Press Releases & Updates 2001

Justice of the Peace Ian Smythe ruled that by preventing the collapse of a tripod on which people were suspended, Freya was guilty of causing serious alarm, and fined her £100.

John McSweeny (21), a student in Manchester who attended the February 12th Big Blockade dressed as a "Ninja Against Nukes" defended a breach of the peace charge himself. Pointing out glaring discrepancies in the police evidence (they differed on locations of John’s arrest by an order of 200 yards!) John argued that there was no case to answer. JP Smythe ruled that there was a case to answer, but duly found McSweeny not guilty.

Afterwards McSweeny said," The police accounts of what happened were so different. It appeared that they were not treating my arrest seriously."

Darren Jackson (25) an unemployed man from Sheffield pled guilty to breach of the peace relating again to the Big Blockade on 12th February this year. JP Smythe fined Jackson £100.

At Dumbarton Sheriff Court today, Mark Akkerman (22) a student of Government Studies from Holland appeared to answer a charge of breach of the peace relating to a blockade at the Royal Navy Armaments Depot at Coulport on 12th October 1999. Akkerman defended himself, mentioning the argument used by Tommy Sheridan on Monday, that peaceful protest is not a crime. Sheriff Fitzsimmons stated that he had no interest in Tommy Sheridan’s case, besides which it has been appealed, found Akkerman guilty and admonished him. The sheriff also warned him that if his anti-nuclear activities continued, Akkerman could face deportation just as Ulla Roder does at this time.

Printer friendly version

Home | Top