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Saturday 23 May - Stop Police Violence, Kettle New Scotland Yard!

UCAPV | 19.05.2009 15:26 | G20 London Summit | Anti-militarism | Policing | Repression | Social Struggles

Saturday 23 May - assemble 3pm Trafalgar Square
March via Downing Street to New Scotland Yard.

The United Campaign Against Police Violence has called a national demonstration to highlight the issues of police violence and demand justice for those who have died in police custody.

The police tactic of "kettling" demonstrators - essentially detaining protestors and bystanders without charge - will be turned on its head on the protest, when we kettle New Scotland Yard.

At the end of the protest there will be a naming of the dead for those who have died in police custody, led by the families of the bereaved who have yet to receive justice. Over 1000 people have died in police custody in the last 40 years - yet no one has been found responsible.

Protestors will demand the disbanding of the Territorial Support Group, the resignation of "Independent" Police Complaints Commission chair Nick Hardwick, justice for those killed in police custody and for the right to protest.

John McDonnell MP, chair of Labour Representation Committee, said:
"Increasingly, evidence demonstrates policing of major demonstrations has got out of control and specialist police units have been acting with virtual impunity.

"This campaign is about achieving democratic control over policing and securing protection from state violence and harassment for members of our communities."

Mark Serwotka, General Secretary, Public and Commercial Services union, said:
"The right to protest is a fundamental right which in these times is more important than ever. That's why everyone should support this campaign to ensure people can protest without the threat of brutality."

The Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign, said:
"We believe in standing up for our moral and human rights and for speaking for our loved ones who can no longer speak for themselves - Christopher Alder, Brian Douglas, Roger Sylvester, Azelle Rodney, Mikey Powell, Ricky Bishop to name a few... They are among thousands who have received no justice for their death and their blood is crying out from beneath the grave - these lost lives must not be forgotten, their cases need to be re-opened and re-examined, like that of David Oluwale, so that true justice can prevail.

"For Sean Rigg, Paps Ullah, Ian Tomlinson and many others we expect independent investigations that are robust, fully competent and unbiased towards the police in their search for the unequivocal truth - the IPCC are not fit for that purpose . Overall we demand full accountability of police officers who kill due to violence or negligence - why should they have impunity from prosecution? No Justice, No Peace!"

Jenny Jones, Green Party member of the Greater London Assembly and Metropolitan Police Authority, said:
"This is a demo with a difference - we are going to show the Met that we are tired of the illegal imprisonment that they call 'containment' and that we want them to change their attitude to protesters and become law abiding themselves.

"Change is hard, but the Met is losing public confidence and it's time they understood that their job is to reduce violence, not add to it."

Chris Nineham, Stop the War Coalition, said:
"What happened at the G20 was part of a trend. In recent months the police have attacked many of our protests. They have raided the homes of people who came on our demonstrations in solidarity with Gaza. They are trying to prosecute others who protested against George Bush's visit in 2008. This is a very important demonstration because the attempt to criminalise protest and intimidate protestors must be stopped."

UCAPV

Comments

Hide the following 12 comments

you

19.05.2009 19:19

you know the best thing about being kettled at the g20, all the swp mongoloids stopped selling that piss poor excuse for a paper and actually participated with the protest for once

ballz


Distraction again.

19.05.2009 19:40

This protest has been called on the same day as a protest over the expenses thing.

Yet again the STWC come to the rescue of the government. Yet again distraction, yet again another attempt to dilute public turnout.

Give it up STWC, your government have run out of time.

Oh Dear!


In defence...

19.05.2009 20:49

...this demo was called before the parliament protest, happens after it, and is supported by the same people. Just so you get your facts right...

It would be good if everyone joins this demo after the other activities of the day! Supported by socialists, greens, anarchists, trade unionists, justice campaigns and almost everyone else :-)

Frank Lansbury


Distraction.

19.05.2009 21:15

"...this demo was called before the parliament protest, happens after it, and is supported by the same people. Just so you get your facts right..."

Fair enough, I stand corrected. Thank you.

You have put my mind at rest but still, the STWC. Their heritage is very curious and routinely mistrusted by genuine activists.

I think the problem here is that they just look too much like New Labour. Hampered by the fact that most of the top organisers have NEVER carried out any action as an example to others, have never so much as sat down in the road, have never really put themselves in direct confrontation with the Government and have in the past ACTIVELY supported Labour candidates.

Seems to me they have done nothing except hijacked other groups in order to ensure inaction, much to the benefit of Blair and Brown, particularly Blair.

When history is written, what exactly will be the story of Corbyn and German?

Oh Dear.


