a report on the outcome of the oxford trial of the lab protesters as published in arkangel:
http://www.arkangelweb.org/international/uk/20070530speak14.php
http://www.arkangelweb.org/international/uk/20070530speak14.php
SPEAK Defendants Acquitted
All 14 SPEAK Supporters who were charged with various public order offences have today (30th May) been acquitted by Justice Wright at Bicester Magistrates Court.
SPEAK defendents were barred for an entire year from entering a city in their own country as they waited for the case against them to move to trialThe charges against the 14 SPEAK supporters arose from a legal demonstration held at the Oxford University Encaenia ceremony on June 21st 2006 which saw five SPEAK supporters arrested on the day and a further eleven arrested at their home addresses in the following weeks.
This case has taken almost one year to come to court during which time the defendants have been subject to police bail conditions which have barred them from entering Oxford City. Charges originally laid by the police included breach of section 12&14 of the Public Order Act, inciting others to breach sect 12&14, obstruction of the highway, obstructing a police officer and assaulting a police officer.
The 4 week trial that began on the 30th April has highlighted a deliberate and sinister policy by Thames Valley Police (TVP) to intimidate and harass legal campaigners who support SPEAK. It has also exposed a close relationship between TVP and Oxford University.
During the trial a transcript of a Dictaphone tape which was recorded by a serving Thames Valley Police officer acting as a tactical advisor on the day of the demonstration was presented as evidence by the defence to support their case that the police had deliberately provoked and engineered a situation that would allow them to arrest peaceful campaigners.
The recording device carried by the officer on the day of the demonstration was accidentally re-activated after the arrests of the five individuals had taken place and the days demonstration had been stopped and recorded officers (including senior officers) of TVP revealing how they really felt about animal rights campaigners, the relationship between TVP and Oxford University and their clear intention to engage in a campaign of harassment and persecution against legal campaigners supporting SPEAK.
The use of obscene language is used to describe campaigners as well as members of the public. Talk of “waging a dirty war” was excused by officers in the witness box as “tongue in cheek” or “banter between officers”, one senior police officer under cross examination even excused the behaviour of one of his officers putting it down to the officer having come from “Liverpool” and of another police officers behaviour because he was an "ex squaddie".
Even more disturbing is the clear evidence that arrests were pre-planned, as described in comments like “we knew we were going to take bodies today” and “just heard from the university, they are very impressed”. One officer is also clearly heard saying to the Bronze commander on the day (Inspector Sharp) “The university’s got Masons, it’s got you”.
The transcripts also clearly reveal that Thames Valley police have played an active part in trying to create the conditions in which a draconian High Court injunction can be implemented against SPEAK.
Robert Cogswell from SPEAK commented on hearing that the defendants had been acquitted; "of course we are all very happy that justice has prevailed but can we really call it justice when the 14 defendants should never have been on trial in the first place. 5 people were arrested on the day, the remaining were rounded up in a ‘Stasi’ like operation at their homes. It is a sad day when a public body like Thames Valley Police are clearly doing the bidding of private institutions like Oxford University. At SPEAK we will be insisting on high level talks with Thames Valley Police Officers in order to make sure this sort of political and clearly biased policing is a thing of the past.”
Mr. Cogswell goes onto say that "Its disgraceful that peaceful protesters have been targeted in this so called 'dirty war' when the real crime is taking place day in and day out behind the closed doors of Oxford Universities laboratories. Primates who have the capacity to feel pain and suffer when deprived of their natural environments and most basic instincts are forced to endure painful invasive procedures.
SPEAK are a legal campaign that works within legal framework and the sooner Thames Valley Police realise this and the sooner Oxford University stop peddling their lies about us the sooner we can stop wasting the taxpayers money on needless trials. Its about time the police put a stop to real crime that blights our society today and at SPEAK we will be insisting they do just that".
All 14 SPEAK Supporters who were charged with various public order offences have today (30th May) been acquitted by Justice Wright at Bicester Magistrates Court.
SPEAK defendents were barred for an entire year from entering a city in their own country as they waited for the case against them to move to trialThe charges against the 14 SPEAK supporters arose from a legal demonstration held at the Oxford University Encaenia ceremony on June 21st 2006 which saw five SPEAK supporters arrested on the day and a further eleven arrested at their home addresses in the following weeks.
This case has taken almost one year to come to court during which time the defendants have been subject to police bail conditions which have barred them from entering Oxford City. Charges originally laid by the police included breach of section 12&14 of the Public Order Act, inciting others to breach sect 12&14, obstruction of the highway, obstructing a police officer and assaulting a police officer.
The 4 week trial that began on the 30th April has highlighted a deliberate and sinister policy by Thames Valley Police (TVP) to intimidate and harass legal campaigners who support SPEAK. It has also exposed a close relationship between TVP and Oxford University.
During the trial a transcript of a Dictaphone tape which was recorded by a serving Thames Valley Police officer acting as a tactical advisor on the day of the demonstration was presented as evidence by the defence to support their case that the police had deliberately provoked and engineered a situation that would allow them to arrest peaceful campaigners.
The recording device carried by the officer on the day of the demonstration was accidentally re-activated after the arrests of the five individuals had taken place and the days demonstration had been stopped and recorded officers (including senior officers) of TVP revealing how they really felt about animal rights campaigners, the relationship between TVP and Oxford University and their clear intention to engage in a campaign of harassment and persecution against legal campaigners supporting SPEAK.
