[Onthebarricades] Repression, October 2007 - Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UK

[Andy]

*  AUSTRALIA:  Police impunity seems likely over Wadeye shooting

*  POLAND:  Riot police attack dissident convent

*  UK:  Riot police called over pub customer who lit cigarette in protest

[In this case - recognised even in the British media as an excessive police 
response to very minor deviance - this is the latest in a persistent pattern 
of riot police being used to terrorise and sledgehammer people; other recent 
cases have involved a man who got a visit from riot police for sending an 
email critical of the local council, and a disturbed elderly man who was 
attacked by riot police for defying council officials, without any attempt 
made at mediation.]

*  UK:  Courts again excuse Mayday police atrocities

[The Mayday ruling that the Human Rights Act does not say what it obviously 
says because it would be inconvenient if it did, that victimisation of 
protesters and bystanders was "for their own protection", effectively 
denying the very principle of human rights by insisting that police 
convenience in obtaining control by whatever means is the ultimate good. 
Even someone who is not even a protester but simply a bystander is deemed a 
legitimate target of police abuse.  Hence the judge decides that liberty = 
fascism.]

*  ITALY:  Anarchists beaten and arrested for standing up for arrestee

*  NEW ZEALAND:  Crackdown targets Zapatista solidarity activists


http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/10/2056191.htm?section=justin

Lawyers urge charges against cop over Wadeye riot shooting
Posted Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:48pm AEST
Map: Wadeye 0822
The counsel assisting the coroner has recommended a Northern Territory 
policeman face criminal charges for fatally shooting a man during a riot in 
an Aboriginal community five years ago.
The coronial inquest into the death of Robert Jongmin, 18, has wrapped up 
today, with two lawyers recommending criminal charges.
It was Senior Constable Robert Whittington's sixth day on the job in Wadeye 
when he found himself in the middle of a riot of up to 300 people.
He told the inquest he saw a gunman fire a shot at Mr Jongmin and aim again.
Sen Const Whittington said he then fired four shots, hitting the gunman in 
the arm and fatally shooting the man he was trying to save.
The lawyer for Mr Jongmin's family wants the officer to be charged with 
manslaughter, while the counsel assisting the coroner has recommended he be 
charged with doing a dangerous act causing death.
The policeman conceded today that Mr Jongmin was in his line of sight when 
he was firing.
Until now, Sen Const Whittington has said that Mr Jongmin was not in his 
line of sight when he fired at the man waving a shotgun.
Under intense questioning today by the lawyer for Mr Jongmin's family, the 
officer was asked if he fired the shot that killed the 18-year-old.
He replied, "Yes".
He was then asked, "If that's the case, he was in your line of sight?" and 
he said, "Yes".
Sen Const Whittington also conceded today that on the day in question he 
broke one of the key firearm safety principles: never shoot at anything you 
have not positively identified.
In closing submissions, the counsel assisting the coroner, Phillip 
Strickland, told the court that Sen Const Robert Whittington's marksmanship 
was not of a high standard but was sufficient for him to be an operational 
policeman.
Despite Sen Const Whittington not being trained to shoot from more than 12 
metres, during the riot he fired the shots at the armed man from about 45 
metres away.
Mr Strickland has told the court that Sen Const Whittington's serious errors 
of judgement were not motivated by malice, anger or retribution, but flowed 
from blind panic.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/11/wpol111.xml

Riot police storm rebellious Polish convent

By Matthew Day in Warsaw
Last Updated: 3:07am BST 12/10/2007

A rebellion that pitted an order of Polish nuns against the might of the 
Vatican has ended after police forced their way into their convent, evicting 
64 people and arresting two.
With a battery of television cameras rolling, about 150 officers, many in 
full riot gear, moved against the Sisters of Bethany after they refused to 
comply with a court order requiring them to leave their convent in the small 
town of Kazimierz Dolny, south-east of Warsaw.
The eviction ended a revolt that dated back to 2005 when the Vatican sacked 
the then mother superior, Jadwiga Ligocka, after she claimed that she had 
had "private inspiration by the Holy Spirit".

