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Solidarity action with anti-war protester in Edinburgh

ab | 20.07.2003 06:43 | Anti-militarism | Iraq | Repression

An anti-war protester called Simon is charged with incitement of racial hatred for carrying an upside-down modified American flag with 'Fuck Bush' written on it, and a swastika painted on, at an anti-war demonstration in Edinburgh at the 22nd of march this year.
More background info: [prisoner report, pics, audio , spontaneous demo at police station, ], all 22nd of march.

On Thursday July,17th 2003, a more or less spontaneous solidarity action called by the comedian Mark Thomas and supported by Members of Scottish Parliament Mark Ballard and Colin Fox, took place in front of the St.Leonards police station, Edinburgh, with about 60 protesters ready to hand themselves in for displaying postcards with a similar design in public. pics [1, 2 ]




"The idea, that a named individual, the president or a flag flying upside down, is actually therefore representative of a race is absolut nonsense, it is a representative of a political ideology or a ruling class.
Its not about Americans, who incidently are not a race, but a nation. If Americans are a race, I want to know their racial characteristics, there aren't any, because they are made out of imigrants and that's the thing of America, America is quite proud that it is made out of imigrants.
That's the gig of it."


Mark Thomas in his interview to Indymedia.

"Racism is about power, it is about power to inflict.
Your views, your power, your controll over people because of their race, that's what it is all about.
And, if you therefore say, that you can't critisise the most powerful people, the most rascist nation, by its action as a foreign power, as an imperialist power, its actions towards other countries, then it is absolute nonsense. It is absolut nonsense.
And it is the cops trying it on."


Another mass wave-in of postcards had already occured the 4th of april.
His supporters are asking people in solidarity to come along for Simons trial, which is scheduled now for August 15th, at 10 am at the Sheriff Court in Chambers Street, Edinburgh.

ab


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