All Campaigns subcategories:
Youth keywords:
Croxteth Comprehensive School (1)
Educational Maintenance Allowance (4)
Policing
Highlight keywords |
Print this article
Search site for keywords: Policing - Protest - Police - Student - Young people
Justice for Alfie? Defend the right to protest
Sam Morecroft, University of Sheffield Socialist Students
Alfie Meadows, who suffered brain injuries as a result of his treatment at the hands of the police during the 9 December 2010 student demonstration, has been cleared of violent disorder charges following his second retrial on Thursday 7 March.
Zak King, another student, was also cleared of all charges. The jury delivered a unanimous 'not guilty' verdict after hearing the two recount seeing police attacking protesters indiscriminately, using batons and shields to strike people, even in cases where they had already been beaten to the ground.
Their lawyer, Matt Foot, who has also defended four other student protesters, has described the increasing use of Section Two of the Public Order Act covering violent disorder as an "attack on protest."
Draconian policing
Alfie and Zak were the last of 58 young people to be charged with violent disorder in the aftermath of the 2010 protests against university fee rises, and their acquittal should be celebrated by anyone who values the right to protest.
Disgracefully only 19 of the 58 young people charged with offences following the 2010 student demonstrations have been totally exonerated, and 12 have received custodial sentences.
Even for Alfie, justice has not yet been done. Not one police officer has suffered any punishment for their actions that day, despite the fact that around 30 protesters were treated for head wounds and Jody McIntyre, who suffers from cerebral palsy, was filmed being thrown from his wheelchair by police.
Now that his trial is finally over, the Independent Police Complaints Commission must stop making excuses and deal with Alfie's complaint against the police. Will this lead to justice? Or just another whitewash?
The reaction of politicians and the police to the student demonstrations in 2010 was designed to send a clear message to young people that protesting against the vicious Con-Dem attacks on education would not be tolerated.
We must continue our struggle against fees and cuts, fighting for properly funded free education and the restoration of EMA.
We must also be prepared for the possibility of further police violence. We must stand in solidarity with the victims of police violence, defend the right to protest without exception, and campaign for the abolition of Section Two notices.
Donate to the Socialist Party
Finance appeal
The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
LATEST POSTS
12 May Stop Israeli state brutality
 |
9 May Post-election meetings
15 May Birmingham Socialist Party: How can we fight for socialist change and a new workers' party?
17 May Oxfordshire & Aylesbury Socialist Party: The role of the state
18 May Bristol North Socialist Party: Liverpool - history of socialist struggle
CONTACT US
Phone our national office on 020 8988 8777
Email: [email protected]
Locate your nearest Socialist Party branch Text your name and postcode to 07761 818 206
Regional Socialist Party organisers:
Eastern: 079 8202 1969
East Mids: 077 3797 8057
London: 075 4018 9052
North East: 078 4114 4890
North West 079 5437 6096
South West: 077 5979 6478
Southern: 078 3368 1910
Wales: 079 3539 1947
West Mids: 024 7655 5620
Yorkshire: 078 0983 9793
ABOUT US
ARCHIVE
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999