Attempts to replace her triggered the confrontation.

Loyal to their spiritual leader, the Bethany sisters locked the doors of the 
convent, cut themselves off from the world and failed to follow the Church's 
orders.

The rebels refused to comply with the Vatican's demands even when 10 of them 
were defrocked and the diocese banned the administration of the sacrament in 
the convent.
Faced with ex-communication, they adopted a siege mentality, hired security 
guards, changed the locks on the gates and shunned all contact with the 
outside world.
Cut off from the Church and without electricity, the women had to rely on 
food parcels brought by well-wishers and family members.
Officers used a ladder to scale the convent walls after the women had 
refused to unlock the gates.
While some of the black-habited rebels sang religious songs and played 
guitars, other hurled abuse and swore, according to a police spokesman.
The former mother superior and a renegade monk, Roman Komarczyko, whom 
police described as "very aggressive", were arrested.
Speaking on behalf of the Polish Church, Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek, admitted 
that the affair had damaged the Church but added that it had been left with 
no choice but eviction.
"It was the last resort that nobody wanted," he said, "but we had to do it."

http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news_detail.aspx?articleid=51961

15/10/2007 09:05

Riot police were called to a Warwickshire pub after a man lit up in protest, 
reports the Daily Mail.
John Vaughan became so enraged when staff at the Copper Pot in Leamington 
Spa switched the channel over from the cricket to the foootball that he 
started smoking in protest.
This all took place - last month on 8 September. Police confirmed that had 
received a report of a man being aggressive and smoking.
"The cricket only had ten minutes left, but the football wasn't even going 
to start for another 45 minutes," he told the Mail.
"We complained but nothing happened. So I decided to light up out of 
protest.
"Staff told me I couldn't smoke, but I said I'd had enough of being pushed 
around by the Government.
"They pressed a panic button and the next thing I knew, there were six 
policemen in the pub and two outside."
No action was taken against Vaughan after he agreed to leave.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23416618-details/Riot%20police%20storm%20pub%20after%20a%20smoker%20lights%20up%20in%20protest%20to%20the%20ban/article.do

Riot police storm pub after a smoker lights up in protest to the ban
15.10.07
 Add your view

It wasn't exactly the dramatic finale one cricket fan was expecting.
Having installed himself in his local pub to watch England play India, John 
Vaughan was enraged when the channel was switched over to football just as 
the cricket was reaching its thrilling conclusion.
So Mr Vaughan lit up a cigarette in protest. When he refused to extinguish 
it, staff pressed a panic button behind the bar.
And a few minutes later six riot police officers wearing protective gear 
stormed the pub.
Mr Vaughan had been watching the one-day international at the Copper Pot pub 
in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, last month.
The game was about to finish when the channel was switched to the England 
versus Israel Euro 2008 football qualifier.
Mr Vaughan said yesterday: "The cricket only had ten minutes left, but the 
football wasn't even going to start for another 45 minutes.
"We complained but nothing happened. So I decided to light up out of 
protest.
"Staff told me I couldn't smoke, but I said I'd had enough of being pushed 
around by the Government.
"They pressed a panic button and the next thing I knew, there were six 
policemen in the pub and two outside."
No action was taken against demolition boss Mr Vaughan after he agreed to 
leave.
There was a big cheer round the pub from about 60 people, added Mr Vaughan, 
"and even the police found it quite amusing."
Warwickshire Police confirmed officers had been sent to the pub on September 
8 following reports of a man "smoking and being aggressive".
A spokesman said: "They explained why he should not be smoking, asked him to 
leave and he did so happily."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7044948.stm

