Glasgow Defence Campaign - new page

As a result of the increasing intensity of police harassment and the arrests and upcoming trials of FRFI activists and others in recent weeks after the recent student protests, the Govanhill Defence Campaign has been expanded into the Glasgow Defence Campaign to maximise unity and organisation against police repression. Please see the new blogspot http://glasgowdefencecampaign.blogspot.com/ and send messages of support and any details of police harassment you or your organisation may have faced.

Stand up for your rights! Street rally against polititcal policing.

Glasgow Defence Campaign and Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! supporters today (8 January) held a “Stand up for your rights” street rally in Glasgow city centre in defence of democratic rights and in opposition to political policing. On 30 December a supporter learned that he is facing criminal prosecution for selling the newspaper Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! in Glasgow and is due to appear in court on 17 January 2011. We are clear that this citation is politically motivated and an open attempt to undermine our ability to organise against attacks on living standards in our communities. FRFI supporters have previously been charged by Strathclyde police for selling the newspaper and two are currently awaiting trial following their arrest on student demonstrations in the city last month.

The rally was a lively and militant event as over a dozen people took to the busy streets to raise awareness of growing police harassment in Glasgow and elsewhere. A large banner reading “NO to political policing!” was present throughout and an open megaphone allowed people to make their anger heard. As one young protestor made clear: “We do not have the wealth to circulate thousands of free newspapers across the country every morning but we are determined that our message is heard: we must defend our democratic rights or we risk having them taken away by the British state!” Another stated: “The establishment say that we are only out to cause trouble and destruction. Let us be clear: we are not the ones destroying already inadequate education, housing and health care; we are not the ones destroying peoples´ lives by cutting wages and benefits; we are not the ones who destroyed millions of lives in Iraq and Afghanistan! Those in power are the real troublemakers!”

In response to the intensifying state harassment, the Glasgow Defence Campaign and Glasgow FRFI have organised an open meeting on fighting the cuts and defending democratic rights. The past year in Glasgow has seen anti-fascists, Palestine solidarity campaigners, Republican activists and students all face police harassment, while in Edinburgh, three anti-cuts protestors have recently been picked up by police for participating in December´s student demos there. It is crucial that our political, organisational and legal experiences our shared for the benefit of all those active in progressive politics, and even more importantly, for those who are yet to take to the streets. All interested groups and individuals are invited to attend and speak.

Self defence is no offence!

All power to the people!

Glasgow Defence Campaign

Following the intensifying criminalisation of political activity in Glasgow and across the country, Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! is establishing the Glasgow Defence Campaign in order to maximise unity and resistance to this strategy of the British state. As the movement against the government´s war on the working class grows in strength and anger, it is crucial that we are able to defend the right to organise. FRFI is calling a public meeting on Wednesday 26 January to launch this campaign, and are inviting all progressive forces to attend and contribute to this meeting. 

Public meeting

Wednesday 26 January, 7pm

Fighting the cuts and defending democratic rights 

Langside Halls, 1 Langside Avenue, Shawlands, G41 2QR (opposite The Shed nightclub)

All welcome. 

Glasgow Defence Campaign: glasgowdefencecampaign.blogspot.com

Police arrest anti-cuts activists in Edinburgh

The below article is reproduced from the Scottish Activist Legal Project website here. Solidarity to all those facing harassment.

Edinburgh – Police action following last years anti-cuts protests

Since the anti-cuts protests in November and December several people in Edinburgh have been contacted by police about possible crimes. They have been approached either at home or on the street, and asked to go to voluntary interviews at St Leonards Police Station.

Today, two people voluntarily went to the police station to give interviews and were charged with committing offences during the November 30th Demonstration. More people have been in contact saying that they have been asked to go to police stations for interviews. Here is some information for people who have been contacted, or think they may be contacted.

● If you are suspected of committing or witnessing a crime, arrested or detained you must give your name, address, date and place of birth and nationality. Other than that, it is strongly advised that you say “no comment.” Answering any question, no matter how innocent it seems, may give information to the police which can be used against you or others.

● If you are detained or arrested you have the right to a solicitor, which the police will contact. Below is the solicitor that we recommend. You also have the right to have someone notified. Below is the number for ScALP. If you are worried, keep these numbers with you.

