On 11 November 2011 the police violently broke up a completely peaceful protest on the green outside Cardiff Castle by Occupy Cardiff (part of the world-wide Occupy movement against inequality and injustice in the financial system). They ‘kettled’ the demonstrators in a subway and arrested six people.
Eric Jinks and Jason Simons were charged under Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act with “failing to leave the land, namely CARDIFF CASTLE, as soon as reasonably practical”. They are due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates Court on Wednesday February 8th 2012 and if convicted face a maximum sentence of three months imprisonment.
The police action is an assault on everyone’s rights to express ourselves publicly and peacefully protest and is therefore a threat to the democratic rights of everyone in Wales. We call for the charges against Eric and Jason to be dropped, and for the Police to cease to use this legislation to restrict democratic protest.
sign the petition at http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/right2protest
acknowlegements to Anne Greagsby
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