Legal Update 16th September here.
Samba player in deep trouble after having been badly beaten by police and spending two days at Charing Cross police station; Witness appeal.
Liberty are asking for reports from people who were stopped and searched, ASAP. An email list has been set up for people who were arrested / beaten etc..
Since the 1st of September, 144 people have been arrested in protests against the Defence Systems and Equipment international arms fair (DSEi) that has been taking place in East London. Policing tactics have been condemned by a wide range of people and Liberty is have won the right to seek a High Court injunction over use of Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000; they have also offered to provide legal representation for anyone stopped or detained under this legislation. Bindmans Lawyers have also requested information or witnesses from DSEi.
Numerous requests for witnesses have been made on the UK indymedia newswire [1 2 3 4 5 6]. There have also been several videos posted showing police violence against demonstrators which may provide evidence [ 1 2 - more can be found on the full reports from the 9th, 10th and 11th September].
Meanwhile, Anti-War demonstrators are still being threatened with - and receiving - harsh sentences. Protestors from Fairford come to trial next week while some are still fighting to get the charges reduced before they come to trial (Background to the case). Yet others are still looking for witnesses and some, like Ulla Roder (who was arrested for damaging a Tornado war-plane), have had their trials delayed numerous times.
Further afield, Simon Chapman and the Thessalonikki 7 remain imprisoned in Greece (solidarity website). Simon's first appeal has failed (against the charges) and he is currently awaiting the results of a second appeal. Key evidence such as the video have been re-submitted. In the United States, webmaster of raisethefist.com Sherman Austin has been imprisoned for 1 year; he has since been subject to death threats and is being kept in solitary on the grounds of safety as a reason.
Read more >>A samba action has taken place in London at the BAE offices in London just before 9am this morning. An attempt was made to bestow an award to the company. Entry was gained to the foyer by 6 suited anti-arms campaigners. There were two arrests of people using D-locks on tables. The people arrested are now at Charing Cross Police Station where there has been a supportive samba noise demo. Click here for full report - pictures [1,2] - [ 2 short video clips, longer video clip on Imc Italy]- audio.
On the way from the BAE action to Charing Cross police station the group stopped by at the Army Recruitment Office to voice their protest against the war machine.
In the morning, delegates to the NATO military committee meeting in Cambridge were greeted by a lively show of the street theatre "performing for peace" on Monday morning.Pictures.
The two day long Disarm DSEi Conference has started this morning in London. Several workshops, trainings and presentations have taken place at the Convergence centre. Issues discussed have ranged from war and arms trade to Climate Change, whilst, at the same time, workshops on Non Violent Direct Action, Indymedia and Legal briefings have also taken place. All of this has taken place under increased police surveillance. Police stationed just outside the main entrance to the convergence centre, kept taking photographs and video of all those going in or out of the building [Photos]. Some cases of police harrassment were more extreme as several activsts have been followed around the streets of East and North London [Report]
In Cambridge protesters marched on a hotel where defense chiefs from NATO countries have been meeting. The De Vere's hotel was described, by a demonstrator, as having "become an extension of the military bases in the area putting up soldiers from the USA, the UK and other countries". Speakers voiced their discontent about De Vere's involvement with arms dealers and armies and linked the Cambridge NATO meeting with the DSEi arms-fair. [Report & Photos]
In the morning a boat action took place in order to prevent military ships to enter the Docks for display at DSEi. Several activists were arrested, but released later co-inciding with a solidarity protest in front of Charing Cross Police Station. Read more.
At midday, several hundred people marched from Victoria embankment, past Downing street and Parliament Sq to the Imperial War Museum with two samba bands adding funky rhytms and a positive athmosphere. The march ended at the museum's gardens where a rally took place with speakers from different groups addressing issues of arms trade and in particular the DSEi arms fair.
Photos: [1 | 2 | 3 | 4| 5 | 6]
Read more >>Saturday, Sept 6th: DSEi attempted to sail 4 warships along the river Thames, through Gallions Reach Lock and into the Royal Victoria Dock near the Excel exhibition centre on Saturday morning.
Three sperate affinity groups attempted to stop the naval vessals getting into Albert dock and DSEi by trying to block the lock gates with people in the water and to prevent the swing bridge from opening by locking-on with D'locks. There was a four hour window in which the tide allowed entry into the docks. The 30 activists succeeded in disrupting the manoeuvre, and the last 2 ships in the convoy aborted their mission and had to stop 7km down stream. Around sixteen people were arrested and taken to Charing Cross Police Station, where a solidarity protest took place to support the arrested and to wait for their release. Some were released without charge - others were charged with swimming in the dock or attempted criminal damage....
Links:
Boat action: reports [1,2]; pics [1,2] - video;
Charing Cross police station prisoner solidarity assembly: [pictures | video]
In recent days three more actions have been carried out against firms due to exhibit at the DSEi Arms Fair in London 9-12th September. Further protests against DSEi in London and NATO's Military Committee in Cambridge are expected over the next few days.
