URGENT
For IMMEDIATE ACTION!

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Dear Folk,

We have bad news.

Nicola Doherty and Richard Moth have both been charged by the Italian authorities.

News is still filtering through, but this is what we know at present:

Nicola is suffering from contusions to the head and a fractured wrist, Richard from head injuries.

They have both been charged with four offences:

Criminal Association
Resistance to Public Officers
Possession of Arms
Possession of offensive weapons

Nicola and Richard were arrested while they slept, obviously they recieved injuries unwarranted during arrest of sleeping people. They have been charged with the same offences as ninety other people. This is indescriminate scapegoating. There is a claim of NINETY people in the same building ALL having similar weapons. After the behaviour of the Italian police over the weekend no one can believe these claims - not even the most hardened reactionary.

The charges mean that Nicola and Richard cannot be contacted for a further 48 hours. The British Consulate may contact them if they give the authorities 24 hours notice (it is unclear whether they have given notice at this stage).
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WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Firstly you can ring the Italian Embassy in London to voice your concerns for the saftey of Nicola and Richard and demand their immediate release. Their phone number is 020 7312 2200.

Below is an open letter - we need dignitaries, union reps, and every single name we can gather on this open letter and fast. We will be handing in the letter to the Italian Embassy tomorrow. Please get what support you can and e-mail it back to us ASAP. ( office@resist.org.uk)

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RELEASE NICOLA AND RICHARD

Nicola Doherty and Richard Moth, two Globalise Resistance members, have been arrested by Italian Police after the Genoa protests at the weekend. Both work with adults with severe disabilities and are members of Unison trade union. Nicola was on her first demonstration. Neither were involved in any violence during the protests in Genoa. Both are being held incommunicado, with no accesss to legal support or contact with their friends and families. Both recieved considerable injuries while they were being arrested.

To claim that NINETY people were all guilty of the same offences while they slept is ludicrous.

We demand that their lawyers and friends be allowed access to the two prisoners immediately. We demand these two peaceful protesters are released immediately.
If any weapons were indeed found at the HQ, their is nothing to suggest Nicola and Richard were in possession of them.

Arrests and oppression will not answer the case put by anti-globalisation protesters.

John Pilger, journalist
Louise Christian, lawyer
Paul Foot, journalist
Noreena Hertz, writer
Mark Steel, journalist
Candy Udwin, University College London Hospital UNISON
Guy Taylor, Globalise Resistance
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We can really make a difference on this case - we stopped the train getting cancelled, we can spring these two from unwarranted incarceration.

We depend on your action and support,

Guy Taylor
Globalise Resistance