● If the police get in contact then please get in touch with us. We can support you and give you information about what’s going on. Either phone or text message us, or send us an email.

● As the Hitchikers Guide says, don’t panic!

Scottish Activist Legal Project:
scalp [at] noflag.org.uk
Clare Ryan (solicitor): 07977000312

Free speech rally on 8 January

A supporter of FRFI learned on 30 December he is facing criminal prosecution for selling the newspaper Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!, and is due to appear in court in Glasgow on 17 January 2011. We believe this citation to be politically motivated and an open attempt to undermine our ability to organise against the attacks on living standards in our communities. In response we are calling for a rally in defence of free speech in Glasgow city centre on Saturday 8 January. We call upon all individuals and groups to attend and show support. It will be an open megaphone for all those who wish to participate.

Free speech rally

Saturday 8 January 12-2pm

Donald Dewar statue,

Near the Royal Concert Hall, Buchanan Street Glasgow.

Called by the Glasgow Defence Campaign, and supported by Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! and others.  

No to political policing! Fight the cuts! All power to the people!

Scottish Support For Political Prisoners: SSFPP Condems Arrests Of FRFI Members

Scottish Support For Political Prisoners: SSFPP Condems Arrests Of FRFI Members: "The Scottish Support For Political Prisoners today condems the arrests and prosecution of Dominic O'Hara & Jonathan Simons both a..."

FRFI supporters arrested on student protests in Glasgow

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Glasgow FRFI                                                           

Tel: 07779 785 529

Email: glasgow_frfi@yahoo.co.uk

ARREST OF FRFI SUPPORTERS DURING STUDENT PROTEST IN GLASGOW

CALL FOR WITNESSES

10 December 2010 – GLASGOW On Thursday 9 December 2010, two supporters of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! (FRFI) were arrested by Strathclyde police during student protests against education cuts in Glasgow, one during disturbances on Sauchiehall Street and the other at the end of a police kettle in George Square. The supporters were taken to Stewart Street police station and detained overnight, appearing at Glasgow district court on 10 December. A number of charges were brought, ranging from breach of the peace and obstruction to more serious charges of assaulting and obstructing police officers and attempting to rescue or assist the escape of a person in custody. After pleading not guilty to all counts, both were released on bail, one with a city centre restriction order. Both are due to reappear in court in January where they are facing possible jail sentences.

FRFI are urgently appealing for witness statements, video footage and photographs relating to the arrest on Sauchiehall Street and incidents at RBS on Gordon Street and Vodafone shops on Argyle Street and Buchanan Street. FRFI supporters were assaulted by police on Sauchiehall Street and it is key that statements are given to counter police accounts of the day´s events. Please contactglasgow_frfi@yahoo.co.uk if you have any relevant information as soon as possible.

FRFI and our legal advisors are clear that this is targeted political policing. The two FRFI supporters detained were the only arrests on a day of action involving hundreds and had previously been the targets of police harassment for political activity by officers operating out of New Gorbals and Stewart Street police stations.

Today (10 December), the court hearing was moved to an earlier time and rushed through from the Sheriff to the District court in response to an FRFI mobilisation for supporters to attend the hearing originally planned for 2.30pm. Upon leaving the court, those arrested, their family members and supporters were stopped on the street by a vanload of uniformed police from Glasgow´s A-Division. PCs Colin Findlay, Claire Thompson and another officer (A500) involved in the previous day´s protests took it upon themselves to aggressively question, intimidate and harass all those making their way home. Then at 5.30pm, another FRFI supporter was pulled over in his car by police in the southside of Glasgow.

FRFI is launching a defence campaign in support of the FRFI 2. Having opposed political policing and intimidation on the streets of Govanhill in Glasgow, we will stand up for all our rights as we mobilize against the budget cuts and organize in defence of the working class. Already in Glasgow, other activists are facing banning orders and prison sentences relating to political protest. The treatment of the Gaza demonstrators and now the student protestors in London demonstrate the centrality of this question to any emerging movement. FRFI Glasgow will be organizing an open meeting in January to discuss these issues and call on all interested parties to join us. We call for maximum unity in defence of all those attacked and imprisoned by the British state in its attempts to silence dissent.

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For more information, please see www.revolutionarycommunist.org