The Glasgow Defence Campaign has been established to oppose political policing and defend democratic rights in the struggle against the cuts in Glasgow. If you face any form of police harassment or violence, please log as many details as you can and send to glasgowdefence@yahoo.co.uk.
Today, the renowned journalist and film-maker John Pilger forwarded on the following message to the Glasgow Defence Campaign:
"The police in Britain have begun a political war of intimidation against those who exercise their right to protest peacefully. No where is this more evident than in the outrageous actions of the Strathclyde police against the Glasgow Defence Campaign, including a direct attack on the right of free speech and peaceful assembly. Who will be next? If the police are allowed to succeed, other legitimate campaigns will be targeted. It's imperative the Glasgow Defence Campaign has the support of all of us."
Dr Derek Wall, former Green Party of England and Wales principal speaker, also sent the following:
"I am saddened but not surprised by the repression faced by your campaign. Attacks on those who openly dissent are increasing and only through broad campaigns of solidarity in defence of the right to protest can public space for criticism be maintained. In this spirit I would like to add my voice to your campaign."
The GDC thanks them for their principled messages of support, which will be read out at Saturday's protest. We call on everyone concerned with basic freedoms and democracy to send on messages of support and to stand shoulder to shoulder with those facing up to political policing and intimidation in Glasgow.
All out for Saturday! No to political policing! Defend the right to protest!
On 19 March, UNISON held a picket of the Scottish Labour party conference outside Glasgow’s Science Centre to defend “the jobs of 34 Asylum Support Workers threatened with privatisation, wage cuts, worsening conditions and no pension guarantee. This means a worsening support service for asylum seekers with poorer qualified and paid staff, working under more stressful conditions.” Two FRFI supporters who joined the protest in solidarity were once again targeted by Strathclyde police officers.
One young activist was surrounded by officers as he stood at the side of the crowd: police questioned him as to why he had attended the protest, told that him that he should be grateful for being "allowed" to hand out leaflets and sell a political newspaper and was noted down as a "potential troublemaker" for refusing to give his details and defending his right to practice these perfectly legal activities. Up to 8 officers stood watching the two FRFI supporters as the crowd gathered round for a closing speech.
One of the FRFI supporters addressed the protesting council workers and pledged his support for their struggle against redundancies. He highlighted the importance of any action that exposes the role the Labour party is playing in implementing the cuts through councils – like Glasgow – under its control, receiving a round of applause for his intervention.
The FRFI supporters asked the union spokesman to keep an eye on any attempts by police to apprehend them as the protest dispersed. The Glasgow Defence Campaign has no doubt that had it not been for this canny intervention the police would not have hesitated to surround the supporters as they left. In the end, they were followed by two officers as they crossed a nearby bridge and finally were “allowed” to walk away without police hovering over their shoulder.
Once again, Strathclyde police have shown their commitment to harassing peaceful political activity. The GDC calls on all those interested in defending democratic rights and combating the cuts to unite in organising against Strathclyde police and Glasgow’s rotten Labour council.
Glasgow Defence Campaign and Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! supporters today (8 January) held a “Stand up for your rights” street rally in Glasgow city centre in defence of democratic rights and in opposition to political policing. On 30 December a supporter learned that he is facing criminal prosecution for selling the newspaper Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! in Glasgow and is due to appear in court on 17 January 2011. We are clear that this citation is politically motivated and an open attempt to undermine our ability to organise against attacks on living standards in our communities. FRFI supporters have previously been charged by Strathclyde police for selling the newspaper and two are currently awaiting trial following their arrest on student demonstrations in the city last month.
The rally was a lively and militant event as over a dozen people took to the busy streets to raise awareness of growing police harassment in Glasgow and elsewhere. A large banner reading “NO to political policing!” was present throughout and an open megaphone allowed people to make their anger heard. As one young protestor made clear: “We do not have the wealth to circulate thousands of free newspapers across the country every morning but we are determined that our message is heard: we must defend our democratic rights or we risk having them taken away by the British state!” Another stated: “The establishment say that we are only out to cause trouble and destruction. Let us be clear: we are not the ones destroying already inadequate education, housing and health care; we are not the ones destroying peoples´ lives by cutting wages and benefits; we are not the ones who destroyed millions of lives in Iraq and Afghanistan! Those in power are the real troublemakers!”
In response to the intensifying state harassment, the Glasgow Defence Campaign and Glasgow FRFI have organised an open meeting on fighting the cuts and defending democratic rights. The past year in Glasgow has seen anti-fascists, Palestine solidarity campaigners, Republican activists and students all face police harassment, while in Edinburgh, three anti-cuts protestors have recently been picked up by police for participating in December´s student demos there. It is crucial that our political, organisational and legal experiences our shared for the benefit of all those active in progressive politics, and even more importantly, for those who are yet to take to the streets. All interested groups and individuals are invited to attend and speak.
Self defence is no offence!
All power to the people!
