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Tackle the Shackles, Close Guantanamo

IMCista | 11.01.2007 23:12 | Anti-militarism | Repression | Birmingham

Some 70-80 people gathered today in Perry Barr, Birmingham, in front of Hiatt, a UK company that makes shackles and other torture equipment, to 'celebrate' the 5th anniversary of the notorious US-run prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, where 10 British residents and 400 other prisoners are held illegally. The protest was part of a UK-wide day of action and was called by Reprieve (a UK charity that legally represents the British residents held in Guantanamo), Birmingham Guantanamo Campaign, Save Omar Campaign and Amnesty International. Hiatt manufacture the shackles used by the US military in Guantánamo Bay over the last 5 years. The company has never missed a business opportunity in over 200 years, from supplying "nigger collars" to the slave trade to shackles used during torture by various unsavoury regimes (see press release).

warming up
warming up

banner and truck
banner and truck

this is no costume party
this is no costume party

cops..
cops..

.. and an 'evidence gatherer' trying to profile protesters
.. and an 'evidence gatherer' trying to profile protesters

marching down Baltimore Road
marching down Baltimore Road

the front of the march
the front of the march

Dr David Nichols talking about Guantanamo and presenting speakers
Dr David Nichols talking about Guantanamo and presenting speakers

Abu Bakr Deghayes talking about his brother, Omar, in Guantanamo
Abu Bakr Deghayes talking about his brother, Omar, in Guantanamo

Sandy Mitchell talking about his torture in Saudi prison
Sandy Mitchell talking about his torture in Saudi prison

a phone call from Omar's brother on 'the other side of the fence' in Cuba
a phone call from Omar's brother on 'the other side of the fence' in Cuba

Seize The Day singing "Shackle-Shuffle"
Seize The Day singing "Shackle-Shuffle"

and people in orange jump suits doing the "shackle-shuffle"
and people in orange jump suits doing the "shackle-shuffle"

and more
and more

presenting the cake
presenting the cake

the cake
the cake

shackled..
shackled..

.. and humiliated
.. and humiliated

delivering the cake to Hiatt..
delivering the cake to Hiatt..

.. but they wouldn't open up
.. but they wouldn't open up


IMCista

Additions

Sandy Mitchell tortured using Hiatt's shackles

11.01.2007 23:57

Sandy Mitchel handcuffed to Hiatt's fence
Sandy Mitchel handcuffed to Hiatt's fence

close-up
close-up

and posting his handcuffs back to Hiatt
and posting his handcuffs back to Hiatt

Sandy Mitchell, 44, from Kirkintilloch, was one of 6 people from Britain arrested 4 years ago after a series of bomb attacks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Sandy nobly brought his memories of torture back to Hiatt on a cold January day in Birmingham's Perry Bar. He demonstrated how he was tortured in a Saudi prison, with the complicity of the British government.

Sandy spoke of how he was shackled above the door of his cell by his wrist using Hiatt's shackles. He was held there for between 10-12 hours a day for 8 days. He tried to stand on tiptoe to relieve the pressure on his wrist, but whenever he drifted off to sleep the prison guards would beat him with wooden axe handles to keep him awake. His body from the waist down was literally black and blue from these beatings. Just before leaving Hiatt, he put some closure on his horrific experiences by giving back his Hiatt's shackles to their manufacturers through the letter box.

IMCista

Comments

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they used to sell climbing equipment

13.01.2007 22:15

Really awful heavy old steel karabiners. Haven't seen them in decades so obviously torture gear is far more profitable.

old climber

Sneers and mocking

15.01.2007 10:09

This protest didn't meet with universal approval - see the comments under 'Another protest in Birmingham, UK'. I really hope the attitude that anyone questioning the government is a terrorist isn't typical for the United States, but fear it might be. They don't see to have much respect for the First Amendment rights which their predecessors fought for either.

I dispair.

 http://www.network54.com/Forum/261154/

David
- Homepage: http://www.network54.com/Forum/261154/