomlinson.”

Samantha Rigg-David said: “Families have been fighting for years for their loved ones to be remembered, for their deaths in police custody not to be swept under the carpet and for justice. We support the Lights Out action on 24th April 2009 as it will be a small symbol of how it continuously feels for us, to live without them.”

BOB CROW AT MILLWALL FC v. LEYTON ORIENT MATCH
The Den, Saturday 25th April
Assemble: Zampa Road, SE16, 14.20

Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT union and Millwall fan, will distribute leaflets for the United Campaign Against Police Violence, at the Millwall – Leyton Orient game at The Den. He will be joined by Barry, a friend of Ian Tomlinson and fellow Evening Standard seller. They invite campaigners and the media to the event.

Bob Crow said: “This is just the beginning of the campaign against police violence – Ian Tomlinson will not be forgotten.”

Barry said: “I knew Ian for 26 years and he loved Millwall. I’ll be among campaigners to make sure Ian is never forgotten”

Further details will follow.

Further campaign activities include:
Thursday, 30 April: Lobby of the Metropolitan Police Authority meeting on G20 policing, City Hall. With Jenny Jones, Green Party Assembly Member.
May Day protests, details to be released.
Tuesday, 5 May. Launch rally at Friends House, London.
Saturday, 23 May. Mass demonstration through London.
(More details on these events will follow.)

A campaign is born

2009-04-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

This website is under construction. In the mean time, contact the campaign at againstpoliceviolence@gmail.com