[van-announce] Victory for People of BC - Britannia 9 Trial: Verdict and Sentencing

[shannon bundock]

Britannia 9 Trial: Verdict and Sentencing 

Victory for People of BC – Liberal Government Retreats

 

On Monday July 5th, with final sentencing, the long and drawn out trial of the Britannia 9 came to a close. One of the two young men who were found guilty of “attending and illegal assembly” and “obstruction” was Ivan Drury. Ivan is a well-known, long-time social justice activist in Vancouver and an organizer with Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice and Mobilization Against War and Occupation.  

 

On October 2n, 2002 a demonstration took place at the Britannia Community Center in protest to an appearance by Gordon Campbell, who was attending an opening of a Public-Private-Partnership at the Community Centre. This demonstration occurred in the midst of a movement of working and poor people against the sprawling and intense legislative attacks by the BC liberal government. 

 

Due to the protest Gordon Campbell never arrived that day. What occurred on October 2nd however, has become known as the Britannia Police Riot as over 50 police officers attacked the peaceful demonstration. Police violently assaulted many members of the community, including an elderly minister whose face was slammed into a stucco wall and a 13 year-old boy who was arrested after being punched in the face. 

 

Throughout the five week long trial earlier this year, it was became clear that police provoked the escalation of the protest, beginning with the arrest and assault of Reverend George Feenstra, who was performing a mime-skit. Police then arrested 7 other demonstrators, used pepper spray in the vicinity of elementary school children and continued to physically and verbally harass members of the community who were demanding the release of unlawfully arrested protesters. 

 

Since the election of the BC Liberal government, the people of BC had been demonstrating in large numbers against cuts to services, elimination of legal aid, closing of women’s centres, and attacks on nearly every oppressed sector of society. The VPD’s attack at the Britannia Police Riot was an attempt to set a precedent in order to deter the people of BC from uniting and exercising their democratic right to protest against the BC Liberal agenda. 

 

Despite the “guilty” verdict that was handed down, Monday’s sentencing has shown a clear retreat on the part of government. The crown prosecutor was asking for 60-90 days of jail time. In desperation, the crown even stated that Ivan Drury, in particular, must be sentenced to jail because of his leadership role in the protest and in order to deter people from engaging in protest in the future. 

 

The judge, in his final sentencing agreed with the “extremely important element of deterrence”, but was unable to sentence jail time. Due to the lack of any legitimate case against the Britannia 9, and the weak argument on behalf of the crown, the judge’s sentence was a “Conditional Discharge” of 18 months probation. 

 

The entire trial that took place this year was a political attack by the judicial system in defence of the BC Liberal government. However, despite their efforts, they failed to level any solid conviction and were forced to retreat during sentencing. 

 

The crown’s argument for jail, based primarily on “deterrence” is further proof of the political nature of this trial and the objective of intimidating the people of BC and criminalizing dissent. In the case of the Britannia 9, the BC Liberals failed to hand down a sentence that would effectively “deter” the people of BC from exercising their democratic right to protest.  

 

The trial of the Britannia 9 further proved that the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is engaged in growing and systemic violence, harassment and abuse against people exercising their democratic right of protest.

 

The final retreat of the government, with the sentencing of “Conditional Discharge” shows that the balance of forces in BC is not completely in the favour of the BC Liberal government. Through increased pressure, mobilization and unity among people under attack, we can use this victory to expose the VPD and their actions against working people and in defence of the BC Liberals.

 

 

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For More Info:

Shannon Bundock

Coordinator of Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice

sbundock at shaw.ca

www.fire-this-time.org

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