The SWP/STWC jumping on yet ANOTHER bandwagon

20.05.2009 01:15

Funny that, since the SWP were nowhere to be seen on the day of the G20 protests... Oh wait yeah, thats because they intentionally organised a demonstration on the other side of central London to distance themselves from the activists in the Bank district.

It seems to me that the STWC (which is basically the SWP) is jumping on another bandwagon for its own political recruitment purposes.

Trotskyism protects the state


SWP were at Bank!

20.05.2009 10:14

> Funny that, since the SWP were nowhere to be seen on the day
> of the G20 protests...

Actually they were to be seen at Bank with orange "We won't pay for their crisis" placards.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/almavogler/3427956675/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/34797083@N02/3426861588/
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/britbohlinger/3415343426/

> Oh wait yeah, thats because they intentionally organised a
> demonstration on the other side of central London to
> distance themselves from the activists in the Bank district.

Hows that different from Climate Camp doing the same?

> It seems to me that the STWC (which is basically the SWP) is jumping
> on another bandwagon for its own political recruitment purposes.

Actually, there's now a split between the STWC and SWP since Nineham, German and Rees were forced off the SWP Central Committee.

There are plenty of genuine reasons to criticise swappies, why not stick to those?

factchecker


professor teach thyself

20.05.2009 10:19

> This protest has been called on the same day as a protest
> over the expenses thing.

No, the other way round.

> Yet again the STWC come to the rescue of the government.
> Yet again distraction, yet again another attempt to dilute public turnout.

The expenses thing is a distraction, it's amazing how you fallen for it.

How is that comparatively tiny sum more important than the billions poured into bank bailouts, oil wars and police repression?

> Their heritage is very curious and routinely mistrusted by genuine activists.

Says a Chris Knight supporter! Moat and beam, as Douglas Hogg would say.

factchecker


Question

20.05.2009 11:03

I'm curious: what exactly is a "genuine activist"?

anonymous


Oh Dear.

20.05.2009 11:18

"The expenses thing is a distraction, it's amazing how you fallen for it. How is that comparatively tiny sum more important than the billions poured into bank bailouts, oil wars and police repression? Says a Chris Knight supporter! Moat and beam, as Douglas Hogg would say."

Oh Dear. Thats very lame.

Seems to me that labour have been on the fiddle. Got caught, smothered Conservatives with their tarred brush and left the nation refusing to support either. Now Labour supporters are saying that if what few Labour supporters that are left don't vote Labour, then the BNP will get in, so the only thing for 'right thinking individuals' left to do is...vote Labour!

Very very lame.

Try this on for size.

The 'expenses thing' is very very very bad. Not only are Labour in trouble, but the Labour movement that underpins it is now in trouble. Labour, as a word, as a movement, as a political structure, are now in peril.

We must have an election NOW.

If this election does not take place NOW, then by the time an election MUST be called in 2010, things could well be so bad that the election may be up for cancellation...in the national interest.

Strike NOW.

Oh Dear.


it's not individual MPs that are the problem, the system is at fault

20.05.2009 14:33

> Seems to me that labour have been on the fiddle. Got caught,
> smothered Conservatives with their tarred brush and left the
> nation refusing to support either.

And that's a bad thing, how?

> We must have an election NOW.

Are you sure you're on the right website?

"The Indymedia UK website provides an interactive platform for reports from the struggles for a world based on freedom, cooperation, justice and solidarity, and against environmental degradation, neoliberal exploitation, racism and patriarchy. The reports cover a wide range of issues and social movements - from neighbourhood campaigns to grassroots mobilisations, from critical analysis to direct action."

"we reject all systems of domination and discrimination
we acknowledge that the struggle for a better world takes many forms. The focus of the Indymedia UK collective is on grassroots politics, actions and campaigns
Indymedia United Kollektives does not have any ties with political parties or larger NGOs
we understand that by lobbying there will be no radical change. As a collective our attitude is assertive, and where necessary confrontational"

"Inherent in the mainstream corporate media is a strong bias towards Capitalism's power structures, and it is an important tool in propagating these structures around the globe. While the mainstream media conceal their manifold biases and alignments, we clearly state our position. Indymedia UK does not attempt to take an objective and impartial standpoint: Indymedia UK clearly states its subjectivity."

 http://publish.indymedia.org.uk/en/static/mission.html

factchecker


Abstract, ad hominem and excuses.

20.05.2009 15:20

"it's not individual MPs that are the problem, the system is at fault"

No shit Sherlock!

But that still doesn't stop you from arguing from a position that helps Labour while they are down, does it?

Curiouser and curiouser!

Oh Dear.


I don't care who you vote for.

21.05.2009 23:50

I'm an anarchist, why should I give a fuck which party you prefer?

factchecker