Post by Steve on Mar 7, 2005 22:02:46 GMT
Martin Gleeson - Amicus convenor at Zetex in Chadderton, and secretary of Oldham Trades Council - is being charged with criminal damage. The BNP turned up at the Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony in Oldham, held to remember the millions killed by the Nazis. When they hypocritically laid a wreath, Martin firmly placed his own union's wreath on top of theirs.
He was then, on a complaint from a BNP member, personally arrested by Oldham's senior police officer, Chief Supt Keith Bentley, and held for even hours in Oldham police station.
There has been considerable media coverage of the case, both in Britain and abroad.
The fact that Martin was arrested is shocking enough, but that the CPS are wasting public money on a prosecution for damage of allegedly £20 is a disgrace.
The case has now been adjourned until 22 March.
Letters and resolutions of protest should be sent to the Chief Constable:
Chief Constable M J Todd
Greater Manchester Police
PO Box 22
Manchester
M16 0RE
or chief.constable@gmp.police.uk
Any messages should be copied to Oldham Trades Council, who are backing Martin - info@oldhamtuc.org.uk.
A deluge of protest letters can do nothing but good....
****
What follows is a message from Martin Gleeson:
Hello All,
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY INCIDENT
Sorry that this message is a circular, but I am writing to over 100 people, such has been the level of support. I will try to contact you all individually at a later date. This is a brief update on the situation regarding my case.
This morning I entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of causing damage recklessly to a BNP wreath at the Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony. This means there will be a full trial in due course, the date of which will be decided at a pre-trial review on March 22nd.
Contempt rules apply, so I am unable to elaborate on the background to the case, however there will be periodic press statements from my campaign team as and when appropriate, and there is interest from the national media as well as regionally.
Thanks to everybody who has written in offering support or protesting to the Chief Constable. My solicitor will be presenting these to the Crown Prosecution Service to show the strength and breadth of support. Responses have come from unions, the TUC and trades councils all over the country plus many anti-fascist groups and individuals from across Europe, Canada and the USA.
With support like this, we can't fail to get a successful outcome.
Yours fraternally
Martin Gleeson
He was then, on a complaint from a BNP member, personally arrested by Oldham's senior police officer, Chief Supt Keith Bentley, and held for even hours in Oldham police station.
There has been considerable media coverage of the case, both in Britain and abroad.
The fact that Martin was arrested is shocking enough, but that the CPS are wasting public money on a prosecution for damage of allegedly £20 is a disgrace.
The case has now been adjourned until 22 March.
Letters and resolutions of protest should be sent to the Chief Constable:
Chief Constable M J Todd
Greater Manchester Police
PO Box 22
Manchester
M16 0RE
or chief.constable@gmp.police.uk
Any messages should be copied to Oldham Trades Council, who are backing Martin - info@oldhamtuc.org.uk.
A deluge of protest letters can do nothing but good....
****
What follows is a message from Martin Gleeson:
Hello All,
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY INCIDENT
Sorry that this message is a circular, but I am writing to over 100 people, such has been the level of support. I will try to contact you all individually at a later date. This is a brief update on the situation regarding my case.
This morning I entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of causing damage recklessly to a BNP wreath at the Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony. This means there will be a full trial in due course, the date of which will be decided at a pre-trial review on March 22nd.
Contempt rules apply, so I am unable to elaborate on the background to the case, however there will be periodic press statements from my campaign team as and when appropriate, and there is interest from the national media as well as regionally.
Thanks to everybody who has written in offering support or protesting to the Chief Constable. My solicitor will be presenting these to the Crown Prosecution Service to show the strength and breadth of support. Responses have come from unions, the TUC and trades councils all over the country plus many anti-fascist groups and individuals from across Europe, Canada and the USA.
With support like this, we can't fail to get a successful outcome.
Yours fraternally
Martin Gleeson
