Defend the Right to Protest

(Image from here) Today saw the prosecution make their case against Alfie and the four others standing trial with him. James Lofthouse for the prosecution showed video footage of the Dec 9th student protest, using aerial helicopter images, police cameras and CCTV (although youtube footage was also used to establish identity in two cases, raising questions once again about the wisdom of putting protest material up which the police have easy access to). All five are accused of one count of violent disorder relating to a twenty-minute period around 6pm that evening, with two of the five also accused of a further count of arson. The jury were handed round copies of the indictment and a map showing the route of the protest that day, whose status Lofthouse confirmed was lawful. The … Read entire article »

DTRTP will put up brief daily accounts and links relating to the trial of Alfie Meadows and others as it progresses. Read about Day One here including video footage: … Read entire article »

A protest for Trayvon Martin  called by Campaign 4 Justice, Ava Vidal, Tottenham Defence Campaign, BARAC and Inquest, Supported by Defend the Right to Protest Saturday 31st March, 1.30pm-4pm, American Embassy, 24 Grovesnor Square.   Facebook Event … Read entire article »

Central London Meet up point: WATERLOO Station 8am, PLAT FORM 4. Trains Leave at 8:12 (8:39) or 8:27 (8:55)   Trains also leave from VAUXHALL. Trains leave at 8:01, 8:16 and 8:31 Kingston is in ZONE 6. Day return is 7.70, or you can pay top of on existing Oyster Cards. Owen Jones, John McDonnell, Marcia Rigg, Liam Burns, Merlin Emanuel, UK UNcut, Occupy London, Fortnum and Mason occupier on why you should be there: … Read entire article »

The message from the Alfie Meadows case is clear: if you protest, the police can do what they like to you. Alfie Meadows still hasn’t grown his hair back. When they rushed him into theatre for emergency brain surgery after his injury in a demonstration against the tripling of university fees, doctors shaved the 20-year-old’s shoulder-length locks, the style that announces to the world “I am a philosophy student”. Now the thatch is gone, exposing a … Read entire article »

For more go to: http://fortnum145.org It’s been three days shy of a year, but for seven UK Uncut protesters and a legal observer, justice has finally been done. The verdict arrived this afternoon – NOT GUILTY. We’re obviously on top of the world, but we feel the need to emphasise our solidarity with the twenty-one protesters who stood in court before us and who didn’t see the same verdict. We hope that our verdict shows that … Read entire article »

Show your support for this freedom fighter, comrade and modern day hero. I will be there, question is… Will you?” MERLIN EMMANUEL,  Justice for Smiley Culture Protest: Monday 26th March, 9am, Kingston Crown Court. 6-8 Pnehryn Road, Kingston, KT1 2BB – 10 mins walk from Kingston Station. “The right to protest is under attack in this country and the trial of Alfie Meadows is just one striking example of this. He could easily have died form his injuries and … Read entire article »

Hundreds gather in second protest calling for reinstatement of Owen Holland. Further protests planned. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-17462538 … Read entire article »

SOLIDARITY WITH ALFIE MEADOWS -JOIN THE COURT PROTEST 26TH MARCH Assemble, Monday 26th March, 9am, Kingston Crown Court, 6-8 Pnehryn Road, Kingston, KT1 2BB 10 mins walk from Kingston Station. FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/270548723014910/?ref=ts London Meet up point 8AM WATERLOO STATION  (There are also regular trains from VAUXHALL STATION)  SPEAKERS include OWEN JONES author or CHAVS, MARCIA RIGG from Sean RIgg Change & Justice Campaign; UK UNCUT, CWU, PCS, UCU, OCCUPY  amongst others  ”When police beat Alfie Meadows to an inch of his … Read entire article »

NEXT PROTEST, WEDS 21ST MARCH, 10AM, Great Saint Mary’s Church, Kings Parade, CAMBRIDGE The University of Cambridge court of discipline ruling to suspend PhD student Owen Holland for two and a half years is an outrageous attack on the right to protest. It is a clear message from the University that it will not tolerate dissent; that it would rather stand with a government who is actively seeking to destroy the higher education system than with their own students and staff. The decision has provoked widespread fury within the University and beyond. Around 7500 people at the time of writing have signed a petition initiated by CUSU and Cambridge University UCU including Liam Burns, NUS president, Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the PCS union, Michael Rosen, poet and former children’s laureate, John … Read entire article »