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Student, Anti-Cuts Protests & Summer Riots Prisoners
Amongst ongoing prosecutions for individuals participating in the student and worker uprisings against cuts over the last year, several protesters have been heavy handedly sentenced (mostly for S2. Public Order Act 1986 offences) and need our support.
You can kee up to date on court appearences and sentencing at http://defendtherighttoprotest.org/
Both the long-running and committed Legal Defence and Monitoring Group (http://ldmg.org.uk/) and the newer Green and Black Cross (http://www.greenandblackcross.org/) are monitoring cases, so do also support them in their valuable work.
LDMG also publish a regualrly updated list of sentenced and remanded prisoners and our sister group, London ABC, maintain direct contact with a lot of the remanded prisoners in London jails.
The Fortnum & Mason defendants also have their own blog at: http://fortnum145.org/
Ed Woolard, an 18-year old student who was sentenced to 32 months for violent disorder after throwing a fire extinguisher during the occupation of the Tory HQ at Millbank in December 2010. No one was injured and he later admitted he had gotten carried away and regretted the act, but both media and courts disproportionately condemned him.
http://support4edwoollard.wordpress.com/ for more info.
STOP PRESS: Ed has since been released.
Francis Fernie, a young York student was sentenced to 12 months for the outrageously minor misconduct of throwing some flimsy sticks. His supporters are facilitating support by letters or email; if you would like to write to him contact: [email protected] explaining who you are and why you would like to contact him; they will then send you Frank's PI number and address. See also http://www.freefrankfernie.info/ for flyers, a call for donations to help friends and family visit him, and more information.
UPDATE: Frank was release on tag on 24/10/11.
Harry Webb
12 month sentence for violent disorder from the March 26 protests despite having been violently attacked by the cops on the demonstration.
Harry would really appreciate the odd postal order as he has sod all money.
UPDATE: Harry has since been released.
Omar Ibrahim
Found guilty of violent disorder and was sentenced to 18 months.
Omar's prison blog: http://bangedupforprotesting.wordpress.com/
UPDATE: Omar was released on probation in July 2012.
Richard Bezzina
Serving 21 months for violent disorder during last summer's riots. Please note that he struggles to read and write.
UPDATE: Richard was released on June 12.
Michael Newton
Serving 12 months for a J30 action and multiple other minor charges. This anarchist from Cumbria is due out on early release on 30 December (we hope).
Shortly before being arrested, Michael had compiled a fundraising dvd for prisoner support groups. If you asked about a copy you'll know now why you never heard back. Michael welcomes letters, posters and pictures.
UPDATE: Michael was released on Dec 30.
Joseph Binney
Joseph Binney was found guilty of violent disorder from the M26 demo and sentenced to 2 years in prison.
UPDATE: Joseph has since been released on Home Detention Curfew (tag) and would like to thank everybody who supported him whilst inside. [02/06/12]
Benjamin Sunderland
12 months for violent disorder at Millbank on 10 November 2010.
UPDATE: Ben has been released from prison. [07/02/12]
Richard Bacon
Serving a 10 month sentence for Affray (s3) from March 26th.
UPDATE: Richard has been released from prison. [14/02/12]
Zenon Mitchell-Kotsakis
Zenon is a Sussex University student who received a 15 months sentence for throwing a placard stick at a riot cop (it missed) on the November 10 protest.
UPDATE: Zenon has since been released.
Matt Robinson
Sentenced to 12 months for alleged violent disorder on the Nov 10 student demonstrations.
UPDATE: Matt has since been released.
Oguz Ornek
Sentenced to 18 months on November 4th for alleged violent disorder on the student protests.
UPDATE: Oguz has since been released.