Defend the Gaza protestors

I have not been able to blog for several days as I spent Monday and Tuesday in Nottingham in court as an observer attending the trial of a friend's husband there and offering moral support to the family. It was very strange observing the majesty of the law at close hand and I will blog about that at some point in the future. I returned to work yesterday and celebrated St Patrick's Day last night, as I believe in celebrating the real day and the real event rather than some event held by the Mayor of London on the nearest weekend, although I expect that there were many people who thoroughly enjoyed the festivities in Trafalgar Square. I had calls last night from Ireland and also wished other Irish people I know here a happy day. There was a very interesting article in the Guardian yesterday by an Irishwoman living in New York about how the celebrations there have turned into a celebration for all immigrants, and I think that is why perhaps the issue of refugees and immigrants etc, is so close to my heart because of the history of emigration and the various experiences of the Irish diaspora, one of whom I am.

The Muslims are the new Irish and the experience of the young Muslims jailed for taking part in the Gaza demonstrations is truly terrible. Details of the campaign to support them are below. Please sign the petition.

DEFEND THE GAZA PROTESTORS

At last the outrageous treatment by the police and courts of

protestors at the Gaza demonstrations in January 2009 is

getting some media coverage (SEE http://bit.ly/bJeQMr ).



Virtually all of those accused of minor disturbances at the

demonstrations are young Muslims and the judge has been

handing down what he calls "deterrent" jail sentences -- some

for as long as two and a half years, which is unprecedented

for such offences.



Following a packed meeting in Parliament, a Gaza Protestors

Defence Campaign has been set up to get the charges dropped.

(SEE http://bit.ly/d1FqIA )

PETITION

The Gaza Protestors' Campaign page includes a downloadable

petition which will be delivered to the Home Office at a

protest to be called in the near future. Please circulate the

petition as widely as possible and return filled in petitions

as soon as possible. Download here: http://bit.ly/b1KAxH )



DOSSIERS ON POLICE BEHAVIOUR

What has not been reported is the violent and intimidatory

police behaviour on the Gaza demonstration, causing serious

injuries which could have resulted in fatalities, as it did in

the case of Ian Tomlinson when similar tactics were used at

the G20 protests in April 2009. Stop the War has collated eye

witness reports of the police attacks on the Gaza

demonstrations into two dossiers now available online:



* Dossier on Police Behaviour; Gaza Demonstration 03 January

2009: http://bit.ly/9MwyUw

* Dossier on Police Behaviour; Gaza Demonstration 10 January

2009: http://bit.ly/9YrFAB