Press Releases & Updates 2001

Marjan Willemsen (24), a Dutch national who is a full time activist at Faslane Peace Camp, was acquitted by Sheriff Farrell on the breach of the peace charge and also for failing to turn up for a previous hearing. There was evidence from the Crown witnesses that Marjan had tied herself to the gallery railing, had thrown leaflets down into the chamber, had shouted out a request for the Parliament to discuss Trident and had gone limp when arrested. Sheriff Farrell was however satisfied that there was none of the fear and alarm necessary to establish the charge of breach of the peace. The protest had been clearly political and peaceful, judging by the songs that they were singing, such as "We will overcome."

Later, before a different Sheriff, Joy Mitchell (68), a retired headteacher from Berwick, was also found not guilty. At one point the Sheriff asked the Procurator Fiscal why the Parliament’s Presiding Officer David Steel was not giving evidence if the matter was as serious as the Crown was claiming. He told the Procurator Fiscal that he did not understand why the eleven had not been tried together, a point the accused have been arguing from the very beginning of the process. The Sheriff said that there was no evidence that Joy had taken part in a breach of the peace.

Seven of the Scottish Parliament demonstrators have now been tried leading to one guilty verdict (which is being appealed), five acquittals (one of which is being appealed by the Crown), and one Not Proven.

David Mackenzie said: "With every fresh acquittal of the demonstrators the suspicion is growing that the Procurator Fiscal’s office was reacting to Executive pressure when it embarked on these ridiculous prosecutions. We suggest that the Crown now avoids further embarrassment, waste of time and public money by accepting the not guilty pleas of the rest. Meanwhile it has not escaped us that the Parliament, to its shame, has still not debated Trident, which it has every right and duty to do, in spite of defence being a reserved issue."

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