Drop the charges against the G20 arrestees
SP Newsletter No.213
The Victorian Labor government is continuing with its campaign to further criminalise protest activity. Last month ten people who participated in the protests against the Melbourne G20 summit in November 2006 were sentenced in the Magistrates Court.
Of the ten who pleaded guilty to charges including riot, affray and assault, five have been sentenced to community-based orders and the other five received jail sentences, which have been fully suspended. Four will also have to pay compensation to the Victoria Police.
Twenty eight people in total had charges laid against them arising from incidents at the G20 protests. These charges came after a Victoria Police Taskforce was set up to investigate the protests and harass and intimidate activists. All of these charges, some of which carry a maximum penalty of up to 25 years jail, are trumped up and politically motivated.
It is clear that some of the protesters who attended the G20 demonstration did dismantle police barricades and cause minor damage to a police brawler van. This however does not equate to a riot or even affray. The damage that occurred on the day was minor and should be treated as such. These charges are clearly political and aimed at cracking down on political dissent.
In march Monash University student Akin Sari was also sentenced to a minimum of 14 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to aggravated burglary and theft, two counts of common assault and riot, and three counts of criminal damage.
Four children also face serious charges including riot and affray. Their case is being heard in the Children’s Court. Thirteen others who have refused to plead guilty to these trumped up charges have been sent to trial in the County Court.
Through pursuing these activists the Victorian Labor government is hoping to demoralise sections of the anti-capitalist movement and tie them up in expensive defence campaigns. They also want to lower the threshold for political charges such as riot and affray in order to set a precedent for future protests.
If nothing else this case shows that there is one law for the rich and another for the poor. For example the delegates who attended the G20 summit in 2006 had amongst their ranks some of the world’s biggest war mongers, exploiters and climate change criminals.
Under the current system these people will never even see the inside of the court room for their crimes let alone a jail cell. In fact the Labor Party and the Victoria Police rolled out the red carpet for their big business mates and worked hard to ensure their meeting went ahead.
In contrast when ordinary young people come out to protest the horrors of a world dominated by the interests of the rich and some minor property damage occurs they are forced to meet the full force of the law.
Whilst the Socialist Party did not agree with the tactics used by all of the protesters at the G20 demonstration in 2006, we fully support those arrestees who are standing firm against this intimidation and the attempts to criminalise protest activity. We stand firmly against the Labor Party and their attack on democratic rights.
We demand that all of the charges against all of the G20 arrestees be dropped. We demand that Akin Sari be released from jail and that the community based orders and suspended sentences be withdrawn. No compensation should be given to the Victoria Police. Today it is the G20 protesters tomorrow it could be anyone else who stands against the system.
For more information or to make donations to the defence campaign visit: http://www.afterg20.org
Public meeting in Melbourne
If you are in Melbourne attend the public meeting being held at Trades Hall tonight (Thursday May 8th). It has been organised by OGASN - Ongoing G20 Arrestee Solidarity Network. The speakers will include: Rob Stary, lawyer, A G20 Arrestee and a union representative. 7pm Thursday May 8 @ Trades Hall Cnr Lygon & Victoria Sts. All Welcome.
More related charges
The Socialist Party has also been informed that the Victoria Police are still pursuing SP National Organiser, Anthony Main, in relation to events that took place outside one of the hearings of the G20 case in August last year.
Anthony was attending a vigil for the G20 arrestees outside the Melbourne Magistrates court when the police arrested a man for carrying a pair of nail clippers! In an over the top fashion the police officers, who were wielding batons, instigated scuffles in which Anthony was caught up in. Anthony was subsequently hit with a police baton up to eight times on the forearm.
The police have now told Anthony that they will be charging him with obstructing police, hindering police and assaulting police. These charges are clearly trumped up. It was actually Anthony who was assaulted on the day and the footage was played on all of the television news. The Socialist Party has engaged a legal team and we will be defending these charges both legally and politically. More news and information will be published on our website soon.
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Egypt: Textile strike shows the way forward for Middle East workers
http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2008/05/03egypta.html
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