hello,
i was one of the two that was arrested. i was given an £80 fine but my friend is being made to appear in court. in the statement made against him hes been grossly misquoted, if anyone can provide photos or statements to help him out please get in touch
thanks to everyone who rang the police station aswell
solidarity

The corporate media in England encourages racism; it does so by perpetuating lies and myths about asylum seekers, refugees and economic migrants – “ ‘they’ take the best jobs”, “ ‘they’ are claiming too many unemployment benefits and scrounging off the British tax payer”, “ ‘they’ take the best council houses, “ ‘our’ schools cannot cope with the influx of ‘them’, “most of ‘them’ are criminals” etc). With these lies and myths the government of the day – in this case Labour – can ratchet up attacks on asylum seekers with an ever increasing racist social policy; making it illegal for asylum seekers to work, only allowing asylum seekers two thirds of benefit entitlements that people in this country can claim, housing asylum seekers in some of the worst council housing and private housing in the country (much of which would not be fit to house a wild dog in), exaggerating the numbers of asylum seekers attempting to enter the country (as if that should matter) along with scare stories about an influx of rapists and paedophiles thus by doing so creating moral panics and a climate of fear – the corporate ‘main stream’ media also deliberately keep from the public the role of British companies in the economic disasters, corruption, torture and hunger from which many asylum seekers are fleeing – all this done with the baying approval of some of the most disadvantaged people in England – the working class.

Working class English people and many working class asylum seekers, refugees and economic migrants have the same needs; decent schools for their children, clean hospitals, affordable housing and at the very least an above minimum wage income which could help to provide the possibility of some sort of comfortable, healthy life style. Yet with these lies and myths constantly perpetuated by racist gutter snipe middle class journalism at the behest of the politicians they support a division can be created between working class people in England and the working class internationally - which is precisely what the ruling classes want; they do not want a politically aware and unified working class opposition to their thievery, profiteering and plunderous looting of the very countries from which many asylum seekers are attempting to escape.

Unfortunately, the democratic rights of some supporters of TCAR who try to alert the public to British involvement in this theft abroad and racism at home have come under attack in recent months, providing added reason as to why it was important that a strong show of solidarity was in evidence on Saturday. Sadly, we were witness yet again to sinister attempts by the police at “intelligence gathering” and unfortunately two protesters were arrested by the racists and anti-working class police. Therefore, demonstrations such as the one held by TCAR and supported by various groups on Saturday 19th January 2008 are also vitally important for the building of cross community links and information sharing. Demo’s with a broad level of participation such as the one held by TCAR can also help to combat sectarianism and the sort of isolationism that sees individuals scoffing at the efforts of others.

There are those who would like to silence an alternative, independent non corporate economic analytical alternative. Some would even do so not out of racist motivation but because they simply see working class English people and particularly working class asylum seekers as harmless objects of pity that are too stupid to understand an economic class based analysis. What ever the form of censorship, where ever the attack on free speech comes from – it must be opposed. Independent activists such as those who work extremely hard administering on an accountable level within groups like the Tyneside Community Action for Refugees (TCAR) are not charities and need the financial as well as political support of the public. At TCAR meetings, leaflets advertising events such as film showings and fund raising gigs are often on display along with news papers; particularly Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! which has a complete back page dedicated to informing and updating on the daily struggles of asylum seekers as well as those asylum seekers being held in prisons and detention centres throughout Britain with every one of its bi-monthly publications – this kind of democracy (particularly in a Capitalist society) and the publicising and information sharing it encourages needs funding in order to print and distribute. Most literature is often not free to publish, therefore cannot often be given away free; money raised can also help to pay for public transport costs, the hiring of meeting venues and the purchasing of materials for banners and information stalls.

Those who would oppose an economic class based analysis with skulduggery and obscurantist zoo noises in an attempt at stifling free speech with covert censorship can come in my many political shades – they must be opposed where ever who ever and they are.

TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER!

An £80 fine. That's outrageous! Under what law? I'll put out an appeal on the TCAR list to ask people to contact you if they saw anything. We need to stand together against police harassment and for democratic rights. Up and down the country political activists are being harassed by police, street wardens, council officers etc. Basta Ya!
Together we are stronger! They know it and that's why they try to isolate us.

Have you heard about the campaign for democratic rights because of the harassment groups have been getting at the Monument. There will be a meeting coming up on Tuesday 29th to try and take the campaign forward.

Solidarity,
Annie