Actions reports from the International Day of Solidarity with John Bowden

Second International Day of Solidarity in support of John Bowden and the Anarchist Black Cross – Friday 13th July

Friday 13th July was the second International Day of Solidarity in support of Scottish prisoner John Bowden and the Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) who the Scottish Prison Service have maligned as a “paramilitary” and “terrorist” organisation. Support events were advertised to take place in Brighton, Edinburgh, Hull, Leeds, and London, as well as internationally. We hope that many other actions also occurred. Please post your reports here.

The campaign in support of John and the ABC continues. Thanks to everyone who showed their support on Friday 13th, and please keep on doing all you can.

Friends of John Bowden

Leeds Report:

In Leeds, support activities started early with a banner drop over the north bound multi-lane A58 motorway. The banner, over 3m in length, read ‘Free John Bowden’ with the ‘Friends of John Bowden’ website address. It had been expected that with a bit of luck the banner might remain in position for 30 minutes before it was removed, but it is STILL there, having been seen by thousands of motorists!

Next, a much larger banner was erected at the rear of ‘The Common Place’ social-centre. Since this is close to Leeds station, and right next to the tracks, where trains going north from Leeds, or arriving, are travelling at their slowest, it is a perfect location. The banner in this case reads: ‘ Free John Bowden – Hostage to Scottish Prison Service lies’. It also contains the ‘Friends of John Bowden’ website address.

The Common Place was the setting for the rest of the day’s support activities. Leeds ABC did an info stall, with leaflets about John’s case, ‘Writing to Prisoners’ leaflets, copies of John’s pamphlet ‘Tear Down The Walls!’ and much more. Banners were put up and a table was arranged with writing materials and a stack of postcards addressed to the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). There was also food, which was kindly prepared by Ben from the Common Place café collective.

John’s supporters, who attended the event, spent the afternoon writing out cards and letters to the SPS, to the Governor of Glenochil prison, where John is being held, and to the employers of Matthew Stillman, the SPS stooge responsible for the lies against John and the ABC. The SPS were also bombarded with e-mails and phonecalls, as well as Glenochil prison itself.

The centre-piece of the Common Place support though was a huge A1 ( 2ft x 3ft) ‘postcard’ to John, signed by everyone who took part, and with the words ‘Hands Off John Bowden’ stencilled on the other side. We’d love to see the faces of the screws when it arrives at Glenochil prison!

Actions in support of John Bowden will continue in Leeds. If you’d like to get involved or be added to our mailing list please contact Leeds ABC at  leedsabc@riseup.net