The appeal of the final squatban resister is coming up! 30th and 31st Oct, 10:30am Hove Crown Court, Landsdown Place, Hove!
In a week and a half, on the 30th and 31st of October, our friend Dirk will finally have his appeal against his conviction for Squatting a Residental building. We call on all squatters and allie to come to this appeal and support Dirk! Fuck S144! Down with Weatherley, up the squatters!
A little background: On September 3rd 2012 (3 days after Section 144 LASPO was passed, criminalising squatting in a residental buidling) A squat on London Rd in Brighton was raided by Sussex Police and hired goons from Veritas Security company. On the flimsy pretext that the building looked residential, Police kicked the door in, only to find that two squatters had made their way up on to the roof, and another three had superglued themselves together in the attic. After six hours, they finally managed to arrest the three in the attic (the two on the roof having escaped), who were charged with squatting a residental building, obstructing police and abstracting electricity. A three day trial was held in April 2013, at which all charges were dropped for two of the defendants on the basis that there was absolutely no evidence of any offence. One final defendant, Dirk, was convicted of Squatting a residental building despite the fact the only evidence against him was the statement of a single lieing cop (he was literally caught lieing in court). He was given a year long community order, 40 hours of unpaid work and £250 costs. An appeal was launches straight away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHAX93BH_k0 The Raid
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10372394.Defence_calls_for_squat_trial_to_be_thrown_out/ Trial Day One
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10375093.Two_Brighton_squat_cases_rejected_in_court/ Two Cases Thrown Out
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10444375.Squatter_first_in_Sussex_to_be_found_guilty_of_breaking_new_law/ Dirk’s Conviction
Twittaverse