114 arrested on conspiracy charges over alleged plan to protest
- Thread starter In Bloom
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smashthestate
wage slave
Presumably *aggravated* trespass, which is a crime. I've never heard of conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass before, thought conspiracy to X was reserved for more serious things (criminal damage, murder etc).
They would argue that hanging banners from towers is illegal cos it would disrupt the lawful activity goign on at the power station.
e2a: I haven't posted on here for ages, just thought i'd check here for more info as BBC and indymedia between them don't say much.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/...421.html?c=all was rather quick for indymedia, if you read there it seems the police was acting on info given, this of course been a comment on a news wire, so yes speculation, but wtf 114 nicked all over the news this morning, is this just more Police disinformation re G20 evil anarchist etc.?
For them to nick 114 it would have to been (my feelings) well planned i.e. vans, detention space police to deal with, booking in and so it goes on, would they just act on a noise complaint as has been said on the BBC news? or indeed did they know and how did they know all speculation agreed but it makes you think..
You left a calling card with one of those comments.
free spirit
more tea vicar?
conspiracy to commit criminal damage would be the most likely one I reckon, depends largely on what 'equipment' they found really... anyone with bolt cutters etc on them, or in their car could well be the excuse they need to charge everyone with it... or maybe just preidentified peeps.
be either a brave or foolish move on the police's part to prosecute them though given the recent greenpeace precedent of successfully using the defence of the damage being justified to prevent the greater crime of climate change.
depends what the police's motives are really, if they just want to cause the activists so much hastle that they'll burn out, then it's worth them prosecuting I guess, but it could also backfire like the greenpeace one did.
Greenpeace do tend to be more careful about preparing their actions in such a way as to allow this type of defence to work, so it's not a magic get out of jail free card.... ie I hope these folks did it right as well.
As you ask source please?
Divisive Cotton
Now I just have my toy soldiers
I would say it's pretty easy to nick that amount of people in one swoop - scoop them up into two coaches and away they go
I remember on one of the Irish marches in the 90s they hoovered up around 300 fascists off the streets and whisked them away before the march reached them
free spirit
more tea vicar?
yes, but only if it's been planned in advance.
no way would the police have had enough resources to arrest 100 people at once at midnight on a standard sunday night.
*thinks*
hmm, actually they might have had if it had been shift change time, and they got the shift that was finishing to stick around an extra hour or 2 so that they temporarily had double the number of officers on duty.
much more likely it was a planned operation though IMO
free spirit
more tea vicar?
Just remembered this case, which should mean they have a fair idea what they're doing, good legal support etc.
[nots indymedia]
free spirit
more tea vicar?
also from the notts indymedia feed, which pretty much means it is who I thought it was... (note the veggies.org.uk linkNottingham's Climate Criminals
Pat | 13.04.2009 13:55 | Climate Chaos | Nottinghamshire
It may be only speculation that "Officers said they believed those arrested were planning to protest at nearby Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station."
Whilst awaiting clarification, read earlier reports which might inform any questions as to why Ratcliffe MIGHT be considered a target of such concern and motivated action.
'Climate Activists Bring Power Station Operations To A Halt'
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/04/367623.html
and 'Clean' Coal On Trial:http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/01/389386.html
It should be noted that there is no suggestion here that anything similar was planned for today or that anything that may have been proposed for today involves anyone involved in these earlier protest actions.
Those concerned over the imminent tipping point into runaway climate change don't have to climb chimneys. The companies responsible for emitting ever increasing quantities of CO2, exactly at a time when we should be working for massive reductions, have offices as well as power stations:
See: 'No case to answer after Notts E.On protest':http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2009/01/419126.html
There is another way to fight back against climate change, a step that I am sure any 'protester' or 'activist' would applaud - Use Less Energy. Burn less in your home and they will burn less in their power plants.
We can look at other changes in our own lives too:
- Choose better modes of transport when travelling to visit friends and family.
- Enjoy holidays that do note require that you fly.
- Look into exciting dietary changes that enable you to cut out livestock products.
(See http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/403315.html)
- Share your skills and support your community.
(See http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2009/02/422044.html)
There was earlier speculation relating to Eastcroft Incinerator. Read why Eastcroft would be a cause of concern to those in the Sneinton & Bakersfield area: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2009/02/422956.html
Too little too late?
Those that deny the need for drastic action lead to present times being dubbed "The Age of Stupid". I fear that unless we all support those willing and able to stand up and act we ourselves will soon be asking "why didn't we tackle climate change whilst we had the chance?"
What did the UK Climate Movement do in 2008?
https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/01/417239.html
What will you and I do to be part of UK Climate Movement do in 2009?
That part of our history has yet to be written.