Pair lose May Day protest claim

Lois Austin said she was not allowed to leave to pick up her child
Police acted lawfully when they detained more than 1,000 people for more 
than seven hours during a May Day protest, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
Geoffrey Saxby, from East Sussex, and protester Lois Austin, of Southwark, 
south London, claimed the tactics in 2001 breached the Human Rights Act.
They were among people corralled in London's Oxford Circus without food, 
drink or access to toilets.
The appeal court backed the High Court which rejected the claim in March 
2005.
Serious injury
Mr Saxby, from Hastings, said he was not involved in the protest but had got 
caught up in the chaos while collecting money from a bank.
Ms Austin told the court she had to get a friend to collect her 11-month-old 
daughter from a creche because she was not allowed to leave to pick up her 
up.
The Metropolitan Police had argued the containment was lawful in order to 
maintain peace and was necessary to protect public safety and prevent 
disorder and crime.
The pair, who sought damages alleging false imprisonment and a breach of 
their right to liberty under the European Convention, were given permission 
to appeal against the High Court decision.
Agreeing with the High Court judge's earlier ruling, Master of the Rolls Sir 
Anthony Clarke said the pair's "imprisonment" was lawful.
He said: "The risks were from crushing, trampling and missile-throwing which 
could have been fatal.
"The crowd of over 1,000 at Oxford Circus needed measures to be taken to 
control them for their own protection."
"It was a dynamic, chaotic and confusing situation in which there were also 
a large number of other protesters in the immediate vicinity outside the 
cordon who were threatening serious disorder and posing a threat to the 
officers both on the cordon and within it."



A night of ordinary democracy in Bologna: 5 anarchists are beaten and
arrested

On Saturday October 13, at around 4am, a girl who is sleeping in piazza
Verdi is noticed by police on patrol. The latter decide that the girl's 
behaviour
is 'abnormal' and must be corrected by compulsory sanitary treatment (TSO).
They call the ambulance while keeping the girl under their custody against
her will.

Five comrades of the anarchist place 'Fuoriluogo' witness the episode and
cannot help expressing their contempt at the police. They do their best to
prevent the arrest of the girl. The police's answer is brutal: armed with
truncheons and even guns they chase the comrades. As the latter flee, six 
more
police vans are called on the scene and the short escape ends in piazza San
Vitale. The 5 are handcuffed while being severely beaten by the cops. A few
residents in the area are clearly indignant at the police's behaviour but do 
not
intervene.

The accusations against the comrades are quite heavy: aggravated robbery
(the cops have lost a pair of handcuffs), resistance and damage (of a police 
van
in which one of the comrades had been taken). The 5 are immediately
imprisoned in La Dozza prison. Two girls are eventually put under house 
arrest.

We know even too well what the 'crime' of the 5 is, that of having chosen
to oppose with courage a legal world of violence in which resignation live
along with repression and exploitation. Struggle and action against the
oppressor are the only way not to be accomplices of the silence imposed by 
this
murderous society.

FREE MADDA, MANUELA, TEXINO, FEDE AND FACO!

That very night and the following morning the police search the houses of
other comrades in Bologna with the pretext that they are searching for the
disappeared handcuffs.

In the evening a spontaneous march in solidarity to the arrested anarchists
is carried out. Some of the demonstrators decide to express their solidarity
also through 'dangerous' writings on the walls of the town. Caught by Digos
officers, they are arrested and tried summarily: Juan and Bogu are sentenced
to 10 months and taken to prison whereas Davide, Alessio and Belle are
sentenced to 4 months and put under house arrest. A 17 year-old comrade from
Rovereto is also accused.

Here are the addresses of the imprisoned comrades:

Cristian Facchinetti, Federico Razzoli, Andrea Tessarin (arrested on 
Saturday
13), Miroslav Bogu (arrested on Sunday 14)Casa Circondariale La Dozza
Via Del Gomito 2
40127 Bologna
Italy

Juan Antonio Sorroche Fernandez (arrested on Sunday 14)
Casa Circondariale di Ferrara
Via Argione 37
44100
Ferrara (Italy)


http://www.narconews.com/Issue47/article2843.html

Pro-Zapatista Activists Among Those Imprisoned In New Zealand Crackdown
Using New Anti-Terror Laws, Police Target Indigenous and Supporters Across 
the Country

By Julie Webb-Pullman
Special to The Narco News Bulletin
October 17, 2007
WELLINGTON: Two hundred people today demonstrated outside the Wellington 
District Court in New Zealand, to protest Monday's detention of four 
Wellingtonians, the first under the country's new Terrorism Suppression Act. 
Two peace activists compas from the Wellington Zapatista Support Committee 
are amongst these supposed "terrorists" - both of whom have been active in 
Oaxaca and Chiapas in the last year supporting the struggles in Mexico, and 
fundraising in New Zealand for health services for Zapatista communities.

