Since the August rebellion in English cities (see pages 8 and 9) over 1,000 people have been remanded in custody or sentenced to prison terms. These prisoners are being singled out for concerted attack at every level. Some government spokespersons and media reports are concentrating on the statistic that the majority of those arrested have previous cautions or convictions, using this to imply that this makes them hardened criminals undeserving of any sympathy. Other commentators, including the Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwicke, are highlighting the apparent vulnerability of the new influx of prisoners, particularly juveniles, claiming that they will either be forced to join gangs for their own protection, or physically assaulted, and victimised, possibly ending up on suicide watch.
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! (FRFI) believes that these prisoners deserve our solidarity and support. We see this mass incarceration as an act of political vengeance by the ruling class against the people’s spontaneous response to police murder, state repression and inequality. The men, women and children now being remanded and sentenced are political prisoners of the British capitalist state.
Remand prisoner Pete Simpson opened a dialogue about the August events in the prisoners’ newspaper Inside Time, writing:
‘Having been arrested on suspicion of being involved in the August riots it is clear to me that the latest whitewash inquiry has begun in the media. Politicians, journalists, historians, police and even the royals have been using air-time and column inches to sell their version of events to the public. The range of opinions as to the causes are vast and vary from easily defeated theories such as David Starkey’s racism, to others that have remained unchallenged as is often the case with those whom the establishment favours. However, when we challenge the establishment we can see the inconsistencies. Some examples of this include the attempted squashing and editing of documents when the MPs’ expenses scandal started, the News International phone-hacking scandal and the suggestion it was all down to one ‘rogue’ royal correspondent, the deaths of Jean Charles De Menezes, Ian Tomlinson, and now Mark Duggan. In all these cases, as will happen with the cause of the riots, we have seen a release of misinformation followed by a truer version of events when the truth can no longer be contained.
‘We need to stop this nonsense and ask the actual rioters why they took to the streets instead of simply suggesting it was “greed”, “gangs” and general “mindlessness”. So, before we get another whitewash inquiry, a questionnaire is aiming to survey as many rioters as possible and those in prison can take part by writing to: Riot Survey, 62 Fieldgate Street, Whitechapel, London, E1 1ES. Please remember to include your address.’
As well as writing to the ‘Riot Survey’, you can also write to us at FRFI. Our newspaper has a long, proud history of supporting prisoners and publishing material written by them. We send the paper free to anyone in prison who requests a copy and we want to hear your stories (without prejudice to any court proceedings of course) about what has happened to you, and in particular about your treatment in the courts and prison.
We’d also like to encourage other prisoners who already receive Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! to show solidarity with the prisoners of the August riots if you come into contact with them. Support these brothers and sisters; encourage them to write to us at FRFI; give them details of good lawyers if they do not have proper legal representation; help them understand and survive the prison system if they are new to it. Unity is strength.
FRFI 223 October/November 2011
