The trial of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! and Glasgow Defence Campaign supporter Dominic O'Hara has once again been adjourned today. Dominic faces charges relating to an anti-cuts protest in Glasgow city centre on 29 January 2011, where upon leaving the protest he was arrested in a vigilante style operation by Strathclyde Police and detained for 54 hours prior to his court appearance on a framed up charge of police assault.
Crown prosecutors have been repeatedly asked by Dominic’s defence team for the official procedure of Strathclyde police in to the practice known as 'kettling’, a form of indiscriminate crowd control and detention, but have failed to disclose the policy. Today the crown claimed that no CCTV existed of the alleged assault (despite it being in the heart of the city centre with CCTV cameras in the proximity) and opposed the defence motion to adjourn wishing to proceed to trial immediately. This was thrown out, and new dates were set for trial.
The GDC have lodged our concerns with our legal advisors and are clear that the reason that no CCTV has been found of the assault is because one did not take place! We are positive that CCTV footage will exist to show this to be true. As we saw on the 11 April 2011 when Dominic was found guilty of a framed charge of police assault the cops word in the non-jury Glasgow District Court is 'credible and reliable' whilst anyone who disputes their claims is deemed to be a ‘liar’.
Political charges in political courts must be fought with a political defence! We say to the Crown drop the made up charges now and Strathclyde Police hands off protest!
The new dates are:
Intermediate diet:
Tuesday 29 November 2pm, Court 5
Trial Diet:
Monday 19 December 10am, Court 6
Both in:
Glasgow District Court (also known as the Justice of the Peace Court)
St. Andrews St (off Saltmarket)
Crown prosecutors have been repeatedly asked by Dominic’s defence team for the official procedure of Strathclyde police in to the practice known as 'kettling’, a form of indiscriminate crowd control and detention, but have failed to disclose the policy. Today the crown claimed that no CCTV existed of the alleged assault (despite it being in the heart of the city centre with CCTV cameras in the proximity) and opposed the defence motion to adjourn wishing to proceed to trial immediately. This was thrown out, and new dates were set for trial.
The GDC have lodged our concerns with our legal advisors and are clear that the reason that no CCTV has been found of the assault is because one did not take place! We are positive that CCTV footage will exist to show this to be true. As we saw on the 11 April 2011 when Dominic was found guilty of a framed charge of police assault the cops word in the non-jury Glasgow District Court is 'credible and reliable' whilst anyone who disputes their claims is deemed to be a ‘liar’.
Political charges in political courts must be fought with a political defence! We say to the Crown drop the made up charges now and Strathclyde Police hands off protest!
The new dates are:
Intermediate diet:
Tuesday 29 November 2pm, Court 5
Trial Diet:
Monday 19 December 10am, Court 6
Both in:
Glasgow District Court (also known as the Justice of the Peace Court)
St. Andrews St (off Saltmarket)
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