D.R. 2007 Julie Webb-Pullman
At today's hearing the Wellington Four were further remanded in custody with 
name suppression until Friday, when there will be a bail hearing, as well as 
a determination as to whether their cases will be heard 1,000 kilometers 
away in Auckland, with the other "suspects."
More than 300 police, many armed, had swooped down simultaneously in several 
cities around the country, arresting 17 people, several of whom are 
indigenous and all of whom are environmental, peace, or indigenous 
activists. They have all been charged under the Arms Act with various 
offenses relating to alleged possession of various firearms and ammunition. 
More charges may be added in the future. Police are still looking for about 
60 more people, and on Tuesday more Auckland activists were being called in 
for questioning.
Christchurch was no walkover, however - Save Happy Valley Coalition 
spokeswoman Frances Mountier refused to let the police enter her premises 
because they did not have a search warrant.
Ruatoki women were not so lucky - they reported having their door smashed in 
and their children herded into another room by armed police. An elderly 
woman had a gun held to her head, while another was locked in her garage for 
six hours while police searched her property.
Meanwhile, delegates to the annual New Zealand Defense Industry Weapons 
Conference being held in Wellington, sponsored last year by L3 
Communications (the sixth-largest defense company in the United States, 
providing surveillance equipment amongst other things). Serco, a company 
involved in nuclear weapons; Safe Air Ltd., with Indonesian war plane 
connections; and KBR, the former Halliburton subsidiary which provides 
logistical support to the US army in Iraq and runs Guantanamo Camp in Cuba, 
all lounged in luxury at the Duxton Hotel with not a search warrant in 
sight.
This blatant criminalization of social movements in New Zealand, once world 
leader in human and indigenous rights observation (which frankly is not that 
hard, given the appalling state of these internationally) and anti-nuclear 
activism, has sent shock-waves throughout the community.
Maori Member of Parliament Te Ururoa Flavell said a small rural community in 
his electorate was placed "under siege" by the police.
"The Maori families living in my electorate feel unduly harassed by the 
number of search warrants imposed, the charges laid and the intimidation 
they believe they have experienced," he said.
The Alliance Party President Victor Billot says that confusion and secrecy 
surrounding the unprecedented use of armed state power in a political 
context within New Zealand needs to be resolved quickly. "The exact and 
detailed nature of alleged threats to public safety must be made public 
immediately, and not in a selective way; the scale and timing of police 
operations, and the use of police publicity to create an impression of 
immediate danger, must be investigated; and the extremely wide nature of 
arrests and searches that have taken place must be justified," he said.
Global Peace And Justice Auckland denounced police allegations of terrorism 
in the Urewera ranges, saying they are trumped up to create the right 
political environment to pass the latest so-called anti-terrorism bill 
currently before parliament.
Canterbury University academic and spokesperson for ARENA, David Small, who 
successfully sued the New Zealand police for illegally searching his home at 
the time of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference in 1996, has 
labeled the police raids of the homes of social activists "draconian and 
probably illegal." He said the police seem to have learnt nothing from 
Justice Young's judgment condemning the police for failing to distinguish 
between political and criminal activity.
"Democratic societies need free and open debate. And groups engaging in this 
kind of critical activity need the law to protect their rights to do so. 
Today's raids have the opposite effect and are clearly designed to 
intimidate and silence these voices of dissent," said Dr Small on Monday.
Christian World Service National Director Jonathan Fletcher was shocked to 
hear of the early morning raids by police on homes around the country. "New 
Zealand police have stepped way over the mark - they are creating fear in 
our communities and fanning the flames of racism against Maori and mistrust 
of legitimate activists," he said.
When the Terrorism Suppression Act came into law, Maori said that it was 
only a matter of time before it was used against them - and Monday has 
proved them right.
Protests are expected to continue throughout the country as the accused make 
further court appearances.