The peaceful protest picket outside Marks and Spencers in Manchester is under attack. This video clip was shot on 3rd January 2004 and gives a taste of the sort of harrassment that is being experienced by those campaigning againt Zionism on a weekly basis.
The picket was organised by the Manchester Palestinian solidarity movement and the Manchester Social Forum, RCG and others.
The issue here is the right to peaceful protest. The Manchester animal rights groups have also been harrassed by police (video clip on this to follow).
And last week, leading anti-war activist, and former British army captain and tank commander, James Thorne, was in court on trumped-up charges accused of assaulting a police offficer. In fact, he had merely remonstrated, reasoned and questioned police officers while they were arresting another peace activist, in an unnecessarily brutal fashion, immediately after the launch meeting of the Manchester Social Forum last Summer. While he was talking to the policeman he was himself assaulted and knocked to the ground from behind by other police officers. Members of Manchester Social Forum who observed the court case learned with some alarm that some of the police officers who attended this incident were from the Tactical Armed Response Group and were carrying guns. It would appear that they are constantly patroling the city centre and are routinely called in as back-up even to incidents like this one where there are no arms involved!
The Civil Contingencies Bill will only make matters worse. It is time to expose this attack on our civil liberties and this clip is part of an attempt to do just that.
To watch this video clip, go to:
http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/02/1669618.php
The issue here is the right to peaceful protest. The Manchester animal rights groups have also been harrassed by police (video clip on this to follow).
And last week, leading anti-war activist, and former British army captain and tank commander, James Thorne, was in court on trumped-up charges accused of assaulting a police offficer. In fact, he had merely remonstrated, reasoned and questioned police officers while they were arresting another peace activist, in an unnecessarily brutal fashion, immediately after the launch meeting of the Manchester Social Forum last Summer. While he was talking to the policeman he was himself assaulted and knocked to the ground from behind by other police officers. Members of Manchester Social Forum who observed the court case learned with some alarm that some of the police officers who attended this incident were from the Tactical Armed Response Group and were carrying guns. It would appear that they are constantly patroling the city centre and are routinely called in as back-up even to incidents like this one where there are no arms involved!
The Civil Contingencies Bill will only make matters worse. It is time to expose this attack on our civil liberties and this clip is part of an attempt to do just that.
To watch this video clip, go to:
http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/02/1669618.php
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