Note to other media - quote your sources.
Pat
Homepage: http://www.veggies.org.uk/climate
)That could be said about any action or demo.
That could be said about me fumbling for my ticket whilst standing at the top of an escalator on the underground.
(Breaking News : Mass arrests of French tourists.) Heh!
free spirit
more tea vicar?
free spirit
more tea vicar?
I think that may well have been the point... hence why the CJA was seen by many as a line in the sand type piece of legislation... they crossed the line in the sand and have just kept on going ever since.
hmm, well, only if you refused to move when asked to, and refused to leave when asked etc.That could be said about me fumbling for my ticket whilst standing at the top of an escalator on the underground.
(Breaking News : Mass arrests of French tourists.) Heh!
winjer
holocene death beat
I wish they'd be more careful about putting all their press releases on the site:
'Conspiracy Prosecution Comes Unstuck'
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/08/406698.html
"Five anti-war protesters were found not guilty at 4pm on Wednesday after an eleven day trial at Brighton Crown Court. The jury took only four hours to find all defendants not guilty of 'Conspiracy to Cause Criminal Damage'."
Just to add a little local knowledge, (having lived there), the place where the Police arrested the group is not in any way discreet, it's on a fairly busy road a few minutes walk from the City Centre. And to get to the power station mentioned would require 3 buses and at least a 15 minute drive.
free spirit
more tea vicar?
hmm... and how close is it to the alt location hinted at in that indymedia post I quoted?
(the veggies one)
lostexpectation
New Member
prosecutions isn't really what this is about its about nicking them now
The conspiracy charge won't stick, it will
1: Stop the action
2: put other people off from attempting it, e.g. fluffy types are scared and your serious activists get paranoid about doing further actions whilst the plod are waiving a conspiracy charge over their heads. The charges will be no futher actioned leaving the threat of a future charge over people’s head.
The National grid is fragile, one outage may not cut it off, but the plod will be looking at France and Germany where the grid has been targeted with some success and be worried about any escalation of civil unrest at the moment.
Specialized equipment is probably a few d-locks and some bolt cutters. Just in the same way as plastic bottles get re-branded as *missiles*
We can read from this that
People are prepared to escalate the conflict against the status quo, and that the state is prepared to fight back.
1: Stop the action
2: put other people off from attempting it, e.g. fluffy types are scared and your serious activists get paranoid about doing further actions whilst the plod are waiving a conspiracy charge over their heads. The charges will be no futher actioned leaving the threat of a future charge over people’s head.
The National grid is fragile, one outage may not cut it off, but the plod will be looking at France and Germany where the grid has been targeted with some success and be worried about any escalation of civil unrest at the moment.
Specialized equipment is probably a few d-locks and some bolt cutters. Just in the same way as plastic bottles get re-branded as *missiles*
We can read from this that
People are prepared to escalate the conflict against the status quo, and that the state is prepared to fight back.
Yes thanks to the Criminal Justice Act there now exists the new charge of aggravated trespass which is a criminal rather than civil act. They won't be able to prove a conspiracy in court though.
Missed that FS! The alt location is a short walk away, that makes much more sense to me, not as appealing a news story if you can't mention a power station or two.
seems with the passing of all this terror legislation, a nasty little security complex has grown up in this country - if we stopped protesting then we would make a lot of people unemployed...
free spirit
more tea vicar?
presumed that was what was being hinted at.
don't think they need to be looking for a deep mole in their organisation then if the police can't even work out what the target was meant to be... either that or there'd been some deliberate misinformation going on (from one side or the other).
david dissadent
New Member
The government seems increadibly keen to defend coal power stations.
Yes and no and i rember what your talking about, but lets move on as there are people who read here you would not give info to, idd agree but needs some thought and planning, this leads me to the thought inside info? not that one is saying either way and people involved have come forowrd while ive been in the pub ive known for some years so to be trusted, lap top gone quite mind you..
lopsidedbunny
Active Member
Yeah I agree, it a bit naff to say the least.
lopsidedbunny
Active Member
Not worrying. They rendezvoused at a school car-park in the middle of the night and made enough noise to rouse the neighbours, resulting in the cops being called before they'd managed to do anything. You can hardly expect the plod to politely wait until they'd successfully locked on.
I think it was well planned by the pigs rather than the noise that tipped them off.
So this be, it was not the noise that tipped them off, who did needs to be asked, or was they following and keeping people under there watchfull eye, of course speculation, but how did The Police Know?
Don't shoot me down! i admit i have no idea, but if there was suspicion for an 'attack' upon a power station would the police have extra powers to use covert evidence gathering, phone bugs and the like. Assuming it fell under counter Terrorism measures? I doubt it is relevant, i'm just curious.
