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Actions against the policing bill

ska invita said:
Useful summary of whats up

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 [PCSC] came into effect on 28th April after passing through Parliament. It gives more powers to the police to restrict protests, allowing senior police officers to give directions and impose conditions on those organising or taking part in them that the police decide are necessary to prevent disorder, damage, disruption, noise impact or intimidation. These can include imposing starting and ending times. It gives the Home Secretary the power to impose restrictions on protests without reference to Parliament and the common law offence of “causing a public nuisance” becomes a criminal offence, carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years.

However some more draconian attacks on the right to protest in this bill were removed from the Act after being twice voted down in the House of Lords.

Not to be thwarted, the Government’s reaction was to introduce a fresh Public Order Bill [PA] to Parliament on 11th May. This has been passed by the Commons and is currently before the House of Lords. This Bill not only reintroduces many measures from the PCSC Act rejected by the Lords, but adds new ones, particularly aimed at the sort of demonstrations carried out by climate activists.

The measures removed from PCSC in the Lords and reinstated in the PA include giving the police the power to make orders to ban named individuals from joining protests, and an expansion of police powers of stop-and-search, so they can perform them on the grounds that they consider a person might commit a protest-related offence, including some new such offences introduced in the PA Bill, such as people “locking-on” by attaching themselves to immovable objects or each other by chains or glue, going equipped to lock-on, obstructing major transport routes and interfering with key national infrastructure and tunnelling.

And under the Bill if you attend or support a demonstration that causes “serious disruption” (including its making too much noise) to two or more individuals or an organisation you can be forced to wear an electronic tag to monitor your movements.
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it's come to a poor place when we're relying on the political placemen and -women in the lords to vote this sort of shit down again.
 
Netpol have published their summary of 2022, although I can't say I'm a fan of the title:
netpol.org

Review of 2022: the year it became okay to jail protesters in Britain - Netpol

It has not been a good year for our right to dissent. The vehemently resisted Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act came into force in the summer, while the government continues to push through its Public Order Bill, aimed at criminalising our right to protest even further. The...
netpol.org netpol.org

There are currently at least 54 people in prison for taking part in protests, [with Just Stop Oil highlighting that over 100 environmental campaigners have spent some time in prison this year]. These range from those who resisted violent policing and faced disproportionately severe charges at the Kill the Bill demonstrations in Bristol in March 2021 and others who resisted far-right counter-demonstrators during Black Lives Matter protests in Newcastle in 2020, to Just Stop Oil protesters for breaching injunctions and, most recently, four people from Palestine Action accused of criminal damage.
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I hadn't heard of the Newcastle case before, looking it up I guess it's the defendant from this article:
But I've never seen any kind of organised solidarity effort with him, anyone know any more?
 
good summary here
overall verdict maybe changes arent as bad as feared
dissidentisland.org

Dissident Island Radio: December 2022 - Episode 265

Attempting to mark 15 years of radical radio, the Dissident Island posse put together our 265th episode which also brings 2022 to a close. In store for you here: - Ruth from / ACAB discussing the reality of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (of #killthebill fame) taking us through...
dissidentisland.org

- Ruth from Green & Black Cross / ACAB discussing the reality of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (of #killthebill fame) taking us through different part of the statute from the not so bad to the pretty terrifying

- A member of the submedia collective talking with us about the Fediverse, Mastadon and providing grassroots alternatives to corporate social media platforms

- ACAB Andy with an end of year report on another blow to the right to protest in the Supreme Court, as well as trials and tribulations of protesters in the lower courts
 
Another defendant sent down:

Support Gopal | Bristol Anarchist Black Cross

bristolabc.org bristolabc.org
Support-Gopal-small-for-web.png
 
Update from Bristol ABC:

Its been nearly two years since the Bridewell uprising, and it'd be all too easy to forget about supporting the folks still inside, and those awaiting sentencing or trial.

People have been hugely generous, and we're touched by the massive show of solidarity - but we are going to need to ask for your continued support.

There are currently 19 people in prison, a further 5 are awaiting sentencing, and at least 7 are yet to go to trial.

