A report on West Yorkshire Prisoners Solidarity Weekend and announcement of this week's events in support of the Thessaloniki Seven.
WEST YORKSHIRE PRISONERS SOLIDARITY WEEKEND
AND FORTHCOMING THESSALONIKI SEVEN SUPPORT ACTIVITIES
The weeekend's activities organised in support of the imprisoned Saloniki 7 started on Friday night with a benefit event at Bradford's 1 in 12 Club attended by 20 or so people. Two speakers, Mark Barnsley and Adonis, spoke about the case and about the need to urgently show solidarity with our comrades on hungerstrike. The event raised £51. A shame more 1 in 12ers couldn't drag themselves out of the bar downstairs to attend, but still a worthwhile event.
Saturday's activities began with a Campaign Against Prison Slavery picket of Leeds city-centre branch of Wilkos, the high-street company that make profits from prison slave labour. 500 leaflets were distributed by the handful of people who turned up.
Later we moved to two nearby travel agents armed with placards featuring a photo of Simon Chapman on his 44th day of hungerstrike, and telling people not to buy Greek holidays. We taped up large posters on the shops featuring the same image, and distributed 300 or so leaflets telling people about the case. Despite the event being widely advertised within the local 'activist' community our numbers sadly did not swell much beyond the original handful, but we did encounter a lot of interest from the public.
As a follow-up to our picket 2 weeks ago, in the evening we held a candle-lit vigil outside the Greek Consulate in Leeds, displaying placards, and distributing leaflets. Several passers-by were very interested, and we also got a number of 'beeps' of encouragement from motorists.
Sunday's event at 'The Packhorse' (Incitement 2) was much better attended than the previous days' activities. More than 70 people packed out the room to watch a film about the Thessaloniki events and to listen to Alessio from the Thessaloniki Prisoners Support Group in London talk about the case. Adonis, who was present in Thessaloniki also spoke, and there was a 'Repressed' bookstall. £55 was raised in donations, which will be sent to the Thesssaloniki 7 fighting fund in Greece.
With our comrades in Greece in a desperate situation we have decided to hold pickets every day this week. We really need to be doing as much as possible to raise awareness of their situation, particularly at this critical time, so please make every effort to attend if you live in the Leeds area. The week's events are as follows (with extra activities to be added):
Monday 24th November: Picket of travel agents in Leeds city centre. Meet outside Thomas Cook's on Briggate at 4.30pm.
Candlelit vigil outside the Greek Consulate. Meet at the Roundhay Fox pub near Roundhay Park (buses 2 and 12 from town) at 6.00pm.)
Tuesday 25th November: Picket of travel agents ijn Leeds city centre. Meet outside Thomas Cook's on Briggate at 12.30pm.
Candlelit vigil outside the Greek Consulate. Meet at the Roundhay Fox pub near Roundhay Park (buses 2 and 12 from town) at 6.00pm.)
Wednesday 26th November: Picket of travel agents ijn Leeds city centre. Meet outside Thomas Cook's on Briggate at 12.30pm.
Candlelit vigil outside the Greek Consulate. Meet at the Roundhay Fox pub near Roundhay Park (buses 2 and 12 from town) at 6.00pm.)
Thursday 27th November: Picket of travel agents ijn Leeds city centre. Meet outside Thomas Cook's on Briggate at 12.30pm.
Candlelit vigil outside the Greek Consulate. Meet at the Roundhay Fox pub near Roundhay Park (buses 2 and 12 from town) at 6.00pm.)
Friday 28th November: Picket of travel agents ijn Leeds city centre. Meet outside Thomas Cook's on Briggate at 12.30pm.
Candlelit vigil outside the Greek Consulate. Meet at the Roundhay Fox pub near Roundhay Park (buses 2 and 12 from town) at 6.00pm.)
Please disribute this information as widely as possible. If you can make a donation to help with the cost of printing leaflets for the above activities it would be very welcome.
