‘Jeremy Clarkson can go on TV and say “Take the strikers out and shoot them” but nothing’s done… It’s because he’s got friends in high places’ – grandfather of imprisoned teenager Shaun Divin.
The fire that was lit in Tottenham on 6 August 2011, following the police killing of Mark Duggan, set cities across England ablaze as thousands of youths took to the streets in an eruption of working class anger. In the Scottish town of Dundee, Shaun Divin (16) and Jordan McGinley (18) joked on a Facebook page called ‘Riot in the toon’, encouraging similar actions north of the border. On 11 August their homes were raided, their laptops seized and they were arrested, refused bail and remanded into Polmont Young Offenders Institute. Once again we witnessed the ice-cold approach of ‘defence’ solicitors, as the pair were instructed to plead guilty to a breach of the peace charge. On 12 December, sentencing Shaun and Jordan to four and three years’ imprisonment respectively, the judge pronounced that: ‘This is one of the worst breaches of the peace that I have ever had to deal with.’ All this despite the fact that absolutely no riots actually took place in Dundee or anywhere in Scotland.
No riot necessary
This incident is not isolated; such cases are being repeated across Britain. As we reported in FRFI 223, on 17 August Jordan Blackshaw and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan were sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for creating a Facebook event called ‘Let’s Have a Riot in Latchford’. On 15 December Daniel Cook (22) from Kidderminster was imprisoned for 30 months for setting up a Facebook page, which was only accessible for half an hour, called ‘Letz start a riot’. (There were no riots in Latchford or Kidderminster.) Sam Lowe (21) from Nottingham is due to be sentenced on 3 February for sending a BlackBerry message encouraging people to assemble and ‘kick off’ against the police.
One of the only cases related to social media which actually went before a jury was in Wakefield, where Hollie Bentley (19) resolutely refused to plead guilty to encouraging violent disorder on Facebook. Although initially being told by the trial judge that her comments were ‘potentially a very serious offence’, the pregnant teenager was acquitted by the jury of all charges. Hollie’s defence of her democratic rights was vindicated.
Harsher sentences – more arrests
Meanwhile the onslaught on those accused of actual participation continues apace. On 16 November at Wolverhampton Crown Court Danielle Corns (19) was imprisoned for 10 months for entering a shop for ten seconds and taking two left-footed trainers, which she immediately discarded.
By 22 December 3,423 people had been arrested in London alone and 2,179 charged or summonsed. The Metropolitan Police continues to make 50 arrests a week. The Crown Prosecution Service has a dedicated team of 20 lawyers working full time on these cases. In Greater Manchester, the West and East Midlands, Merseyside and elsewhere arrests and prosecutions are also continuing.
Fascist councils and punitive prisons
On 10 January, Daniel Sartain-Clarke (18) was imprisoned for 11 months on a charge of burglary of Curry’s at Clapham Junction, which was ransacked on 8 August. As soon as Daniel – who has no previous convictions – was behind bars, Wandsworth Council recommenced its attempts to evict his mother and eight-year-old sister from their council flat on the grounds that Daniel’s conviction was a breach of tenancy. In September 2011, Daniel’s mother Maite de la Calva became the first person to be threatened with eviction on these grounds, quite correctly telling a shocked BBC reporter that the council were behaving ‘like fascists’. On 19 January, Maite de la Calva’s determined stance and the support she received from local campaigners forced the council to back down and retract the eviction notices. However, the threat of such collective punishment has not gone away for everyone and at least one Labour council, Southwark, is still trying to evict two households on similar grounds.
FRFI has received various accounts of the treatment of those sentenced for the August uprising once they arrive at prison. At Holloway women’s prison in north London, incoming prisoners who received riot-related sentences did not go through any of the normal ‘first night in custody’ induction process, but were sent directly onto prison wings – apparently on the instructions of the Ministry of Justice. And at HM Young Offenders Institute Isis, situated next to Belmarsh prison in south London, we have been told that young prisoners are being wound up by staff, deprived of access to basic items such as toilet roll and refused early release on tag.
Step up the solidarity!
As regular readers of FRFI will know, campaigns in Glasgow and Newcastle have been successful in defeating politically-motivated charges and have repeatedly exposed attempts by the state to destroy democratic rights. As many have learned the hard way, pleading guilty automatically exposes you to the full wrath of the state. Pleading not guilty and mounting a political defence does not guarantee acquittal, but the odds on retaining your freedom and exposing the failings of the state are vastly improved. However, this cannot be done without external support. Thousands of young people are being churned through the ruling class’s ‘justice’ system and into prison. They must be publicly defended and supported.
Connor Riley and Nicki Jameson
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! 225 February/March 2012