On 5th Friday activists from Birmingham staged a roof-top protest at the headquarters of Caterpillar(UK), in Desford, near Leicester, unfurling a banner reading "Caterkillar – Demolishing Palestine – Demolishing Peace". The action was in protest at the sale of Caterpillar D9 armoured bulldozers to Israel (see report and pics).
On Wednesday 3rd activists occupied the roof of a BAe Systems Factory in Byfleet, Surrey hanging a banner reading "Destroy the arms trade" (see report).
Meanwhile on Tuesday 2nd around twenty people took action against Fluent Ltd, a computer modelling software company in Sheffield. Several campaigners barricaded themselves inside the revolving doors while more people climbed up onto the canopy above the main entrance and hung a banner reading "Fluent Deal in Death" (see report, pics). The action followed anti-arms street theatre in the city centre.
Read more >>London DSEi 2003 Feature Archive >>
NUJ drops support for Indymedia?
24-03-2006 18:22
| 2 additions
Law Lords Rule DSEI Arms Fair Section 44 Terrorism Act Use Valid (Liberty Audio)
08-03-2006 16:42
East End Adversaries
13-09-2005 19:29
DSEI policing cost over 4million
05-03-2004 04:40
Young people protest in trenches against the arms trade
02-03-2004 17:32
Police Harassment of DSEi meetings and future meetings
28-02-2004 13:12
Four arms fair protestors jailed
23-01-2004 19:52
DISARM DSEi - London Meeting - 26th February
23-01-2004 19:04
Turin Samba Player freed
14-01-2004 18:59
British Iraqi Goes On Trial for Protesting at Arms Fair
13-01-2004 19:03
SAMBISTA IN COURT tomorrow, jan 6th, 10am
05-01-2004 12:54
DSEI WITNESS APPEAL for CAMERA MAN
04-01-2004 23:37
Police praise DSEI tripods action
21-12-2003 12:36
DISARM DSEi 2005: SHUT DOWN SPEARHEAD
15-12-2003 17:34
CASE DISMISSED AGAINST DEACON DAVE
08-12-2003 18:25
PEACE PARTY
05-12-2003 18:10
Anti-Bush organizers: ''Thursday's protest will not be hijacked by anarchists''
16-11-2003 04:47
Were you arrested for Obstruction of the Highway at DESi?
08-10-2003 12:52
Liberty goes to court
02-10-2003 17:59
BAE Systems spy on anti-arms trade activists
28-09-2003 00:30
NOTIFICATION: Bush State Visit...
26-09-2003 15:36
Searched by Police at DSEI? Liberty needs your help, Urgently!
24-09-2003 04:19
Police Badly Beat Samba Player- WITNESS APPEAL
18-09-2003 23:20
DSEI Witness Appeal - Tue 9th Sep
17-09-2003 15:23
DSEi activists run rings around the Police (literally)
15-09-2003 13:00
DSEi critical mass bike ride
15-09-2003 00:12
pictures from RTS on A13 - dsei wednesday 10th
14-09-2003 20:25
Pictures - police action on victoria dock road - wed 10th dsei
14-09-2003 20:13
DSEi protesters got it all wrong
14-09-2003 19:32
"Good Morning DSEi!"
14-09-2003 14:02
Indymedia Public Access Point for DSEi - thanks to all imc'istas
13-09-2003 19:02
DSEi Photos: Action at Delegates dinner, Thur 11th
13-09-2003 17:09
Arms & Leg Dealers
13-09-2003 12:58
First day inside DSEi
12-09-2003 21:20
DSEi Video: NVDA Tues - Section 14 Imposed after CAAT March
12-09-2003 20:54
Ministers "block police op on arms dealers"
12-09-2003 19:45
More from dinner with the arms dealers
12-09-2003 19:15
SchNEWS DSEi Roundup
12-09-2003 18:51
Witness Requests Disarm Dsei 9th Sept
12-09-2003 18:01
DSEi Arms Fair invaded - pictures and video
12-09-2003 16:01
WHY THE ARMS TRADE IS GOOD NEWS FOR YOU!