The use of obscene language is used to describe campaigners as well as members of the public. Talk of “waging a dirty war” was excused by officers in the witness box as “tongue in cheek” or “banter between officers”, one senior police officer under cross examination even excused the behaviour of one of his officers putting it down to the officer having come from “Liverpool” and of another police officers behaviour because he was an "ex squaddie".
Even more disturbing is the clear evidence that arrests were pre-planned, as described in comments like “we knew we were going to take bodies today” and “just heard from the university, they are very impressed”. One officer is also clearly heard saying to the Bronze commander on the day (Inspector Sharp) “The university’s got Masons, it’s got you”.
The transcripts also clearly reveal that Thames Valley police have played an active part in trying to create the conditions in which a draconian High Court injunction can be implemented against SPEAK.
Robert Cogswell from SPEAK commented on hearing that the defendants had been acquitted; "of course we are all very happy that justice has prevailed but can we really call it justice when the 14 defendants should never have been on trial in the first place. 5 people were arrested on the day, the remaining were rounded up in a ‘Stasi’ like operation at their homes. It is a sad day when a public body like Thames Valley Police are clearly doing the bidding of private institutions like Oxford University. At SPEAK we will be insisting on high level talks with Thames Valley Police Officers in order to make sure this sort of political and clearly biased policing is a thing of the past.”
Mr. Cogswell goes onto say that "Its disgraceful that peaceful protesters have been targeted in this so called 'dirty war' when the real crime is taking place day in and day out behind the closed doors of Oxford Universities laboratories. Primates who have the capacity to feel pain and suffer when deprived of their natural environments and most basic instincts are forced to endure painful invasive procedures.
SPEAK are a legal campaign that works within legal framework and the sooner Thames Valley Police realise this and the sooner Oxford University stop peddling their lies about us the sooner we can stop wasting the taxpayers money on needless trials. Its about time the police put a stop to real crime that blights our society today and at SPEAK we will be insisting they do just that".
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Police stopped ‘lawful protest’ - oxford mail
31.05.2007 01:14
Police stoppped ‘lawful protest’
By Ellie Simmonds
Fourteen animal rights campaigners walked free from court today after a judge condemned the police for unlawfully stopping their protest.
The protesters were all cleared of refusing police orders to break up the demonstration against Oxford University's animal research laboratory outside the Sheldonian Theatre at the Encaenia ceremony last July.
A tape-recording emerged during the trial of unguarded comments by officers, calling the campaigners from the Speak animal rights group "c****", saying they wanted to "prosecute the s*** out of them" and claiming the university was powerful.
The comments, caught on a dictaphone accidentally switched on inside an officer's pocket, led to Speak accusing the force and university of colluding to stifle their right to protest.
During last summer's protest, demonstrators refused to move from outside the Sheldonian Theatre, where the Encaenia ceremony was being held, under police powers known as section 14s, and instead sat down.
At Bicester Magistrates' Court, District Judge Deborah Wright cleared all 14 defendants of offences under section 14 of the Public Order Act.
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But she found 70-year-old Pauline Broughton guilty of obstructing a police officer and Fran Cornwell guilty of assaulting a police officer - and gave them both absolute discharges.
Ms Wright said: "I find the (section 14) conditions were imposed unlawfully.
The protesters after the court case
The protesters after the court case
"Whoever was responsible for making the decision that this prosecution should proceed in light of the tape may well have made a serious error of judgment."
She added: "Although the (taped) conversations were made away from the public, all the officers were on duty. Pc (Colin) Travi accepted he had referred to them (the protesters) as c****."
He was also recorded saying "the problem is the protesters do not realise how powerful the university is - it's a sleeping giant".
Pc Andy Bignall was recorded saying: "We knew we were going to take bodies today."
Supt Chris Shead said: "Now we have to prosecute the s*** out of them."
And Ms Wright added Chief Insp Chris Sharp admitted the measures they imposed were "draconian".
Ms Wright said the protesters had been put under a "metaphoric microscope" by police.
Outside court, Speak spokesman Mel Broughton said: "I am extremely angry and disturbed about what has been revealed of the attitude of Thames Valley Police.
"I think anyone in the country who believes you have a right to protest and a right to free speech should be very, very concerned."
Referring to police comments about Oxford University, he added: "These two extremely powerful institutions are prepared to get into bed with each other to frustrate lawful protest."
Thames Valley Police Deputy Chief Constable Alex Marshall said: "I have listened to what the judge has had to say and I take her comments very seriously and will now review this case to see whether there are any disciplinary matters that need to be dealt with.
"There are comments on the tape that I find very regrettable and I find some of the comments unprofessional. I will take careful note of what the judge has said and see if there are any matters which arise from it."
Referring to the comments about Oxford University, he added: "Those are the comments of a constable after an operation. There's no collusion."
A spokesman for Oxford University said: "While we are in regular dialogue with the police, operational matters are entirely within their jurisdiction, and are not a matter for the university."
zooper
Surely some mistake
31.05.2007 07:55
"You can still demonstrate peacefully, you can still demonstrate legally."
I have never found him to be wrong, he has always been utterly reliable.
Mr L. Pycroft
you couldun't make this up....
31.05.2007 10:08
Congratulations to Mel and Rob for facilitating such a well ordered and peaceful campaign. Maybe, for all our sakes, the police should hire them to give instruction on how to run an organisation on a shoestring without hurting others.
not my mum
Oxford still public...
02.06.2007 10:38
Just a quick clarification: Oxford University is a pulic, not private, body. As such it also has to act in accordance with the Human Rights Act.
manos
Animal/Human Rights
04.06.2007 23:31
This must be one of the most corrupt institutions in the western world!
See
Smith and Western