Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2001 23:11:50 +0000 From: Paul Swann <•••@••.•••> Subject: Global Resistance: Release Nicola & Richard http://www.resist.org.uk/genoareleasenandr.html Release Nicola and Richard ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Email us at •••@••.••• with your support for this statement. Ask your workmates, fellow students, neighbours, community group etc to sign it as well. You can also ring the Italian Embassy on 020 7312 2200 or e-mail them at •••@••.•••. Nicola Doherty and Richard Moth, two Globalise Resistance members, have been arrested by Italian Police after the Genoa protests at the weekend. Both work with adults with severe disabilities and are members of Unison trade union. Nicola was on her first demonstration. Neither were involved in any violence during the protests in Genoa. Both are being held incommunicado, with no accesss to legal support or contact with their friends and families. Both recieved considerable injuries while they were being arrested. To claim that NINETY people were all guilty of the same offences while they slept is ludicrous. We demand that their lawyers and friends be allowed access to the two prisoners immediately. We demand these two peaceful protesters are released immediately. If any weapons were indeed found at the HQ, their is nothing to suggest Nicola and Richard were in possession of them. Arrests and oppression will not answer the case put by anti-globalisation protesters. Initial Signatories: John Pilger, journalist; Tony Benn, former MP; Louise Christian, lawyer; Paul Foot, journalist; George Monbiot, writer; Noreena Hertz, writer ; Debora Sannazzaro, lawyer Italy; Penny Kemp, Chair Green Party of England and Wales; Mike Marqusee, Socialist Alliance; Liz Davis, Former Labour Party NEC; Mark Steel, journalist ; Pietro Pierangeli, journalist, Italy; Niaz Alam, Trustee War on Want; Guy Taylor, Globalise Resistance; Candy Udwin, University College London Hospital UNISON; Hector San Roman, Center for Assistance to the Indigenous People; Rev Paul Nicolson; Sophie Gosselin, ATTAC (France); Julien Ottavi, ATTAC (France); Dr Sarah Lister, academic; James Hitch, writer; James Murray-White, writer; Eleanor Adair, artist; Peter Dressel, Mixer; Eddie Salmon, comedy writer; Michael Pountney, Managing Editor, Mac Keith Press; Jim Wolfreys, Lecturer in French, King's College London; Samy Djavidnia, satellite engineer, Spain; Inigo Ballester, programmer, Spain; Luca Vernaccini, engineer, Italy; Bünyamin Esen, Writer (from Turkey- Europe); Becky Moss, Bhopal Group for Information and Action; Mustafa Turus, Chairman of the Committee to Defend Political Prisoners; Tony Savaas Welsh Socialist Alliance; Roland Rance, Secretary, Waltham Forest Trades Council (personal capacity); Andrew McGettigan MSF rep, Community Housing Association (Camden, London); Seth Harman, Branch Secretary MSF London Housing Branch 037; Matt Saywell (Youth Officer GMB Holborn Branch); Jake Rollin, Branch Secretary LGU UNISON; Sam Birnie, Branch Chair LGU UNISON; Bill Lehm UNISON Rep UCL Branch; Chris Welch Sheffield Hallam Unison Branch, UNISON, Sheffield, UK; Maggie Falshaw, AUT membership secretary Queen Mary University of London.; Kaye Heyes, Development Worker, TUC Learning Services; Brenda O'Mahony, Nottingham City Unison; Scott McAusland, union rep - Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union; Terry Parker - UNISON member; Ian Malcolm-Walker, Trade Unionist and Disability Activist; Peter Clibbon, Engineer; Gavin Barber, Oxford Brookes University UNISON; Gaia Dean, stock broker; Joanne Doyle, •••@••.•••; Jon Tennison, GMB (TUC employee); Jane Galloway (TUC employee); Paul Flynn TGWU, St Mungo Association employee; James Latta, Screenwriter; Lorraine Latta, Administrative Assistant; R. Munoz, Kingston College of Technology; Ana Larcher-Carvalho, Imperial College PhD student; Jon Timbrell, student ; Petter Evertsén, student; Andrew Wynne, Student; Donna Baillie; Steve Hopkins; Jonjo Neale, student; John Joseet, social worker; Paul Swann; Jan Slakov, President, Enviro-Clare (Nova Scotia, Canada) Please add your name and return to: Globalise Resistance, PO Box 29689, London, E8 2XR or email •••@••.••• Genoa Police Breach Human Rights: Allow Contact with Richard and Nicola! