An activist was given a 12 month conditional discharge for criminal damage and ordered to pay £364 costs at Solihull magistrates yesterday for 'scuffing' a Caterkiller boss' comapny car. The activist was involved in a protest in June last year against Caterkiller's sale of D9, D10 and D11 armoured bulldozers to the Israeli military.
These bulldozers are used in the demolition of Palestinian homes, the construction of the Apartheid Wall and the destruction of Palestinian olive trees and farmland, all of which is illegal under internatinal law.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/06/293990.html
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The activist had recently returned from Palestine where he had witnessed first-hand the destruction of Palestinian lives by Caterkiller's bulldozers. Unfortunately the District Judge failed to see the irony of the criminal damage charge as he professed ignorance of the purpose of the peaceful protest which was 'immaterial'.
The conviction was secured despite numerous discrepancies and omissions on the part of the Prosecutor, the District Judge and the Defence Barrister:
1. No photgraphic evidence of the 'damaged' car was produced by the prosection whose case rested solely on the word of the Caterkiller boss. In his summing up the judge stated that the evidence was purely circumstantial.
2 Although the judge stated that he believed the defendant to be of good character he later said that he didn't believe his evidence. Perhaps this was because the Defence Barrister gave the judge the impression at the start that the defendant was accepting reckless behaviour although this was later denied by the defendant. The judge chose to interpret the video evidence of the defendant moving accross the car in order to remove the banner from it's path as deliberately and recklessly obstructing the car. In order for the banner to be moved to let the car through one of the banner-holders would have to move across it or does he belive activists have the power of flight ?!
3. The Defence Barrister chose not to call any of the Defence Witnesses despite 4 being present at the court - she had a meeting to attend later.
4. The only prosecution witness made a statement that he was willing to testify that he had seen the defendant jump on the car.
5. The Defence Barrister showed herself to be totally unprepared and was unwilling to challenge the Prosecution case throughout.
These are just some of the more salient points about the mistrial in Solihull the defendant will be appealing.
Some activists at the same action are suing the police for wrongful arrest for being nicked under legislation relating to anti social behaviour when they didn't give their naames and addresses. They spent up to 13 hours in the cells following the arrest.
Earlier yesterday activists greeted workers at Caterkiller Financial Services HQ in Hockley Heath with street theatre showing the abuse and humiliation Palestianians are subjected to on a daily basis in Gaza and the West Bank. Activists had the pics taken by private security and were told to leave 'private property' - this is in fact a public footpath that runs through Caterkiller's car park. One worker said she was 'just going to work like everyone else', a breathtaking justification of Caterkiller's murderous activities.
To join the campaign please contact
thewallmustfall@hotmail.com
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/06/293990.html http://www.ism-london.org.uk The activist had recently returned from Palestine where he had witnessed first-hand the destruction of Palestinian lives by Caterkiller's bulldozers. Unfortunately the District Judge failed to see the irony of the criminal damage charge as he professed ignorance of the purpose of the peaceful protest which was 'immaterial'.
The conviction was secured despite numerous discrepancies and omissions on the part of the Prosecutor, the District Judge and the Defence Barrister:
1. No photgraphic evidence of the 'damaged' car was produced by the prosection whose case rested solely on the word of the Caterkiller boss. In his summing up the judge stated that the evidence was purely circumstantial.
2 Although the judge stated that he believed the defendant to be of good character he later said that he didn't believe his evidence. Perhaps this was because the Defence Barrister gave the judge the impression at the start that the defendant was accepting reckless behaviour although this was later denied by the defendant. The judge chose to interpret the video evidence of the defendant moving accross the car in order to remove the banner from it's path as deliberately and recklessly obstructing the car. In order for the banner to be moved to let the car through one of the banner-holders would have to move across it or does he belive activists have the power of flight ?!
3. The Defence Barrister chose not to call any of the Defence Witnesses despite 4 being present at the court - she had a meeting to attend later.
4. The only prosecution witness made a statement that he was willing to testify that he had seen the defendant jump on the car.
5. The Defence Barrister showed herself to be totally unprepared and was unwilling to challenge the Prosecution case throughout.
These are just some of the more salient points about the mistrial in Solihull the defendant will be appealing.
Some activists at the same action are suing the police for wrongful arrest for being nicked under legislation relating to anti social behaviour when they didn't give their naames and addresses. They spent up to 13 hours in the cells following the arrest.
Earlier yesterday activists greeted workers at Caterkiller Financial Services HQ in Hockley Heath with street theatre showing the abuse and humiliation Palestianians are subjected to on a daily basis in Gaza and the West Bank. Activists had the pics taken by private security and were told to leave 'private property' - this is in fact a public footpath that runs through Caterkiller's car park. One worker said she was 'just going to work like everyone else', a breathtaking justification of Caterkiller's murderous activities.
To join the campaign please contact
thewallmustfall@hotmail.com 
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