GDC opposes latest arrests and calls for unity

The Glasgow Defence Campaign condemns the most recent wave of arrests in the past week as yet another example of political policing in the city of Glasgow. The arrests are an abuse of power which is intended to intimidate and isolate those prepared to make a principled stance against the cuts. The timing and character of the arrests are themselves further evidence it was directed by the highest levels within Strathclyde police working alongside the crown office.

The GDC calls for maximum unity in the face of these latest attacks. As we demonstrated in practice in April when a number of people were arrested and detained - only by open opposition can an effective defence be mounted. Following the demonstration – all of the charges against the accused were dropped as a result of the public pressure generated. We need a similar victory once again.

If the latest round of anti democratic actions by Strathclyde police go unchecked and unchallenged – who will be next? History teaches us that the British state will show no mercy against those it deems necessary to criminalise; those who cooperate with the prosecution will be hammered. Witness the attacks on the Gaza demonstrators of January 2009, the attack on Charlie Gilmour and the punitive incarceration of Milbank protesters.

The GDC calls for those who wish to defend themselves politically to contact us. Now is the time for effective, non sectarian unity among everyone under attack. The police attacks on the right to free speech and assembly must not go unopposed. We say that those who remain silent, and accept criminalisation, invite more trouble – not less.

Joey Simons, a supporter of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! stated ‘only through public campaigning can we be successful – not just on an individual basis but also in upholding the rights of everyone. We refuse to be intimidated, isolated and criminalised. That is why we oppose this latest round of arrests and call for supporters to attend my trial on 23 August. We are calling for enough public pressure to be mounted in order to have all of the charges dropped.’

The trial against Joey Simons is set to take place on Tuesday 23 August from 10am at the District Court, St Andrews Street, Glasgow. The GDC is calling on supporters to attend and for messages of solidarity to be sent from individuals and organisations. 

Progressive forces in Glasgow unite to demand "Hands off protest!" (Full report)

The Glasgow Defence Campaign and the Free Hetherington Occupation jointly called a protest on Saturday 16 April to challenge the ongoing campaign of intimidation and harassment organised by Strathclyde police. If the cops thought their nicey, nicey, hands-off approach on the day of the protest would undermine the campaigner's defiance and quieten things down they must have spluttered over their station tea as the issue got front page and a full page inside the widely read Glasgow Evening Times. Now tens of thousands know about Strathclyde's finest's recent behaviour.

According to the cops, to oppose the massive tax dodging scams of the super rich is a crime that justifies tailing and jailing teenagers. In the week before the protest, anti- cuts activists of the ages of 14 and 17 had their homes visited by plain clothes dicks and charges were brought arising from peaceful sit- in protests staged against the Vodafone multinational in December of last year. Outrageous bail conditions prevent those charged from entering Glasgow city centre and ban them from joining a public assembly of two or more people. They could not listen to messages of solidarity from journalist John Pilger, comedian Mark Thomas and former Black Panther Emory Douglas. Speakers from Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!, the Bryan Simpson Defence Campaign and UK Uncut used the open mic to expose and condemn the tactics of the cops against the emerging anti-cuts movement. Comrades and Scottish parliamentary candidates from the Scottish Socialist Party and Solidarity were amongst more than 60 of us calling for opposition to police repression.

The protest was kept up to date with the progress of an occupation of a bank- the Royal Bank of Scotland- taking place immediately behind them as speakers condemned the ConDem government's cuts. Campaigners against the closure of an Adult Day Centre brought the fiddle that the ruling class and its media are trying to pull into sharp focus- rich, white men were telling us that vital facilities like Day Centres had to close so that banks could balance their books.

The Accord Centre folk had recently made the headlines by chasing the Scottish Labour leader, Ian Gray, out of nearby Central Station as he tried to avoid supporting their fight. The message of the protest was that we are not going to avoid any fight against any cuts despite police attempts to silence us and break up campaigns and activist's organisations. The campaign to fight the cuts was only at the beginning and many battles lie ahead. The police were openly warned that their behaviour would only make the fighters more organised and more determined! The Glasgow Defence Campaign salutes the unity that is being built in defence of democratic rights – unity in the face of police repression which will only become more urgent in the coming period.

Let the last words on the protest go to the Scottish revolutionary John MacLean, who in his day had led the same struggles against police censorship and interference. Thundering against the slaughter of the first imperialist world war, only yards from where we stood, in 1914, he was to declare at his trial:

"No human being on the face of this earth, no government is going to take away my right to speak, my right to protest against wrong, my right to do everything that is for the benefit of mankind. I am not here, then, as the accused; I am here as the accuser of Capitalism dripping with blood from head to foot."

No Cuts - Full Stop!

No to Political Policing!

GDC protest outside Glasgow District court

On Friday 18 March, the Glasgow Defence Campaign held a protest outside Glasgow's Justice of the Peace Court (District Court) on St. Andrews Street. Over a dozen supporters gathered in solidarity with a Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! activist appearing in court in relation to his arrest on student protests on 9 December. Eight police witnesses were present at court for the trial. However, the prosecution once again failed to produce crucial CCTV evidence, which could prove the defendant innocent. The Crown has now failed to produce this evidence on three occasions, and the trial was once again adjourned until 6 June. 

The Glasgow Defence Campaign is committed to supporting all those facing arrest and trial by Strathclyde police for fighting against the attacks on communities and public services by the Tory government and Labour council. The GDC will be expanding organisation and protest against political policing and in solidarity with all those facing trial in Glasgow in the coming months. Already, one prosecution case has collapsed against an anti-cuts activist for selling a political newspaper. We are confident that those facing trial in the coming months for political activity will also emerge victorious.