Dawn raids against activists in relation to Gaza demos

news from the streets | 07.05.2009 13:14 | University Occupations for Gaza | Palestine | Repression

This morning, 15 people were arrested across London and possibly other parts of the country under the Terrorism Act, apparently in relation to the demonstrations in support of Gaza in January this year.

The raids were carried out at separate addresses. People were detained and given the possibility of taking clothes with them; their houses were searched and computers, mobile phones, papers and other items removed by the police.

They are currently being held in West End Central Police Station, near Charing Cross. All those able to attend a solidarity picket outside the police station are asked to attend as soon as they can.

No War! No police repression!!

news from the streets

Comments

Hide the following 11 comments

Might be of use

07.05.2009 14:06

Here's a link to the met police's page about people they want infomation on in regards to the gaza protests

http://www.met.police.uk/caught_on_camera/gazademonstrations_01.htm

Although I guess people who are not on there might still be at risk, maybe more so, as the pigs may already have infoamtion on them!

Is there anymore info such as what the exact charges are or what evidence they are claiming there is?

your enemy

Venal instrument

07.05.2009 14:47

Dude! There won't be any charges. The Terrorism Act provides "[t]he power of the executive to cast a man into prison without formulating any charge known to the law, and particularly to deny him the judgement of his peers", as Winston Churchill described such things in 1943, before calling them, "in the highest degree odious and the foundation of all totalitarian government whether Nazi or Communist". They can be held for 28 days without knowing whether they will be charged or released. During this time their houses can be searched, their computers can be taken away for examination, and they can be interrogated to give an account of themselves consistent with everything available to the counter-terrorism police from the vast apparatus of surveillance which surrounds us all.

The Terrorism Act 2000 is a venal instrument, which purports to rob us over our precious liberty, though in truth nothing can. It is a permanent statute, not an emergency power. It has no place in constitutional government, democratic or otherwise. It stands amongst the ruins of our liberty and of our constitution as an affront to both.

Nonviolent extremist

verification?

07.05.2009 15:50

is this confirmed?

jon b

masked response

07.05.2009 16:16

Here's a reply to those people who demanded (outraged) why some people were masked up at the Gaza demos. Cos you end up on the fuckin Met website (cheers for the link above), that's why. Mask up!

anon

solidarity

07.05.2009 17:05

did people start understanding why people masked up for demos??? any people not just trouble makers where masks...WE ALL SHUD WEAR MASKS EVRY SINGLE DEMO .....we need to support the arrested ..lets BREAK FREE ..........DEMO A.S.A.P. CHARING CROSS POLICE STATTION SATURDAY AT 2 OUR STREETS OUR FREEDOM OUR WORLD UNITE WE STAND

human being

facts

07.05.2009 18:39

these people were not arrested under the terrorism act , there were arrested for violent disorder which is section 2 of the public order act 1986.

patriot

met police publish statement

07.05.2009 19:59

there's now a statement up on the met site - link is

http://cms.met.police.uk/news/arrests_and_charges/six_arrested_in_ongoing_investigation_into_violence_at_demonstrations but i'll repaste the important bits below in case it moves or something. basically, in a nutshell, 6 people arrested ...

Six people have been arrested this morning, 7 May, as part of Operation Ute, the Met's ongoing investigation into violence at a series of demonstrations in central London during January 2009.

...

Those arrested are: A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder at an address in Ealing. A 20-yea-old man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder at an address in Notting Hill. A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder at an address in Tower Hamlets. An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder at an address in Wood Green. An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder at an address in Holloway. A 17-year-old male youth was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder at an address in Tower Hamlets.

relay

Anyone know if the solidarity picket's still going on?

07.05.2009 22:22

Anyone know an update on this, if anyone is still there?

Solidarity

The Met's 'Caught On Camera'

07.05.2009 23:19

If there was ever a webpage that summed up how obsessed the UK with surveillance, it's this one. Interesting that the blurb says 'The people shown in these CCTV stills are suspected of involvement in some of London's most serious or violent offences. '. Then image 10154 reads 'Theft from motor vehicle'. Surely that can't be a very serious offence.

I suppose it's too early to speculate that those arrested today probably were identified through this site?

Also, please don't forget

08.05.2009 11:38

those originally arrested at the Gaza demo, there were lots. I have heard from one of those who was arrested for violent disorder that the case is now being investigated by the Counter Terrorism Unit. This is insane really!

Our War

ending police violence

09.05.2009 18:57

I fully the support the police's efforts to bring charges against any protester who attacks them without due cause.

By the same token, they should create a website where protesters can post the photos, badge numbers and names of police officers who have attacked them without due cause at demonstrations.

Of course, we all know that's never going to happen.... so why not create one right here, on Indymedia?

Alice