New Labour threatens anti-war protestor

Anti-war activist faces six months imprisonment after participating in
Lewisham school student demonstration Court hearing: Friday 24
October, 10 am Belmarsh Magistrates Court (next to prison), Belmarsh
Rd, London SE28. A lobby will be taking place from 9.30 am. Anti-war
protester Karl Debbaut, who was arrested on the Lewisham school
student demonstration on the first day of war with Iraq, is to fight
vigorously a charge of assault on a police officer at his court
hearing on 24th October. Along with thousands of school students who
had walked out of their classrooms and onto the streets in outrage and
opposition to Blair's war, Karl, a co-ordinator for International
Socialist Resistance, exercised his right to peaceful protest. Faced
with the sheer scale of the strikes, school authorities, police and
politicians had no choice but to allow the demonstrations and strikes
to go ahead unhindered. The Lewisham police, however, used numbers and
force to prevent school students from participating in the Parliament
Square protests, instead physically making them return to school. Karl
was arrested, charged with assault on a police officer and faces up to
six months in prison if convicted. Karl said: "As far as ISR is aware
I am the only person to be faced with imprisonment as a result of
taking part in a school student protest. However, this is not just
about me. For the crime of daring to make their opposition to the Iraq
war heard many school students suffered disciplinary action in their
schools and even police brutality. As part of this campaign ISR
intends to launch a national debate on school students' rights.
"Nationally, International Socialist Resistance (ISR) took the first
initiative in raising the idea of school student strike action. Our
initial call, along with that of other parts of the Stop the War
Coalition, was seized upon by countless students as the best means of
making their voice heard against the tumult of pro-war propaganda.
"The strikes in Lewisham were initiated and organised by schools
students who were members of no anti-war organisation, but who then
contacted ISR for assistance. Yet, throughout the day of the strike
the police in Lewisham treated the school students as mindless
truants. Any older anti-war protesters were treated as sinister
manipulators. "Since then the Hutton Enquiry has shown the depths of
New Labour's sinister manipulation. Conversely, both the Hutton
Enquiry and the nightmare of occupied Iraq show how clear-sighted
Britain's school students were when they left their classrooms to try
and stop the onslaught on Iraq." For more information or to interview
Karl contact International Socialist Resistance - Hannah Sell on 07966
952674 or Clare James 07866 955467.

Sponsors of the campaign include:
Stop the War Coalition, George Galloway MP, Members of the Scottish
Parliament for the Scottish Socialist Party: Tommy Sheridan, Frances
Curran, Rosemary Byrne, Carolyn Leckie, Rosie Kane. Mark Serwotka
General Secretary of the PCS, Janice Godrich President of the PCS, Sue
Bond Vice President PCS, Mick Rix General Secretary ASLEF, Jeremy Dear
General Secretary NUJ, PCS NEC members: Sevi Yeslgalli, Chris Baugh,
Danny Williamson, Christine Chorlton, Rob Williams. UNISON NEC
members: Raph Parkinson, Carol Dutton, Roger Bannister, Clare
Williams, Mike Tucker, Jon Rogers, Kate Ahrens, Helen Jenner. CWU NEC
members: Gary Jones, Bernard Roome. Branch Secretary London East CWU
Paul Stygal, NUT NEC members: Linda Taaffe. T&G GEC members: Martin
Meyer, Chris White, John Boughan. Teresa Mackay Chair of T&G Rural
Agricultural Workers Section, Brian Rebel National Organisers of T&G
National Agricultural Workers Section. RMT TUC delegate: Joe Grey,
Keith Brodel, Neil Kaeith, G Watson, D Elliot, Roy Cottage, Martin
Wickes. ASLEF TUC delegates: Nigel Gibson, Mike Jones, Dave Tyson.
Socialist Party Councillors: Coventry - Dave Nellist, Rob Windsor,
Karen Mackay, Lewisham - Ian Page. Liv Gustavsson Rhodin, Jonas
Brännberg, councillors for Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna, Swedish
section of the CWI, in Luleå, Sweden.

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