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HSBC 3 Defence Campaign

HSBC 3 Defence Campaign | 04.01.2011 14:55 | Repression | Social Struggles | World

What is the HSBC 3 Defence Campaign?

A defence campaign has been launched in Newcastle to oppose the charges against demonstrators who came out alongside hundreds of others on 18 December 2010 to protest against government cuts to education and other public services, benefits and jobs. The campaign also stands in solidarity with all the other demonstrators being criminalised for taking part in actions against the cuts.

A full report and videos of the protests on the 18th December, and one of the arrests, is here.

Mark Pearson explained why it is so important that all those arrested on such political charges are defended:

‘The banks are robbing the world and getting away with it, yet the police are trying to make it an offence to peacefully enter a bank and express opposition. The government and police have made it clear whose side they are on: they will do everything in their power to protect the banks and businesses, while savagely attacking our living standards and our freedom to protest. We have to stand together and fight back.’

Join the campaign to defend Mark and Patrick from these phoney charges, which are a blatant attack on all of our democratic rights and a political defence of the banks and big business by the police. The HSBC 2 Defence Campaign is demanding that the charges be dropped immediately and the bail conditions lifted. Join the solidarity demonstration outside Newcastle Magistrates Court, on Market Street at 9.30am on Friday 7 January, and contact  defence.campaign@gmail.com or 07858 346276 for details of other actions and ways you can support the campaign.

Justice for the HSBC 2! Stop the Cuts! We won’t pay for the capitalist crisis!

**UPDATE: Whilst doing a routine political stall on 22 December a third activist, Toby Hobbs, was arrested in relation to the 18 December protests, on ‘suspicion of assualting a police officer’. After having his details taken and being held in a cold cell for hours, Toby and his solicitor were shown the police’s supposed ‘evidence’ of the assault – a youtube video of the protests which showed no such thing! Toby has not been charged, but is on bail and has to return to the police station on 3rd February. This is political policing, to pick activists up on spurious charges, gather information, attempt to intimidate them, and then release them without charge. Activists in Newcastle are determined to oppose this kind of policing every step of the way. The HSBC 2 is now the HSBC 3, and we are asking everyone who is available to come to Market Street Police Station at 8.45am on 3rd February to show solidarity for Toby. Following his release, Toby commented:

‘It’s clear that this kind of unjust arrest will be happening more and more as resistance against the cuts increases. This kind of intimidation, and intelligence gathering just increases the commitment of protestors, as it just exposes the oppressive lengths which are needed to protect the capitalist system.’

What is the HSBC 3 Defence Campaign?

**IF YOU SAW EITHER OF THESE ARRESTS OR THE EVENTS AROUND THEM, PLEASE WRITE A WITNESS STATEMENT AND SEND IT TO  defence.campaign@googlemail.com, ALONG WITH ANY PHOTOS OR VIDEO FOOTAGE YOU HAVE. THANK YOU!**

A defence campaign has been launched in Newcastle to oppose the charges against two demonstrators, Mark Pearson and Patrick Reay, who came out alongside hundreds of others on 18 December 2010 to protest against government cuts to education and other public services, benefits and jobs. The campaign also stands in solidarity with all the other demonstrators being criminalised for taking part in actions against the cuts.

A full report and videos of the protests on the 18th December, and one of the arrests, is here.

Mark Pearson explained why it is so important that all those arrested on such political charges are defended:

‘The banks are robbing the world and getting away with it, yet the police are trying to make it an offence to peacefully enter a bank and express opposition. The government and police have made it clear whose side they are on: they will do everything in their power to protect the banks and businesses, while savagely attacking our living standards and our freedom to protest. We have to stand together and fight back.’

Join the campaign to defend Mark and Patrick from these phoney charges, which are a blatant attack on all of our democratic rights and a political defence of the banks and big business by the police. The HSBC 2 Defence Campaign is demanding that the charges be dropped immediately and the bail conditions lifted. Join the solidarity demonstration outside Newcastle Magistrates Court, on Market Street at 9.30am on Friday 7 January, and contact  defence.campaign@gmail.com or 07858 346276 for details of other actions and ways you can support the campaign.

Justice for the HSBC 2! Stop the Cuts! We won’t pay for the capitalist crisis!

**UPDATE: Whilst doing a routine political stall on 22 December a third activist, Toby Hobbs, was arrested in relation to the 18 December protests, on ‘suspicion of assualting a police officer’. After having his details taken and being held in a cold cell for hours, Toby and his solicitor were shown the police’s supposed ‘evidence’ of the assault – a youtube video of the protests which showed no such thing! Toby has not been charged, but is on bail and has to return to the police station on 3rd February. This is political policing, to pick activists up on spurious charges, gather information, attempt to intimidate them, and then release them without charge. Activists in Newcastle are determined to oppose this kind of policing every step of the way. The HSBC 2 is now the HSBC 3, and we are asking everyone who is available to come to Market Street Police Station at 8.45am on 3rd February to show solidarity for Toby. Following his release, Toby commented:

‘It’s clear that this kind of unjust arrest will be happening more and more as resistance against the cuts increases. This kind of intimidation, and intelligence gathering just increases the commitment of protestors, as it just exposes the oppressive lengths which are needed to protect the capitalist system.’

HSBC 3 Defence Campaign
- e-mail: defence.campaign@gmail.com
- Homepage: http://defencecampaign.wordpress.com/