This message is forwarded from Cornerstone Housing Co-op:

At 8:45 on Thursday 28th November 2002 both houses which make up
Cornerstone Housing Co-op (in Leeds, UK) were raided by the police. The raid
was in connection with an action against the 'New Tribes Mission' (in
solidarity with the indigenous peoples of the South Pacific) in Grimsby,
Lincolnshire on 11 October 2002. The raid was carried out to secure
evidence namely some computer hard disks that were reported stolen during
the action.

After an hour or so of searching they decided to arrest everyone who
had slept in the houses that night and anyone who came home during the
search (13 people in all). We assume that this decision was made as the
houses were a lot bigger than Lincolnshire police expected and most
people have a lot of stuff in their rooms, so they wanted us out of the
way.


The police took a wide variety of personal and communal effects. They
seized 15 computers between the two houses. The computers at both houses
were used by lots of people and groups. We've discussed what we think
is on the computers and are not too worried about that, but we obviously
don't know what other people who are not members of the co-op had saved
on them. If you have used our computers in either house in the past
then please be aware that the police now have copies of any work you have
done. They also have our email address book and email archive.


It is possible that Lincolnshire Police may take a number of months to
return the computers.


One of the justifications for the raid was that a van was stopped in
the vicinity of the action and our address (number 40) was given by one
or more occupants of the van. We were totally unaware that our address
had been used in this way until Thursday. The members of Cornerstone
ask that people who are not members of the co-op don’t use our address in
such circumstances.


All arrestees were released without being charged with "conspiracy to
burgle" (for which we were arrested), but have been bailed to return to
the police station on 6,7,8,9 January 2003. Everyone arrested had
fingerprints and DNA taken (this was authorised by a superintendent as we
were not charged). While some members of Cornerstone have a history of
political activism on a wide range of issues, other members of the co-op
are simply people who believe in the co-operative ideal and want to
live in a housing co-op - this has been especially hard on them (it was a
very extreme first arrest). Everyone in the co-op knows that someone
has been through EVERYTHING that they own while they were locked up.


How you can help

We've had many offers of support and messages of solidarity over the
past few days for which we are very grateful. We have been lent 4
computers so far, so those whose work relies heavily on them can continue to
earn money, although they have taken part of a printing press owned by
Footprint Workers Co-op, which is based in one of the houses.


We are no longer desperate for computers, but one more decent one for
2-3 months would be good.


If you live locally to Leeds and you can help us make a front door and
replace the door frame at number 16 then that would be really
appreciated (the door is not a standard size).


We don't need money as the co-op can cover its material losses.


We would like to express our solidarity with the other three places
raided in the last ten days on unrelated pretexts, namely A-Spire (Leeds)
last Saturday night, a friend in Manchester on Sunday and the Sumac
Centre (Nottingham) on Friday.