A message from Em Sheppard
emsheppard | 01.01.2016 20:11 | Ecology
Em Sheppard was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment last February for disabling police cars. See these links for more background: The action that lead to Sheppard’s arrest / Letter in response to sentencing / Support page
by Em Sheppard / Earth First! UK
In October my probation officer said I could go back to Bristol. Now it transpires I have been a MAPPA (multi-Agency Protection) for my whole sentence, though no one thought to tell me (I always thought it was strange I wasn’t). The police met in November about me and to draw up my licence conditions, but (as is common practice) have only told me now. The licence is so restrictive that ironically I will have had more freedom in jail in some ways. I’m not sure what’s worse – to refuse to leave prison, or to accept their restrictions! It clearly shows what a farce the much quoted claims of “rehabilitation” and “maintaining family ties” are. I had a place to live and several jobs organised, but instead they make me sign-on and live in a bail hostel in Reading.
Licence conditions are one of many possible examples of how the prison society extends beyond these walls. As Ruth Wilson Gilmore said “Prison is not some building ‘over there’ but a set of relationships that undermine rather than stabilise everyday lives, everywhere”.
Apart from the usual “big 6” licence conditions, I also have: a 7-7 curfew for my entire licence (plus signing several times during the day and ‘group work’ and sessions with probation to address my “attitude”), not using any computers or internet capable devices (and specifically not deleting any browser histories), not going within 100 metres of any police buildings (probation said if I want to report a crime I can but I have to ask permission from them first…?!!?!), not to have more than one mobile phone (possibly not even one at all they are checking on this) and to provide the SIM/IME number, to permanently reside at Elizabeth Fry, not to visit or interact with any prisoners, not to contribute to or publish anything, or attend any meeting/gatherings associated with direct action/activism/campaigning, not to contact directly or indirectly any person whom I know or believe to be involved with “extremist” activities ( I have asked for the legal definition of this), or have been charged with or convicted of an offence. I am also not allowed to work with “vulnerable adults” or “groom” (or have discussions with) anyone for the purposes of radicalisation or extremism.
Once I’m out I’m going to challenge these conditions but my solicitor said it’s hard to do from inside prison. Accepting them goes against everything I believe in but I am going to do so for my family. They are obviously setting me up to fail (most girls at Elizabeth Fry do because drugs are rife there) so we’ll see how long I last. Once I sign the conditions, unless I get recalled, I won’t be able to write again until 2017 :(
They can try to stifle and control me with their restrictions, false sympathies and fake smiles, but “no pueden encarcelar neustras ideas”. My silence is only temporary, and my rage is infinite.
“Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?
Just like the moons and like the suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise”
•Still I’ll rise, Maya Angelou
Thanks for all the support this year. Hope you have a fun and mischievous 2016.
Solidarity, love and lots of rage
Em x :)
In October my probation officer said I could go back to Bristol. Now it transpires I have been a MAPPA (multi-Agency Protection) for my whole sentence, though no one thought to tell me (I always thought it was strange I wasn’t). The police met in November about me and to draw up my licence conditions, but (as is common practice) have only told me now. The licence is so restrictive that ironically I will have had more freedom in jail in some ways. I’m not sure what’s worse – to refuse to leave prison, or to accept their restrictions! It clearly shows what a farce the much quoted claims of “rehabilitation” and “maintaining family ties” are. I had a place to live and several jobs organised, but instead they make me sign-on and live in a bail hostel in Reading.
Licence conditions are one of many possible examples of how the prison society extends beyond these walls. As Ruth Wilson Gilmore said “Prison is not some building ‘over there’ but a set of relationships that undermine rather than stabilise everyday lives, everywhere”.
Apart from the usual “big 6” licence conditions, I also have: a 7-7 curfew for my entire licence (plus signing several times during the day and ‘group work’ and sessions with probation to address my “attitude”), not using any computers or internet capable devices (and specifically not deleting any browser histories), not going within 100 metres of any police buildings (probation said if I want to report a crime I can but I have to ask permission from them first…?!!?!), not to have more than one mobile phone (possibly not even one at all they are checking on this) and to provide the SIM/IME number, to permanently reside at Elizabeth Fry, not to visit or interact with any prisoners, not to contribute to or publish anything, or attend any meeting/gatherings associated with direct action/activism/campaigning, not to contact directly or indirectly any person whom I know or believe to be involved with “extremist” activities ( I have asked for the legal definition of this), or have been charged with or convicted of an offence. I am also not allowed to work with “vulnerable adults” or “groom” (or have discussions with) anyone for the purposes of radicalisation or extremism.
Once I’m out I’m going to challenge these conditions but my solicitor said it’s hard to do from inside prison. Accepting them goes against everything I believe in but I am going to do so for my family. They are obviously setting me up to fail (most girls at Elizabeth Fry do because drugs are rife there) so we’ll see how long I last. Once I sign the conditions, unless I get recalled, I won’t be able to write again until 2017 :(
They can try to stifle and control me with their restrictions, false sympathies and fake smiles, but “no pueden encarcelar neustras ideas”. My silence is only temporary, and my rage is infinite.
“Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?
Just like the moons and like the suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise”
•Still I’ll rise, Maya Angelou
Thanks for all the support this year. Hope you have a fun and mischievous 2016.
Solidarity, love and lots of rage
Em x :)
emsheppard
Comments
Hide the following 7 comments
Keep on fighting
01.01.2016 20:31
Jon
We can't wait...
01.01.2016 23:12
We can't wait until you are back in action Em - let's set Bristol alight!!
'Black December'
Black December
hope
02.01.2016 14:27
BIB
Do what you have to do to be free
02.01.2016 20:58
Love, solidarity and rage xxx
a supporter
Love and Support
03.01.2016 11:42
You really are an inspiration. You have already paid a heavy price for a political act in which, after all, no one was hurt, and there is certainly no shame in wanting to be free, albeit with the restrictions the state has put on you. At least you will be surrounded by friends and family
All the Best
A.C.A.B
Crow
Worth remembering
04.01.2016 17:05
Don't try justifying why you have bent over and let the prison system shaft you in return for shorter jail time, it makes you look stupid.
Budgie`
patience
05.01.2016 16:27
that book will be instrumental in talking to and arosing discussion within the 'movements', particularly with younger people drawn to the actions by the increasing awareness of veganism, anarchism, political activism, etc.
and good luck, im sure it will be fine. a year without wifi will be better for you and who wants a phone all the time anyway? think about it, from a primitivist point of view they are helping to keep you away from what is mostly shite about society, technology, laptops, phones...all of them have blood on their manufacturers hands because they are produced on the back of enslavement of the rest of the world, 3 billion people without proper sanitation and running water in their homes!! use what they are doing to get stronger, to grow your principals and remember what you did was part of a historical movement against the bullshit and it will inspire others, always.
haha, laugh at their silly laws...and after they lift the conditions, write and publish all you like. I'd certainly buy a copy of the book, that's for sure.
that's my two-pence worth anyways.
Fran