THEY'RE IN THERE FOR US, WE'RE OUT HERE FOR THEM!
FREE THE THESSALONIKI SEVEN!
AND FORTHCOMING THESSALONIKI SEVEN SUPPORT ACTIVITIES
The weeekend's activities organised in support of the imprisoned Saloniki 7 started on Friday night with a benefit event at Bradford's 1 in 12 Club attended by 20 or so people. Two speakers, Mark Barnsley and Adonis, spoke about the case and about the need to urgently show solidarity with our comrades on hungerstrike. The event raised £51. A shame more 1 in 12ers couldn't drag themselves out of the bar downstairs to attend, but still a worthwhile event.
Saturday's activities began with a Campaign Against Prison Slavery picket of Leeds city-centre branch of Wilkos, the high-street company that make profits from prison slave labour. 500 leaflets were distributed by the handful of people who turned up.
Later we moved to two nearby travel agents armed with placards featuring a photo of Simon Chapman on his 44th day of hungerstrike, and telling people not to buy Greek holidays. We taped up large posters on the shops featuring the same image, and distributed 300 or so leaflets telling people about the case. Despite the event being widely advertised within the local 'activist' community our numbers sadly did not swell much beyond the original handful, but we did encounter a lot of interest from the public.
As a follow-up to our picket 2 weeks ago, in the evening we held a candle-lit vigil outside the Greek Consulate in Leeds, displaying placards, and distributing leaflets. Several passers-by were very interested, and we also got a number of 'beeps' of encouragement from motorists.
Sunday's event at 'The Packhorse' (Incitement 2) was much better attended than the previous days' activities. More than 70 people packed out the room to watch a film about the Thessaloniki events and to listen to Alessio from the Thessaloniki Prisoners Support Group in London talk about the case. Adonis, who was present in Thessaloniki also spoke, and there was a 'Repressed' bookstall. £55 was raised in donations, which will be sent to the Thesssaloniki 7 fighting fund in Greece.
With our comrades in Greece in a desperate situation we have decided to hold pickets every day this week. We really need to be doing as much as possible to raise awareness of their situation, particularly at this critical time, so please make every effort to attend if you live in the Leeds area. The week's events are as follows (with extra activities to be added):
Monday 24th November: Picket of travel agents in Leeds city centre. Meet outside Thomas Cook's on Briggate at 4.30pm.
Candlelit vigil outside the Greek Consulate. Meet at the Roundhay Fox pub near Roundhay Park (buses 2 and 12 from town) at 6.00pm.)
Tuesday 25th November: Picket of travel agents ijn Leeds city centre. Meet outside Thomas Cook's on Briggate at 12.30pm.
Candlelit vigil outside the Greek Consulate. Meet at the Roundhay Fox pub near Roundhay Park (buses 2 and 12 from town) at 6.00pm.)
Wednesday 26th November: Picket of travel agents ijn Leeds city centre. Meet outside Thomas Cook's on Briggate at 12.30pm.
Candlelit vigil outside the Greek Consulate. Meet at the Roundhay Fox pub near Roundhay Park (buses 2 and 12 from town) at 6.00pm.)
Thursday 27th November: Picket of travel agents ijn Leeds city centre. Meet outside Thomas Cook's on Briggate at 12.30pm.
Candlelit vigil outside the Greek Consulate. Meet at the Roundhay Fox pub near Roundhay Park (buses 2 and 12 from town) at 6.00pm.)
Friday 28th November: Picket of travel agents ijn Leeds city centre. Meet outside Thomas Cook's on Briggate at 12.30pm.
Candlelit vigil outside the Greek Consulate. Meet at the Roundhay Fox pub near Roundhay Park (buses 2 and 12 from town) at 6.00pm.)
Please disribute this information as widely as possible. If you can make a donation to help with the cost of printing leaflets for the above activities it would be very welcome.
THEY'RE IN THERE FOR US, WE'RE OUT HERE FOR THEM!
FREE THE THESSALONIKI SEVEN!
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