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sunday 22 July 2001 British Citizens Imprisoned in Genoa Denied Contact with Consul: Public Figures Call for Immediate Action Leading campaigners and human rights lawyers are demanding that the Italian authorities allow the British consul to contact British citizens currently held in Genoa. The two Britons are Richard Moth, aged 31, and Nicola Docherty, aged 28. They were present last night at the headquarters of the Genoa Social Forum, the umbrella group which has co-ordinated groups in Genoa committed to peaceful protest. The police raided the Genoa Social Forum building last night. Reports, including an eye-witness account by a BBC reporter, indicate that many people were locked in the building and severely beaten by police. Richard and Nicola were both beaten by police. They were then taken to hospital, and from there into police custody. Both Richard and Nicola are members of the anti-globalisation group Globalise Resistance. They are also members of public sector union UNISON, and went to Genoa as representatives of their union. They both work as Support Workers for people with learning disabilities. Neither of them attended the Direct Action protests which took place on Friday. The peaceful march on Saturday was the first demonstration Nicola had attended in her life. The British Consul has attempted to contact Richard and Nicola. The Italian authorities are refusing to allow the Consul to make a 2-minute phone call to tell them that the Consulate and their friends are trying to get them released from custody. We believe that diplomatic pressure should be exerted to allow the phone call, and to ensure the release of these two people. Liz Davies - former Labour Party NEC member, Socialist Alliance Mike Marqusee - Socialist Alliance John Lister - Socialist Alliance Geoff Martin - Chair, London UNISON Cllr Dave Nellist - National Chair, Socialist Alliance Louise Christian - Human rights lawyer Jim Nichol - Human rights lawyer Paul Foot - Campaigning journalist George Monbiot - Guardian columnist and author of Captive State Contact: Jonathan Neale, Globalise Resistance (currently in Genoa) 0795 847 8643 Colin Wilson, Globalise Resistance, 020 8986 3531 Letter from Richard Moth's Father ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hi, I am Richard Moth's father and our whole family has been worried sick about where Richard and Nicola are and how they are. Nicola's family must be in the same predicament but we do not have any contact details for them so we have not been able to get in touch with them. My daughter spent all of Sunday 22nd July phoning consulates and embassies etc in England and in Italy and could get no sense out of anybody. Total silence or indifference. My thanks go to Jonathan Neale [of Globalise Resistance] who has given us regular updates, but we still remain very much in the dark. At least we know he's there on the spot, and to have a local friend in times of problems is the thing that every traveller seeks. I knew that Richard and Nicola were going to Genoa, he told me a couple of months ago. He was looking for a peaceful protest and maybe some relaxation on the Mediterranean coast. I've watched the online video clips and read all the web pages and my first impression is that the Caribinieri made a great mistake in carrying out the raid at all as the venues were officially provided by the Mayor of Genoa and contained only the organisers, journalists, Italian MPs, lawyers, etc., and live broadcasts (mainly pop music) were being made from the building. The school on the other side of the road, also provided by the Mayor, was just a dormitory containing 50 people. Somewhere safe to sleep. No terrorists, just a few pacifists who needed a place to doss down. All of the 50 were savagely beaten up by the police and reports say that at least 20 people were rendered stretcher cases and police were seen to carry out at least two body bags. No mention has been made of any fatalities in any official report or in the media. As far as I can tell this young man and young woman, while they lay asleep, were beaten with truncheons together with all the others sleeping in the same place. Some reports on the internet say that when some detainees arrived at the police station they were again beaten up with truncheon blows in the same wounds. There have been many messages (and prayers) posted on Indymedia in support of the people who suffered violence during the raid and at least Richard and Nicola know that whatever happens they will have achieved something, if not for themselves, then for others. Thank you for your publicity, and now can we have more, and LOUDER? Regards, Robert Moth You can contact Robert Moth by sending email to us at the GR Website.
