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Critical Mass 'Have a Go Hero' cleared of all charges in Bristol

Vindicated | 07.02.2008 16:16 | Culture | Free Spaces | Social Struggles

In May of last year, someone stood in the road and tried to stop a car, who had hit a Critical Mass cyclist off their bike, from driving away. For that he was arrested for obstructing the highway, thrown to the floor by his neck whilst handcuffed, and then - surprise surprise - also arrested for assaulting a police officer.

Victory!
Victory!

Triumph!
Triumph!


Today, after 9 months of nervous waiting, he was finally cleared of all charges, as Bristol Magistrates Court accepted a submission that the police evidence was at best 'severely flawed' and at worst, fabricated, and the trial was stopped.

A man that became involved after the event was also charged with assault and is awaiting to see if his charge will also be quashed as he can also argue that he was preventing a police 'miscarriage of justice'.

The trial took a day and a half to realise what was evident all along - that the defendant was only guilty of trying to do the police's job when they blatantly weren't interested in doing it, for blatantly political reasons. Unbelievably, the police admitted to getting together to watch the cctv (presumably over a nice cup of bovril) BEFORE writing their statements, of failing to follow PACE procedures in the arrests, and of trying to pass off a wrestling move (clearly shown on the CCTV footage) as a form of 'reasonable force' in an arrest!

But the most unbelievable part of the whole sorry mess is the police's deliberate allowing of the hit-and-run driver to escape, and then never following up the incident, despite the fact leaving the scene of an accident is a more serious crime than those the defendants were charged with, and despite having a full description of the car, driver AND THE REGISTRATION PLATE. Makes you wonder who the 'mystery driver' was doesn't it .......

The next steps for the defendant is, first, celebrate his narrow escape from a politically motivated conviction, and then sue the police for the shocking way in which he was handled during the 'practice dummy session' that passed for his arrest. The local chief constable observed the trial, so we assume that his full apology and compensation won't take too long to sort.

Critical Mass's continue in Bristol on the last Friday of every month, meeting at 5.30pm outside the Hippodrome.

Vindicated

Comments

Hide the following 6 comments

Mainstream press coverage?

07.02.2008 17:40

This is really great news - I mean the collapse of the trial rather than the whole sorry tale, of course. I hope it's picked up by the mainstream media, otherwise how are people to know that the police are a bunch of partisan violent thugs?

cyclist


Naivity

08.02.2008 00:24

Things like this will always be brushed under the carpet when it comes to the press. Animal Rights have sufered violence worse than this at the hands of the police for many years. The police virtually always get away with it. Now the police think they can do it to other political activists too.

I wish people in this country would stop being so naive when it comes to the state, police and press. Stand up for those who are being used as the test bed for draconian new powers such as the Sequani 6 otherwise it could be your campaign that suffers violence and fabricatedevidence at the hands of the filth next.

Sussed


Sueing The Police

08.02.2008 09:47

Its excellent news that the defendants are going ahead with sueing the police for this. Every time you're arrested, kicked, detained or generally messed around by the police, it's worth exploring this possibility - even if you get found guilty or accept a caution it might still be possible to sue them in some circumstances and it only takes a phone call to a friendly solicitor to find out. See www.freebeagles.org for more advice.

It's time to stop taking their vicious attacks meekly, and start kicking back through the courts.

Spandex McTavistock


Registration number?

08.02.2008 16:28

Well, since the police won't do their job perhaps you could post the driver's registration number, car description, and his personal appearance, then if anyone sees him around they can give him a jolly good telling off!

Me


Was the driver of the car Keyser Soze??!

09.02.2008 12:28

The other defendant has also been acquitted on the grounds that the other arrest was illegal and therefore his actions were justified.

SIX cops ended up being off the streets for a day to give evidence - perhaps a bit less complaining about 'unnecessary paperwork' on stop-and-searches and a bit more sense in the cases they send to court, and they'd spend more time on the beat!

Who knows how much the case cost us - the taxpayers of Bristol.

Despite the thick blue line presence, they could still not confirm that the hit-and-run driver has ever been interviewed, despite being able to trace his vehicle (and presumably him, he didnt look the unlicenced type). They could have got the registration at the time, from the man they arrested, from the witnesses that came forward, from the CCTV footage. In fact they still can, lets hope they do even if it IS one of their mates..... I'm not casting aspersions, naturally, but its not like the police haven't been proven to be corrupt before:

 http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/25924
 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1998/09/27/ncopz27.html
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2007/05/370831.html
 http://universalsource.co.uk/zine/show_article.php?id=31


The 'Have a Go Hero' gets to meet the Professional Standards board (police complaints) on Tuesday ... more news as its made...

The Hero (who is without internet access!) says "Long Live Dissent! Thanks to all those who supported me, it made a real difference."

Update


I was there

11.03.2008 18:15

Hello,
saw this headline whilst looking at critical mass london- i left bristol for london in september last year.
i was on that critical mass demo & it shook me up, the police behaviour was horrible- i was shocked at their violence and blatant thuggery.
i approached the police to argue with them and gave my name and address hoping to be called to give evidence, i was never asked. i never heard what happened until now
I AM SO GLAD the trial collapsed
i cannot believe they ever tried to bring any charges of any sort.
I'm sorry i wasn't of more support
please know that there were many many people there who supported you and have done in spirit since.
Hugh

Hugh


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