Sun, 30 Sep 2007
There's no need to commit a crime to have a brush with the law, and it
seems to get easier every day. Please do take care
to avoid train stations when using a Freedom Pass (free transport for
over 60 and disable residents in London), avoid looking at the Police
officers surrounding you when having a pint and
of course
do look at any officers by the entrance of a tube station straight in
the eyes.
On 2007-09-13, Pacifist Gwyn Gwyntopher, 66 years old, was
arrested by the British Transport Police at the Excel Centre Dockland
Light Railway (DLR) station. She was wearing
on her back a poster that said ‘Remember the victims of the arms
trade’, and it was visible to the arm dealers selling their wares at
the DSEi arms fair. Her husband Chris
recounts
(via
Kathz
blog):
She was then dragged along the ground to the lift. In
considerable pain
she appealed to the police to take the handcuffs off. They declined.
When her husband Chris Gwyntopher came up the stairs to find out what
had happened to her she appealed to him to get the police to remove the
handcuffs. He tried to persuade the officers to do so, pointing out
that she would not harm anybody and would not seek to run away. They
refused and pulled him away from her.
She was charged with
trespassing on DLR station and refusing to leave.
She had her freedom pass on her and was ready to leave, in the
direction of the Excel She was offered bail on the condition she did
not go on the Docklands Light Railway until her court appearance. She
refused to accept this condition. She was transferred to Forest Gate
Police Station and held overnight to appear before Stratford
Magistrates on Friday 14/9/07.
At about nearly midday Friday, the Magistrate heard her plea of not
guilty. She was bailed to appear for trial on Monday November 5th at
9.30 am with a pre-trial review the afternoon of Thursday 4th October
at
the Magistrates Court, 389-397 High Street, Stratford E15. Supporters
welcome The bail conditions were that she not go on DLR land or the
Excel Centre until midday Saturday 15th September. She was not required
to accept or sign to keep the conditions which would have prevented her
communicating with the arms traders.
On 2007-09-26, Bob Hamlen, 47, and Michael Burbidge, 31 were stopped
and searched as they sat on a bench outside the Westcliff Tavern in
West Cliff Road, Bournemouth. The pub patio overlooks the security
checkpoint at the entrance to the Highcliff Marriott
Hotel where Labour politicians are staying during this week's
party conference. Bob was
interviewed
by the Bournemouth Echo (via
UK
Liberty):
"I was carrying my disabled bus pass but it didn't
make any difference.
I needed to go to the toilet and an officer went with me in case I
escaped. After radioing through the information, they asked us to
accompany them, in separate police cars, to the police station.
"It was very embarrassing because some of our friends were sitting
nearby. Michael suffers from stress and was getting very agitated.
"They said the reason I was being taken to the police station was
because I had been seen passing a white envelope.
"But all I did was take my post out of my jacket pocket and open an
electricity bill.
"On Michael's stop and search form they said they wanted to speak to
him, under the Terrorism Act, because he had been looking at a police
officer.
Act now.
Refuse
to be terrorised.
