In two cases which have serious implications for the Government and taxpayers, anti-war campaigner Chris Coverdale, is challenging the legality of Government and Court Orders to levy taxes, fines and costs.

On 24 November, Mr Coverdale, an international organisation development consultant, who has been on tax strike since January 1999, will appear in court for refusing to pay a bankruptcy order of £3,500 to the Official Receiver.

On 1 December, Mr Coverdale is in court for refusing to pay £250 costs imposed on him after he was convicted under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) 2005 for an unauthorised protest in Parliament Square.

Through SOCPA the government attempted to get rid of Brian Haw’s 5-year continuous protest and the Global Women’s Strike weekly anti-war picket and open mic in Parliament Square, as well banning all peaceful spontaneous protest within a kilometre of Parliament.

Waging a war of aggression and committing genocide are the most serious crimes known to law. At least 50,000 Iraqis have died as a result of UK government actions -- this constitutes genocide under English law.1

Mr Coverdale is refusing to hand over his money because paying fines and taxes are “Complicity in waging a war of aggression’ -- a crime under the Nuremburg Principles -- and ‘conduct ancillary to genocide’ -- a crime under the International Criminal Court Act 2001.

The Government, the Inland Revenue, the Official Receiver and several judges, are as a result, responsible for the most serious crimes known in law. It is every citizen’s duty to refuse to take part in such crimes.

Mr Coverdale says:

“Under no circumstances will I agree to handover any money to any agency of government whilst it uses the money to pay for the murder of innocent women, children and men.

In all conscience I cannot take part in the genocide of Iraqi people. At least 15,000 of the victims are children, yet Tony Blair tells us that attacking them with cruise missiles, rockets, cluster bombs and depleted uranium artillery shells is the ‘right’ thing to do. How can anyone believe that this massacre of children is right or lawful?

I am totally bemused that so many British citizens, such as MPs, police officers, crown prosecutors and judges are supporting the criminal actions of the British Government. Didn’t we learn anything from the Second World War? George Bush, Tony Blair and hundreds of our leaders are committing the same crimes for which Hitler’s henchmen were tried, convicted and hanged at Nuremburg in 1946.”

For further information on Blair’s deception of Parliament see  http://www.refusingtokill.net/UKGulfwar2/IraqDeception.htm

NOTE
1. The International Criminal Court Act 2001

ENDS