We have been supporting all the prisoners with £50 a month for things like phone calls and buying essential items. We've also helped pay for people's loved ones to visit them, and helped people out financially once they have been released from prison.

We started sending a higher amount of £70 a month. This is because the prison charges extortionate prices for things like phone credit, and people desperately need it to stay in touch with their loved ones. But we need your help to keep it up.

We have been doing this now for nearly 2 years - and we've spent nearly £36k - here's our latest breakdown of our outgoings from Feb 2022- November 2022 - so you can see where your money has gone.

Some of the prisoners are facing brutal sentences. The longest sentence is 14 years - and we want to be able to carry on giving this support until all are free.

We're stretching our target to £70k - please please give what you can, and share this call widely amongst your networks
58796835_1675890688542260_r.jpeg
 
This is a common thing in the states, plead guilty to x for a lesser sentence or will prosecute you for y which carries a heavier sentence i.e a plea bargain

Fuck that if I'm innocent of a crime. There's no real justice anyway just the illusion of justice. This stuff really pisses me off.
 
Bristol filth really can't let it go, can they? Shouldn't they be busy rooting out racists, sex offenders, thieves and incompetents from within their own ranks?

www.bristol247.com

Arrest in London in connection with Bristol riot

A 22-year-old was detained in Brixton on suspicion of riot and released under investigation
www.bristol247.com www.bristol247.com

It's like they're still bitter they never got Badger, or solved the Mystery of the Spontaneously Combusting Police Firearms Centre.
 
King Charles’s coronation is a “chance to showcase our liberty”, a cabinet minister, has said, after the UK government fast-tracked legislation to crack down on protests.

The security minister, Tom Tugendhat, defended the new laws, which include a 12-month prison sentence for protesters who block roads and a six-month prison sentence or unlimited fine for anyone who locks on to others, objects or buildings. Police will also be able to stop and searchprotesters they suspect are setting out to cause “disruption”.


Official warning letters have been sent to anti-monarchists planning to stage peaceful protests at the coronation, but the cabinet minister insisted people will still have the “liberty to protest”.

“The coronation is a chance for the United Kingdom to showcase our liberty and democracy, that’s what this security arrangement is doing,” Tugendhat told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“Empowering people to come together, freely, openly and demonstrating security can be a liberator, not like in authoritarian states where it is a controller.”

He said anti-monarchists would still “have the liberty to protest but they would not have the liberty to disrupt others. That’s where we’re drawing a difference”.

The security minister refused to be drawn on the guidelines to hosting a “non-disruptive protest”, to avoid people “finding loopholes”, but said planning for the coronation had been a very complex police and intelligence operation.

“We’re not just thinking of our own security but the security of heads of states, and we’re dealing with protest groups who have nothing to do with UK but to do with foreign leaders visiting the UK,” he said.

When asked if police had had enough time to process and digest the new laws they will be enforcing this week, Tugendhat said: “We passed the laws to give police powers they’ve asked for for months. This is not to do with coronation but we’ve seen the nature of protest become so much more disruptive and intrusive. We can’t deliver on the five pledges if we can’t get the economy going.”
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From the Bristol ABC/KTB fundraiser:
www.gofundme.com

#KillTheBill Prisoner Support Fund, organized by Bristol ABC

A call for support for people sentenced to prison after the Kill The Bill protests in… Bristol ABC needs your support for #KillTheBill Prisoner Support Fund
www.gofundme.com
URGENT CALL FOR SUPPORT

Bristol ABC is almost out of funds, and we need your help to continue supporting the prisoners. If we run out of money, it will mean prison will be incomparably harder for the folks inside, as they won't have money for basics, won't have help with phone credit and won't get so many visits from their loved ones.

We know you won't let that happen!!

Thanks so much for your incredible support so far. Because of you we have been able to distribute over £55k toward supporting the KTB prisoners!

But we still need your help. There are currently 20 people in prison for the Bridewell uprising. Many of them are serving long sentences, and Ryan Roberts will be in prison until at least 2029.

