However, I had a conversation with the police sergeant on the scene, who warned that strong action would be taken if any attempt was made to invade the premises and anyone attempted to do so would be arrested on a charge of criminal trespass.
According to the website,
http://www.desktoplawyer.co.uk/dtl/index.cfm?event=base:article&node=A76076BD34460,
"Trespassing is usually a civil wrong and dealt with accordingly. However, in England and Wales certain forms of trespassing, generally those which involve squatters, raves and hunt saboteurs are covered by criminal law. There are offences under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 Sections 61 and 62 of trespassing on land and trespassing with vehicles."The action of the police in using CS gas on demonstrators and the threat by Sir Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, that police could adopt more extreme tactics means that we need to be prepared to deal with such repressive measures.
There is a lot of expertise we can draw on, for instance, among those who went to Faslane 365 a couple of years ago, and anyone who has confronted Israeli troops in Palestine.
We need to get MPs to sign the early day motion:
"That this House expresses its deep concern at the use by the Metropolitan Police of CS gas spray on UK uncut campaigners protesting at tax avoidance by Boots store; considers that this is a disproportionate use of force on peaceful campaigners; and calls on the Home Secretary to establish an independent public inquiry into this incident with a view to reviewing the guidelines for the use of CS spray by the police."But resolutions are not enough. Since the next nationwide UncutUK action on Feb 19 (see http://www.ukuncut.org.uk/blog/what-is-a-bail-in) coincides with the People's Coalition rally in Market Street, both actions are likely to encounter repressive police measures.
We need to consider how to respond to this.
Comrade Dallas is right. Resolutions are not enough.
ReplyDeleteThe figleaf is off. Not only anti-cuts demonstrators, but also those confronting the EDL in Luton, have experienced behaviour reminiscent of the way the police protected the fascists during the Battle of Cable Street before the war.
It has to be admitted that, in Luton, the anti-fascist response was totally inadequate.
There was a briefly successful blockade of Luton Station to prevent EDL thugs from getting into the city, and a number of Unite Against Fascism supporters did manage to break out of the police kettle and make their way to Bury Park, where a number of Muslim and other activists had gathered to protect their community from the fascists.
Our response should not be any attempt to cosy up to the law. The first essential is to broaden our activity base with general leafleting of shoppers, meetings in various communities, and prioritising trades union involvement.
It is shocking that, as yet, no TU banners have been seen on any Bradford demo's. What is Bradford TUC doing to recify this situation?
As Cde Dallas says, we need to draw on local expertise from Faslane and Palestine. Every demonstrator should carry a tube of Superglue, also a mixture of water and sodium metabisulphate (sold as Campden tablets, used in home brewing) to neutralise the effects of CS gas. If all else fails, bottled water can be used to flush out the eyes.
A training day to deal with police repression is an urgent necessity. Find out how to "de-arrest" those seized by the police (like the young woman gassed for pushing a leaflet through Boots' door).
We should not be dismayed by police escalation of violence against protesters. It is a symptom of the fact that we have rattled the Con-Dem alliance, and they are seriously worried at our success so far. The Egyptian experience proves that if we stand our ground, and achieve mass support, we are sure to win.
PS: In protest at the use of CS gas in Ireland, a visitor to the House of Commons sprayed the chamber from the Public Gallery. How about demonstrating this on March 26?