<nettime-ann> The Right to Protest - Jail term for Trenton Oldfield

[Geert Lovink <geert@xs4all.nl>]

.
SUPPORT FOR TRENTON OLDFIELD FACING JAIL FOR THE RIGHT TO PROTEST

Dear Mute Contributors,

If you could sign the letter below it would be really appreciated.  
This will be a great help and support to Trenton.

The letter will appear as an open lettter on Metamute.org but is  
intended to finally end up on http://www.defendtherighttoprotest.org/

If you send me an email by return to simon@metamute.org then Ill add  
your name to the list at the bottom of the letter. Name and  
affiliation will do.

Many thanks

Simon

--

http://www.metamute.org/editorial/articles/support-trenton-oldfield-facing-jail-right-to-protest

Mute magazine would like to give its support to Trenton Oldfield and  
his protest that took place back in April 2012.

Trenton has been a long standing neighbour of Mute's in the East End  
of London, even setting up the community centre we we're based for  
many years. No person should face this kind of politically motivated  
abuse of imprisonment for the right to protest. But it is made more  
blunt and idiotic when a person like Trenton who has been dedicated to  
people, community and place is prosecuted under a law which looks to  
uphold protect rights of the 'The Public', in this case to watch a  
boat race.

On Friday October 19th the court in Isleworth, West London, hands out  
a sentence to Trenton under a law that can lead to life jail sentence.

Below is a letter of support for Trenton and an invitation to  
Isleworth this Friday to stand up for the right to protest.

Facebook support page https://www.facebook.com/events/373139016090279

If you'd like to sign the letter below please email simon@metamute.org  
we'll add your name to the list of signatures.

THIS IS NOT A GATEWAY

http://www.thisisnotagateway.net

END THE CRIMINALISATION OF PROTEST

On the 7th of April 2012, Trenton Oldfield undertook a direct-action  
protest at the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. The aim of his protest  
was to focus attention on the longstanding and entirely unjust  
inequalities in British society that are being severely exacerbated by  
government cuts. Trenton chose the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race  
because it is a symbol of class, privilege and elitism in Britain.

An astonishing 70% of the cabinet in the current government are Oxford  
or Cambridge graduates. This government is protecting the privileges  
of the wealthy while cutting the essential necessities of the majority  
and the poor and reducing people’s rights and freedoms. In the three  
days before Trenton’s protest, the coalition government (1) received  
royal assent for its bill to privatise the NHS, (2) introduced the  
Communications Data Bill to legalise surveillance of all digital  
communications of UK subjects, and (3) called on people to 'shop their  
neighbours' if they suspected they might protest at the 2012 Olympic  
Games.

Trenton’s protest aimed at drawing attention to these injustices. He  
swam into the course of the boat race. The race was halted and  
restarted 25 minutes later. The action was seen by an international  
audience but it affected just 18 rowers and a handful of event  
organisers on a closed river, on a long weekend. The direct-action  
protest was wholly consistent with Trenton’s decade+ work in London on  
addressing this city’s unnecessary poverty and inequalities. The  
audience for the free event experienced a minor delay of 25 minutes.  
The BBC coverage ended at its pre-scheduled time-slot. Not a single  
complaint was received from the public by either the Metropolitan  
police or the BBC.

Trenton was initially charged with Section 5 of the 'public order  
act'. Hansard reports reveal that government ministers asked the  
police commissioner to increase the charge so that a custodial  
sentence could be achieved. On the morning of his first court  
appearance (23 April 2012) Trenton’s charge was significantly  
increased via the ancient common law charge of 'public nuisance' under  
which conviction can result in life in prison. On the 26 September  
2012 Trenton was found guilty of causing ‘public nuisance’ for  
undertaking his protest.

The recent conviction and sentencing of Russian feminist rock  
collective Pussy Riot to two years in prison for their protest was  
rightly met with shock and anger for the lack of tolerance towards  
dissent under Putin. The very same lack of tolerance towards dissent  
seems to be happening in Britain as Trenton waits for sentencing on  
the 19th October 2012.

Defend the Right to Protest extend our solidarity to Trenton and  
wholeheartedly believe that he should not have faced criminal charges  
for exercising his right to protest. We are concerned about the change  
in the original charge seemingly due to political and media pressure.  
To us it is clear that this protest against inequality and elitism  
does not warrant a custodial sentence, least of all possibly years in  
prison. Defend the Right to Protest are also alarmed that this charge  
might be levied against protesters in the future. The only motive we  
can see for the CPS selecting this outdated legislation is that it  
offers courts the chance to hand down sentences up to life in prison.

After Wednesday’s verdict Trenton made the following statement: "As  
inequalities increase in Britain and across much of the world, so does  
the criminalisation of protest; my solidarity is with everyone  
everywhere working towards more equitable societies.”

We urge an end to this wholly inappropriate over-punishment of Trenton  
and the criminalisation of protest. We encourage people to show  
support for Trenton at the court on the 19th October 2012.

Signed Mute contributors and friends




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