The cost of providing £50 a month canteen money to 20 people is £1000 a month. On top of that we regularly buy things like clothes and books, and pay travel costs for friends and family to visit. We are down to about £2k in reserves. So we really need your continued help and support.

Our costs have been considerably increased by the need to fund visits to two prisoners who are being held in Kent. Its vital that these to people, who are serving two of the longest sentences, get support. We have been arranging visits for them every month.

We have also been giving money to help people get back on their feet when they are released from prison. With your help we can increase this support.

Please help us to reach our stretch target of £70k. Thank you so much for all your incredible solidarity so far.

Bristol Anarchist Black Cross
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Crossposting here, from Bristol ABC:

Update and call for support! | Bristol Anarchist Black Cross

bristolabc.org bristolabc.org

Update and call for support!​


December 12, 2023

It’s been a long summer of prisoner support! Please see our chart below with our spending from June – November 2023. We have consistently supported many people moving in and out of prison for resisting the police at the Kill the Bill demonstration in March 2021. We are coming into our third winter and our funds are at their lowest point.

We are relieved that people are steadily finishing their sentences and leaving prison but that doesn’t mean the support stops. Many people need help with living costs, rent and adapting to life outside. As of early December 2023, we are still supporting ten people behind bars for the KTB protests, and several other anarchist prisoners. We support a number of family members to visit their loved ones across the country on a monthly basis. We also continue to purchase books, CDs and clothing for people inside, as well as paying for their monthly canteen costs to enable them to purchase needed things and buy the phone credit they need to stay in touch with their loved ones.

We know it is a financially difficult time for many right now and that fundraising is a constant challenge for many movements for liberation. We appreciate every single donation made and are asking folks to dig deep so that we can keep supporting people held in the state’s cages for fighting back against this world of oppression!

Thank you so much for all your incredible solidarity so far. Don’t miss our lovely merchandise too: Queers Hate Prisons T-shirts (sliding-scale) – Solidarity Apothecary

Bristol Anarchist Black Cross
Donation link: #KillTheBill Prisoner Support Fund, organized by Bristol ABC
BABC-Finances-Dec-1024x1024.png
 
Bit of a deep dive into the ASC/CPS riot charge shitstorm, referencing research by BRHG (including a certain “urban disorder expert” ;)):

www.theguardian.com

‘It was so wrong’: why were so many people imprisoned over one protest in Bristol?

The long read: More people have been imprisoned for rioting during a single day in Bristol in 2021 than in any other protest-related disorder since at least the 1980s. What was behind this push to prosecute so harshly?
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
gofund.me

Donate to #KillTheBill Prisoner Support Fund, organized by Bristol ABC

A call for support for people sentenced to prison after the Kill The Bill protests in B… Bristol ABC needs your support for #KillTheBill Prisoner Support Fund
gofund.me gofund.me

Summer is nearly over and we continue to support a lot of people in prison and their friends and family. Please see our chart below for our spending from December 23 – July 24. Even though there are less people inside now, our monthly costs are still high and we need to keep up with fundraising to continue the support.

We are at our lowest point in funds right now and need your support!

We continue to pay for the cost of friends and family to visit people inside, as well as continuing our monthly payments to seven KTB prisoners and a number of other anarchist prisoners that we support. We regularly send clothes and CD’s to people and also pay for birthday presents for people inside.

We also chose to pay an £800 fine after one prisoner set fire to his cell during a moment of emotional distress after a close family member passed away and the prison denied him permission to go to the funeral. Despite being raised by this family member for many years of his life. To punish him further the prison said they would only let him have £5 a week for canteen until the cost of the damages were paid for, and this made a difficult situation even harder. We decided to support him so that his time in prison can be less distressing in these months of loss and grief.

The result of this is that in order to continue supporting people in this way we will need more donations. We really appreciate everyone that has donated or helped fundraise so far, particularly when we know many people are struggling financially and that that are many people in need around the world.

We will keep working for a world beyond prisons and state violence and support folks with solidarity as our main weapon. Thank you for your ongoing support!

Bristol ABC

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