Judge threatens first time peaceful protestors w/ electronic tagging

[kamqute]

From GM Watch (www.gmwatch.org)

Judge threatens first time peaceful GM protesters with ASBOS and electronic tagging

(appeal for small contributions to this cause at the bottom; total GBP750 sought)

Community service for those doing the community a service - Harsh sentence regarded
as indication of increasing clampdown on civil disobedience.

Five people were found guilty of aggravated trespass yesterday after they blockaded
a Sainsbury's distribution centre in attempt to protect the public from the supermarkets
GM fed milk. Four of the five were first time offenders, and yet they were given
50 hours community service, and ordered to pay GBP150 costs each. The punishment
is regarded as being an extreme and disproportionate response, and it would appear
was meted out specifically because their actions were ideologically motivated.

After a comprehensive three day trial in which the judge read expert evidence from
scientists about the genuine threat posed by products from cows fed GM, the group
were confident that at least the honesty and reasonableness of their actions had
been heard. During the trail the judge went so far as to volunteer that he didn't
doubt that 'if a hundred people were asked more than 90 would say that this information
should be in the public domain'. However he then retired for three weeks to consider
his verdict.

Yesterday in Yate magistrate's court outside of Bristol he found them all guilty.
This was a matter of no huge surprise as Aggravated Trespass was created 9 years
ago specifically to outlaw civil disobedience and protect companies and institutions
from non violent protests. His reaction to the group did come as a shock. The probation
officer was totally unprepared. The prosecution sited the sentence handed out to
their fellow blockader (who'd pleaded guilty some months previously) of GBP250 fine
and costs, and a conditional discharge, indicating that he felt a similar punishment
would be appropriate.

However, the judge was apparently eager to be seen to apply the harshest criminal
guidelines when passing sentence. He described the protesters (who included a carpenter,
a shop assistant, and a researcher) as clearly being intent on harm to a wide range
of people (including most reasonably, but also most intrigingly, Sainsbury's shareholders),
and stated that the fact that they had planned the demonstration and acted as a
group were also aggravating factors. When the defence pointed out that these were
elements in mitigation, as they were designed to ensure the safety of all involved,
this was disregarded. The judge stated that he was considering imposing a curfew
on all the defendants (which would have involved electronic tagging), and had also
contemplated applying Anti Social Behaviour Orders to those involved in addition
to 'unpaid work'. However, apparently dismayed by the prosecutions news of the earlier
benchmark set by their previous co-defendant, he eventually settled on Community
service orders of 50 hours for the first time offenders, and 65 hours for Ms Snook,
(whose previous record and breach of an outstanding conditional discharge for GM
action were taken into account.)

Ms Chow said, "This is a totally extreme response to a valid protest which
neither damaged property nor threatened anyone. We are seriously considering appealing
the sentence. All of us currently do one sort of voluntary work or another for our
communities, but the equivalent of two weeks unpaid work is a huge imposition on
our liberty. We're worried that this marks a new trend towards protecting companies
at the expense of democracy."

Ms Snook added, "We know that a Sainsbury's security person was present throughout
our trial, and that the judge's demeanour changed enormously in the interval between
the trial and the verdict. Sainsbury's have already invested a huge amount of money
and influence in trying to thwart protests against them, and these sort of sentences
are very much in keeping with the governments new 'anti terror' legislation which
seeks to crush all kinds of protest. To be honest I wouldn't be surprise to learn
that the judge was politely nobbled. Either that, or he was having an incredibly
bad day."

Activists in Bristol will be holding a benefit gig sometime soon to try and raise
the money to cover the groups GBP750, so please keep your ears open. Any personal
donations gratefully received. Please contact 079291 08792 for more information.

[ClintonTyree]

1. It sounds as if someone got to him in those three weeks.....

I'm wondering if one of these Corporate pigs made a donation to the judge's "retirement fund" or some equally distasteful greasing of the wheels of justice.

It appears that Corporate fascism is alive and well across the pond from the equally Corporate dominated United States. It's a crying damned shame, we do not have countries anymore, we have Corporations hiding behind flags masquerading as countries.

People have a right to know what it is they're eating and drinking. The media, also bought and operated by these same Corporate con-men won't report it, so civil disobedience remains the only way of letting people know. To stifle civil disobedience is not only unconstitutional, it's damned dangerous in a society that proclaims itself to be a beacon of freedom.

I would hope this goes through some sort of appeals process and a civil and sane verdict is rendered.