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G8 protesters accuse cops of torture

Anon | 14.07.2005 20:14 | G8 2005 | Anti-militarism | Anti-racism | Repression | World

FOUR G8 protesters may sue police after claims they were psychologically tortured and mistreated while in custody in Glasgow.

Source: Evening Times newspaper (Glasgow) Thursday 14 July 2005

 http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5041138.html

G8 protesters accuse cops of torture

FOUR G8 protesters may sue police after claims they were psychologically tortured and mistreated while in custody in Glasgow.
They say that officers at Baird Street woke them up every hour as a form of torture, placed them in dirty cells and fed them sub-standard food and water that left them sick.
The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland refuted the claims.
Protester Dr Martin Kraemer, from Poland, claimed he was charged with a breach of the peace for refusing to stop playing his clarinet in Glasgow.
The agricultural scientist said: "The police wanted to provoke violence. In the end I was arrested for playing the clarinet. I found that funny."
He claimed he was deprived of sleep, woke every half-hour, locked in a filthy cell, stripped down to his underwear and denied water for periods of time.
He has made an official complaint against the police for violating his basic rights.
Businesswoman Zahra Quadir, 24, living in Edinburgh but originally from Afghanistan, said she was dragged without warning to a police van during a peaceful Glasgow protest.
She claimed the cell she was later placed in had excrement on the wall, floor and around the toilet seat and was cold.
She said: "I respected the Scottish police but have been traumatised."
Peter Wilson, Fife chief constable and Acpos president, said officers had "demonstrated a thoroughly professional and efficient service at all times".
All the protesters denied the charges against them and are to face trials in the autumn.

Anon


Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

Dodgy Cells

15.07.2005 00:34

"She claimed the cell she was later placed in had excrement on the wall, floor and around the toilet seat and was cold. "


Welcome to the UK police cell system! We've had to put up with this sort of shit for years!

Scotty


YES, SUE POLICE!!!

15.07.2005 07:30

I hope a good deal more than 4 people intend to sue the police.

I was one of those wrongfully arrested & imprisoned after being illegally penned in by the riot cops in Canning Street Edinburgh on 4th July.

In custody for 29 hours, it was 25 hours before I saw a solicitor.

The charges against me were an absurd pack of lies from beginning to end.

I was granted bail (unlike most of my fellow prisoners who were detained without trial for 7 days), but still face trial.

The prison guards (& the privatised 'Reliance' lot were the worst)were brutal & acted illegally (eg refusing to let me see a doctor, though I was ill, not supplying food etc.)

It's clear that the authorities are attempting to criminalise legitimate protest. In this case, they effectively deported me from Scotland before the Gleneagles Summit. Their purpose was also to intimidate & indeed I am still traumatised by the experience.

Hopefully, the concocted charges will be dropped, but they're taking their time about it...

However long it takes, I intend to sue these state-sanctioned sadists. I hope that many others, who were similarly treated, will join me.If YOU wish to take part in legal action or can help, offer support or assist in any way whatever, please leave comments here, including contact e-mail address. Thanks...

Davy
mail e-mail: mail@davyking.com


sueing

16.07.2005 00:28

make sure you've got a solicitor who's got good experience at sueing the police, a specialist area. You can check out solicitor's specialities in national directories of legal services (sorry don't remember what they're called, read them in the past) or if you don't know who locally, lots of eco-types in the 90s used Irwin Mitchell in Sheffield. Make sure, like any firm, that you got a decent solicitor - their department which grew on successful cases on our behalf grew a bit bloated so sometimes you'd get someone not so good. However, many a person got many grand. Your solicitor doesn't have to be near you, but it may be easier. Ask your local (animal rights or) hunt sab or Earth First! group for recommendations.

suer


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