Netcu Watch // How you might go to prison for not knowing or knowing someone...
Netcu Watch | 21.01.2009 14:34 | SHAC | Animal Liberation | Globalisation | Repression
"Persons Unknown" (the illusive terrorist group) made a special visit to seal the deal in the latest SHAC trial. Whoever these persons unknown are they sure to drop us in it time and time again. Apparently the defence were part of a group which torched cars, used blackmail and intimidation to further the campaign against HLS.
"They conspired to do A B and C ... with Persons or Persons Unknown." - Who are persons unknown?
Persons unknown are the naughty ones, in the daylight hours they could be teachers, taxi drivers, the unemployed, squatters, hippies, tennis coaches, midwives or anarchists. In the evenings they don balaclavas, gloves, lock picks, paint stripper and various other tools of the Persons Unknown trade and they take direct action to try and stop the insidious murderous industry which is the vivisection / arms trade / bio-tech / etc industry.
The above conspiracy law can link you to these individuals whether you know them to talk to or even if you have never met them at all. By legally organising (protest / stalls / leafleting) against these industries and there suppliers above ground, you may inspire someone who you don't even know to take illegal direct action. e.g. paint strip a car / make a death threat etc. Or they may have sworn at an employee at your local arms manufacturers.
Now whether you support direct action or not, or whether you support vivisection or not it simply doesn't matter. We are in a situation where the police don't even need to prove you did something wrong or EVEN that you knew about the actions taking place. They can still just say you conspired. Sorry.
Now lets draw up another hypothetical, I smash up a shop because I'm pissed out of my face. I am arrested. I am charged. I am convicted. I get a slap on the wrist and pay compensation to the shop keeper. Probably not even a conviction in reality, its probably not really worth taking any further.
I smash a shop window that supplies pencils to HLS / Sequani (insert your favourite bastards here) and you are looking at 2 years minimum, better yet, you aren't even the person who smashed the window, you are the press officer / website updater for the campaign against said bastard company. You are looking at 5 years for doing sweet FA. Because lets face it you probably knew the person and even if you didn't they don't give a flying shit.
Press are fed story after story saying how they were "PART OF A CAMPAIGN" that used illegal tactics (not that THEY used illegal tactics) past actions are dragged up again to remind the public of why millions of tax money is being thrown at a generally peaceful movement who has never killed anyone.
Having said all this about direct action, evidence used in court has included, polite letters, polite phone calls, using the word murderer, scum or even in one case writing the word scum in the dirt on the floor.
Job done, does anyone care about the sentences? These terrorists would rather see a rat saved that YOUR child. Aren't they the people who blow up scientists? I bet they accept animal tested drugs if they needed them!
These are just a few of the seeds sewn by the media, phama / vivisection lobbyists, NETCU, CPS and other government spineless faecal outlets.
We live in serious times when the animal liberation movement is being portrayed as the Goliath and the Pharmaceutical Lobby, Police and Government as the David. Some lobbyist deserves a serious serious pay rise apparently.
For those of you reading this, we as the animal liberation movement ask only one thing, regardless of you view on animal exploitation or our actions as activists. We need solidarity, we need you to recognise how the police are trying so hard to marginalise our movement. If not for our sake, for your sake, because when you oppose industry and the status quo you WILL feel the full brunt of the opposition if not now then soon.
All the best and solidarity to all prisoners, activists and anyone who gives a fuck about anything and is willing to take action.
Chris
Persons unknown are the naughty ones, in the daylight hours they could be teachers, taxi drivers, the unemployed, squatters, hippies, tennis coaches, midwives or anarchists. In the evenings they don balaclavas, gloves, lock picks, paint stripper and various other tools of the Persons Unknown trade and they take direct action to try and stop the insidious murderous industry which is the vivisection / arms trade / bio-tech / etc industry.
The above conspiracy law can link you to these individuals whether you know them to talk to or even if you have never met them at all. By legally organising (protest / stalls / leafleting) against these industries and there suppliers above ground, you may inspire someone who you don't even know to take illegal direct action. e.g. paint strip a car / make a death threat etc. Or they may have sworn at an employee at your local arms manufacturers.
Now whether you support direct action or not, or whether you support vivisection or not it simply doesn't matter. We are in a situation where the police don't even need to prove you did something wrong or EVEN that you knew about the actions taking place. They can still just say you conspired. Sorry.
Now lets draw up another hypothetical, I smash up a shop because I'm pissed out of my face. I am arrested. I am charged. I am convicted. I get a slap on the wrist and pay compensation to the shop keeper. Probably not even a conviction in reality, its probably not really worth taking any further.
I smash a shop window that supplies pencils to HLS / Sequani (insert your favourite bastards here) and you are looking at 2 years minimum, better yet, you aren't even the person who smashed the window, you are the press officer / website updater for the campaign against said bastard company. You are looking at 5 years for doing sweet FA. Because lets face it you probably knew the person and even if you didn't they don't give a flying shit.
Press are fed story after story saying how they were "PART OF A CAMPAIGN" that used illegal tactics (not that THEY used illegal tactics) past actions are dragged up again to remind the public of why millions of tax money is being thrown at a generally peaceful movement who has never killed anyone.