A supporter of FRFI learned on 30 December he is facing criminal prosecution for selling the newspaper Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!, and is due to appear in court in Glasgow on 17 January 2011. We believe this citation to be politically motivated and an open attempt to undermine our ability to organise against the attacks on living standards in our communities. In response we are calling for a rally in defence of free speech in Glasgow city centre on Saturday 8 January. We call upon all individuals and groups to attend and show support. It will be an open megaphone for all those who wish to participate.
Free speech rally
Saturday 8 January 12-2pm
Donald Dewar statue,
Near the Royal Concert Hall, Buchanan Street Glasgow.
Called by the Glasgow Defence Campaign, and supported by Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! and others.
No to political policing! Fight the cuts! All power to the people!
Saturday 9 December Day X3: Militant protests storm Glasgow - FRFI supporters arrested
Day X3 protests in Glasgow saw hundreds of students join their comrades across Scotland and England in taking to the streets to protest against the proposed rise in tuition fees down south and the government´s destruction of education. The turn-out did not match the size of other demonstrations (tuition fees are still free in Scotland) but more than matched their militancy in one of the angriest and effective days of action in the city since the early days of the anti-war movement. FRFI supporters played a leading role in direct action throughout the day and two were arrested and detained by police, and on 10 December plead not guilty to serious charges of breach of the peace, obstruction, assault on a police officer and attempting to free a person in custody.
The day began as students from Glasgow, Strathclyde and Caledonian universities, the Glasgow School of Art, colleges, and secondary schools from across the city gathered on the steps of the Royal Concert Hall to hold an open mic meeting against the cuts. As the numbers grew, speakers from the various educational establishments, the Anti-Cuts Action Network and other groups addressed the crowd, making clear their determination to fight the coalition´s cuts and any attempts to introduce tuition fees in Scotland. One FRFI supporter currently at school spoke to the demo: “Are we so passive that we no longer see right from wrong? Can we no longer act upon our thoughts and challenge the status quo? By our presence here today we are showing we shall no longer accept the scraps thrown at us!”
Then the real action began. Unlike the respectable strolls which normally pass as “protest”, a spontaneous march then set off, the half dozen cops in attendance for once confused and outnumbered. There were no preplanned rallies by trade union bureaucrats and Labour party politicians to divert things into respectable dead ends. The example of Milbank and the London protests, as well as the direct actions and university occupations in Scotland in recent weeks, clearly inspired students to take matters into their own hands.
Throughout the day, protestors reclaimed the streets of the city centre, initiating a massive police response as the authorities completely lost control of the situation. Protestors targeted those symbols of the British business establishment which are the driving force behind the brutal assault on the country´s public services. The protest grew to hundreds strong as increasing numbers of students and members of the public, young and old, joined rolling pickets which occupied and blockaded Vodafone shops, branches of RBS, Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale, targeted Topshop and the British army recruitment office, tried to occupy Glasgow School of Art, took over roads and blocked intersections. Chants of “Whose streets? Our streets!”, “You say cut back! We say fight back!” and “You can shove your royal wedding up yer arse!” rang out through the town. At one point the crowd successfully struggled with police to de-arrest an FRFI supporter the cops had grabbed hold of. Throughout the day, the true role of the police was exposed to many for the first time as they violently and aggressively focused on protecting business, sacrificing the safety of demonstrators and members of the public. Police lines and kettles were broken through on at least a half dozen occasions as the tactics of the street were learnt; riot vans, hundreds of police and a helicopter rendered totally insufficient to contain the people´s anger.
On Sauchiehall Street, midway through the protest, police tried to regain control and violently assaulted and arrested an FRFI supporter. A violent struggle ensued as the crowd attempted to free him, police lashing out, pushing young women to the floor and hitting one 14 year old FRFI supporter in the face. The arrested comrade was assaulted in the police van, suffering bruising and cuts, as four officers restrained him. Cries of “police brutality” rang out as the police van drove into protestors surrounding the van in the street´s pedestrian area. Another FRFI supporter was arrested at the very end of the demonstrations, picked out on exiting a kettle in George Square. The scenes in George Square leading up to this saw police again use extremely aggressive tactics, assaulting and kettling a small group of peaceful school students, and shoving other female school students just crossing the square. After being taken to Stewart Street police station, one comrade was unnecessarily strip searched and both interview by plain clothes CID attempting to solicit information on “leaders”. Although both granted bail, one is now banned from the city centre.
The arrests of the two FRFI supporters were the only ones on an excellent day of action. Students and young people in Glasgow, following weeks of university occupations and direct actions, have sent a clear signal that anger and militancy has reached a whole new level; a new movement is being born as the class lines are drawn. The two FRFI supporters detained were the clear targets of political policing and a campaign has been launched in their defence. Other young activists in Glasgow are already facing banning orders and jail sentences relating to political activity here and in London. We stand fully with all those attacked by the British state and will defend them until the last. Victory to the resistance!
