Peace Activists Charges Dropped Belfast

antrim | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Sunday August 15, 2004 14:37

by darren - daaa

directactionagainstapathy at yahoo dot co dot uk

Jam The War

On Thursday 12th August 5 anti-war campaigners are on trial for their part in protests against George Bush’s visit to Northern Ireland in April 2003 had their Charges dropped. Two days had been set aside for the contest in Belfast Magistrates Court but by lunchtime on Thursday the 5 were popping champagne outside the court.

it's jam!

The charges were withdrawn on the basis that all 5 are bound over to keep the peace for a period of 12 months for £200. What this basically means is that should any of us be convicted of any offence (particularly public disorder) the court can apply to get £200 for breach of the bond to keep the peace.

The main reason for the charges being dropped was that the police had failed to but together an adequate case. The defendants did not intend to contest the 'Blocking a Public Highway' (we blocked the road in a show of outrage & to bring attention to the fact that Bush, Blair & Ahern where hypocritically 'talking to us' about peace in Northern Ireland whilst waging war in Iraq). We had all agreed to fight the 'Public Disorder' & 'Resisting Arrest' charges & were in no doubt that it was the PSNI's heavy handed actions that were on trial not our own.

Although no witnesses were called & it was clear that the Magistrate was in no way interested in the political nature of the actions for which the defendants where on trial the three defence barristers stated to the court that this case was about actions motivated by conscience & that each off the defendants where trying to bring attention to a war that was not only unjust but illegal in terms of international law. The irony of bounding over people on trial for their actions against war to keep the peace seemed to be lost on the Magistrate. One supporter quipped that 'binding peace activists to keep peace is like asking a bear to keep honey'.

The case received quite a bit of media attention with reports & pictures in The Belfast Telegraph, Irish News, Daily Mirror, Newletter, Andersonstown News, South Belfast News, & got mentioned on news bulletins on BBC Radio Ulster & Newsline on TV. Belfast Telegraph Article online:
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=550682

Belfast Food Not Bombs braved the rain in the morning to serve breakfast outside the court house, with the message 'Jam The War', 'Preserve Peace'. This message had a particular significance for this case as several of those arrested had been members of the mystical affinity group 'Jam Spreaders Against The War'. Suited up in white chemical suits with strawberries printed on the back, US & UK skull & crossbones masks, & armed with banners drums & 10 kilos of strawberry jam the crew had set out intent on some pretty funky street theatre. But alas the PSNI had other ideas & sent in the goon squad in full riot gear on a crowd of clearly peaceful demonstration. Before the Jamspreaders had a chance to tread the boards one of the riot squad tried to grab a black refuse sack from them. This action was followed by a small explosion & a shower of strawberry jam covering the riot cops & jam spreaders in a red sticky mess that sent a gasp of shock through the crowd until somebody said 'It's Jam'.

Whilst we celebrated this case as a victory the real point of what this trial has been about has not been forgotten. Untold death & destruction has been inflicted upon the people of Iraq. The lives of real people have been calculated as acceptable collateral damage as politicians such as Bush & Blair play politics & smile at the cameras. Binding order, fines, prison sentences or any other form of state repression will not deter us from speaking out & taking action against injustices such as the 'war' waged on the Iraqi people.

For some suggestions on actions against war check out the leaflet '6 things you can do against war' produced by people involved in the 'our kitchen' network here.
http://www.geocities.com/directactionagainstapathy/warisover.htm