Having said all this about direct action, evidence used in court has included, polite letters, polite phone calls, using the word murderer, scum or even in one case writing the word scum in the dirt on the floor.
Job done, does anyone care about the sentences? These terrorists would rather see a rat saved that YOUR child. Aren't they the people who blow up scientists? I bet they accept animal tested drugs if they needed them!
These are just a few of the seeds sewn by the media, phama / vivisection lobbyists, NETCU, CPS and other government spineless faecal outlets.
We live in serious times when the animal liberation movement is being portrayed as the Goliath and the Pharmaceutical Lobby, Police and Government as the David. Some lobbyist deserves a serious serious pay rise apparently.
For those of you reading this, we as the animal liberation movement ask only one thing, regardless of you view on animal exploitation or our actions as activists. We need solidarity, we need you to recognise how the police are trying so hard to marginalise our movement. If not for our sake, for your sake, because when you oppose industry and the status quo you WILL feel the full brunt of the opposition if not now then soon.
All the best and solidarity to all prisoners, activists and anyone who gives a fuck about anything and is willing to take action.
Chris
Netcu Watch
e-mail:
warn at rise up dot net
Homepage:
http://netcu.wordpress.com
Additions
A few things......
22.01.2009 11:58
The Judge's home address, comment regarding son's death.
It is only my personal view but first I felt uneasy about the comment (surplus to requirements), secondly, 7 people have just been sent down for a total of 50 years for things done by other people. They have moved the goal posts and in the future they might try it again. It is no longer the perpetrator of an action who will face the consequences alone, others none of whom are involved could do as well. All activists need to bear this in mind and act intelligently. If an activist faces conspiracy charges because someone else puts up a judges address and then someone else paints his windows black, that is one thing, bring in the other matter adding his son's death and it makes it seem a bit more sinister. I am not criticising but just saying that personally to gloat over a human tragedy seems a bit below the belt and tactically gets sympathy for Neil whereas something else such as pieing him in court would just raise a laugh (I am NOT suggesting that anyone should do this though).
The "single issue" accusation.
So what if someone spends their every waking moment on a "single issue" to the elimination of all else whether it be against HLS, EDO, BAA, the Israeli invasion of Gaza or anything else? No-one can do everything. In my experience some activists by focusing single mindedly on a campaign work best that way, yes they might get a bit of tunnel vision but they keep things on track. Other activists work best by spreading themselves thinly and linking up with other issues and campaigns. Both are vital and have their place. You will find activists who campaign on animal rights, Gaza, Edo etc. I too find it frustrating when some activists do not see how animal rights, human rights, environmental degradation are interlinked but it is often because they are working so hard on what they are doing.
HLS is not single issue target. Look on their website and look at who their customers are for example they test GM crops for Monsanto, animals are abused, people in India are abused, the environment is desecrated, the right to protest is obliterated. HLS are part of the corporate nightmare destroying our planet and I am suprised that this needs explaining to anyone who is an anarchist. There is nothing to stop anyone holding a demonstration against HLS solely on their role in GMOs or the fact that they do research for Shell and all the other oil companies totally separate from the animal rights concerns.
It is only my personal view but first I felt uneasy about the comment (surplus to requirements), secondly, 7 people have just been sent down for a total of 50 years for things done by other people. They have moved the goal posts and in the future they might try it again. It is no longer the perpetrator of an action who will face the consequences alone, others none of whom are involved could do as well. All activists need to bear this in mind and act intelligently. If an activist faces conspiracy charges because someone else puts up a judges address and then someone else paints his windows black, that is one thing, bring in the other matter adding his son's death and it makes it seem a bit more sinister. I am not criticising but just saying that personally to gloat over a human tragedy seems a bit below the belt and tactically gets sympathy for Neil whereas something else such as pieing him in court would just raise a laugh (I am NOT suggesting that anyone should do this though).
The "single issue" accusation.
So what if someone spends their every waking moment on a "single issue" to the elimination of all else whether it be against HLS, EDO, BAA, the Israeli invasion of Gaza or anything else? No-one can do everything. In my experience some activists by focusing single mindedly on a campaign work best that way, yes they might get a bit of tunnel vision but they keep things on track. Other activists work best by spreading themselves thinly and linking up with other issues and campaigns. Both are vital and have their place. You will find activists who campaign on animal rights, Gaza, Edo etc. I too find it frustrating when some activists do not see how animal rights, human rights, environmental degradation are interlinked but it is often because they are working so hard on what they are doing.
HLS is not single issue target. Look on their website and look at who their customers are for example they test GM crops for Monsanto, animals are abused, people in India are abused, the environment is desecrated, the right to protest is obliterated. HLS are part of the corporate nightmare destroying our planet and I am suprised that this needs explaining to anyone who is an anarchist. There is nothing to stop anyone holding a demonstration against HLS solely on their role in GMOs or the fact that they do research for Shell and all the other oil companies totally separate from the animal rights concerns.
Lynn Sawyer
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