12-09-2003 15:42
Charing Cross Police Station, Abuse of Rights for DSEi
12-09-2003 13:58
DSEi Are Doing Market Research
12-09-2003 13:03
Witness appeal - Lancaster Hotel 11/9
12-09-2003 12:02
DESi action 12.9.2003
12-09-2003 09:44
Actions on 10th and 11th September
12-09-2003 09:08
DSEi Dinner - three short video clips
12-09-2003 04:17
Assorted pics from DSEi Arms Fair Gala Dinner - Sept 11th
12-09-2003 04:00
Sept 11th: DSEi Dinner of Death Merchants Get Own Tube Station
12-09-2003 02:36
images from the 10 and 11th of september
12-09-2003 00:30
Meeting the DSEi dealers
12-09-2003 00:20
Audioscape from arms traders dinner
11-09-2003 23:31
DSEI Thursday: Text messages reports from the hotel gala demo
11-09-2003 20:24
Effective Anti Capitalism
11-09-2003 19:57
Critical Mass greets fat cats
11-09-2003 16:47
Trafalgar Square becomes Red Square
11-09-2003 16:36
Trafalgar Square becomes Red Square
11-09-2003 16:25
DSEI Reclaim The Streets: Protest Tactics Deja Vu
11-09-2003 16:24
short vid clips from RTS canning town - dsei wed
11-09-2003 16:14
This is a Local Arms Fair for Local People
11-09-2003 15:43
pics from rts group at canning town - dsei wed
11-09-2003 15:24
wed afternoon pics from dsei
11-09-2003 14:55
short dsei mpg vidclip - rts break through police line A13 - wed
11-09-2003 14:33
ARMS DEALERS and their lackeys PIED !!!
11-09-2003 13:39
Corporate Media on DSEi protests
11-09-2003 13:01
DSEI - silverlink stopped - try to block DLR
11-09-2003 12:13
DLR train action
11-09-2003 12:09
An angry arms dealer
11-09-2003 12:01
DLR shut down this morning
11-09-2003 10:55
Singing for Peace
11-09-2003 09:46
DSEi Critical Mass
11-09-2003 08:59
INSIDE DSEI PIX-2
11-09-2003 01:27
INSIDE DSEI PIX-1
11-09-2003 01:16
Police violence at park gates
11-09-2003 01:04
Running battle on Victoria Dock Rd VIDEO
11-09-2003 00:08
Canning town kids vs mounted cops VIDEO
10-09-2003 23:38
Activists Infiltrate DSEi
10-09-2003 22:11
Desperate call for photos or videos of arrest
10-09-2003 21:32
DSEI: RTS party pictures
10-09-2003 21:21
DSEI: IMC Liverpool pictures
10-09-2003 20:04
DSEI: pictures from inside the crowd at Custom House
10-09-2003 20:00
Excessive policing at DSEi Reclaim the Streets
10-09-2003 19:27
DSEi roundabout protest
10-09-2003 19:03
Mobile photos
10-09-2003 18:46
DSEI: Pictures outside Custom House DLR Station
10-09-2003 18:27
Police block cause chaos on A13
10-09-2003 18:25
DSEI: Pictures from inside the arms fair set 2
10-09-2003 17:23
Deputy Mayor of London horrified after visit to Arms Fair
10-09-2003 17:20
DSEI: Pictures from inside the arms fair
10-09-2003 17:07
Demonstrators arrested at Fluffy Dsei
10-09-2003 16:52
Mainstream support for Liberty
10-09-2003 16:48
DSEI: Critical Mass Pictures
10-09-2003 16:04
Video of DSEi Police Clash
10-09-2003 16:01
More pictures from the D-locked DLR train at Poplar
10-09-2003 15:47
Fire Alarm Cops
10-09-2003 15:40
DSEI Pictures Wednesday Actions
10-09-2003 15:32
police hold 40 near a13
10-09-2003 15:05
Insecurity @ DSEi
10-09-2003 14:49
NVDA Blockade of ExCel west entrance yesterday
10-09-2003 14:43
Pictures from the D-locked DLR train at Poplar
10-09-2003 14:29
DSEI: Pictures from the underpass
10-09-2003 13:50
DSEI: A woman D-locked herself to a car at Excel
10-09-2003 13:27
Arms for sale on the light rail to DESI
10-09-2003 12:30
DSEI: Photo of police surveillance van
10-09-2003 12:13
DSEI: Pictures from Custom House DLR Station
10-09-2003 11:41
Activist chaining herself to DLR train
10-09-2003 10:07
Corporate Media - DSEi protests
10-09-2003 10:05
Corporate Media - inside the arms fair
10-09-2003 10:03
Anti-DSEI action halts the DLR
10-09-2003 09:59
Police Now Admit To "Terrorist" Searches at DSEI
10-09-2003 09:53
DSEi delegates guilty and ashamed
10-09-2003 01:45
Fluffy DSEi photos
10-09-2003 01:11
fluffy dsei breakthrough pix
10-09-2003 00:36
DSEi Fluffy Samba Videos from 9 September
10-09-2003 00:09
scrubbers
09-09-2003 23:29
bloqueando la calle
09-09-2003 23:02
morning DSEi
09-09-2003 21:57
selected footage
09-09-2003 21:33
police stop me filming
09-09-2003 21:06
Police occupy school near DSEi
09-09-2003 19:58
London DSEi 2003 Newswire Archive >>
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