BBC Newsonline: SSP begins legal action over ban

SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit Press Release:
14/07/05

SSP instructs QC over Parliament penalties 41 MEP's protest to George Reid

The human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar has instructed two QC's on behalf of the Scottish Socialist Party to begin proceedings in the Court of Session over the penalties imposed by the Scottish Parliament after a protest by four of the SSP's six MSP's on Thursday 30th June.

Following a preliminary meeting with legal advisors, the SSP has been told that it's MSP's have a very strong legal case and that the first moves seeking a judicial review will be taken shortly.

SSP national convenor Colin Fox today had a meeting with Paul Grice, Clerk and Chief Executive of the Scottish Parliament, at which the implementation of the sanctions were outlined.

Colin also revealed that 41 members of the European Parliament have written to George Reid to protest at the severity of the sanctions imposed by Parliament as have 8 Portuguese MP's.

The 41 MEP's are members of the European United Left Nordic Green Left. European Parliamentary Group.

Speaking after the meeting with Paul Grice Colin said;

"The sanctions outlined to me today by Paul Grice are utterly unacceptable and disproportionate to the protest that was made in Parliament.
"We have been denied any semblance of natural justice; we were tried in our absence without any kind of due process, right of appeal or any other of the basic human rights enshrined in law.
"I have met with our legal team and we are advised that we have a very strong case which will be taken to the Court of Session when we seek a judicial review of these draconian penalties.
"Socialist parliamentarians from across Europe have rallied to our defence with 41 members of the European Parliament and 8 members of the Portuguese Parliament writing to George Reid to protest at the severity of the sanctions imposed by Parliament.
"We are confident that by September the Scottish Parliament will have the full compliment of six SSP MSP's sitting in their rightful place in the chamber of the Scottish Parliament."

SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit Press Release: 09/07/05

SSP demands an enquiry into G8 policing

The Scottish Socialist Party today demanded an enquiry into the policing of G8 protests across Scotland, in particular of the role that police forces from outside Scotland had played.

The SSP accused police of deliberately attempting to sabotage the demonstration at Auchterarder on Wednesday 6th July by announcing that it had been cancelled, resulting in nearly a thousand people taking to the streets of Edinburgh instead of making their way to Gleneagles. The SSP also accused police of preventing friends and family of those appearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court of attending the hearings without any authority to do so.

SSP MSP for Central Scotland Carolyn Leckie said today; "There must now be an enquiry into the policing of G8 protests across Scotland. "The conduct of the police must be examined, in particular the role of forces that came from outside Scotland who appeared to act in a completely uncontrolled manner on a number of occasions. "Did police officers cover their numbers to prevent complaints being made about their behaviour? "By what authority did police prevent friends and family of those appearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court attending the hearings? "The police must also be called to account for events in Edinburgh on Wednesday which they precipitated by falsely announcing that the Auchterarder demonstration had been cancelled. "It looks to us very much like the announcement by the police that the Auchterarder demonstration was cancelled was a deliberate attempt to sabotage an event which the police had given permission for. "The style of policing adopted by officers on the streets of Scotland over the past week appears to have been deliberately provocative and heavy handed with a cavalier attitude to basic civil liberties."

Further detail: Buses going to the demonstration at Auchterarder were stopped by police who then refused to identify a senior officer with whom the bus organisers could communicate with, telling people on the buses that anarchists were attacking buses with scaffolding poles and that an overturned bus was blocking the way. SSP members and MSP's repeatedly came into contact with police officers with their numbers covered up or missing altogether. Officers repeatedly refused to identify themselves and would not identify a senior officer. This happened all over Scotland, in Edinburgh and at the protestor's eco-camp in Stirling. Colin Fox MSP and SSP national convenor has already written to the Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson complaining in the strongest possible terms about the practice. When protesters tried to lodge official complaints about the actions of officers, the police would not take the complaint without the numbers of the officers involved.

The activities of Metropolitan Police officers in Edinburgh in particular were highlighted by the SSP. From Monday 4th July onwards Metropolitan Police officers and those from other forces outside Scotland behaved in an entirely disproportionate way to what had begun as peaceful protests around the 'Carnival For Full Enjoyment'. From Monday morning groups of officers were stopping all young people in the street, demanding ID, searching them and then filming them. Police hemmed in protestors along with media representatives in Canning Street for close on 4 hours, refusing to let them leave or to gain access to toilets or water on a day of scorching sunshine. Riot police were then deployed in Canning Street when there had been little more than pushing and shoving at the police line hemming in the demonstrators. Later in the day on the Monday police tactics brought about a situation in which violence escalated when Edinburgh locals were confronted with riot police rampaging through Princes Street Gardens and riot police on horses moved through crowds of bystanders.

SSP Youth Organiser Donnie Nicolson was arrested by police while attempting to negotiate with them in Edinburgh on Wednesday following the cancellation of buses to Auchterarder when police officers boarded the buses, falsely saying that the demonstration had been cancelled. After his release from court on Thursday Donnie was immediately targeted by members of the Metropolitan Police and re-arrested. The SSP contacted Lothian and Borders Police on Thursday night expressing concern that any of our members attending court the following day would be targeted by police and on Friday officers from Lothian and Borders ensured the safety of our members in Chambers Street.