London riots: ‘There’s uprisings everywhere – the whole world. Everyone’s fed up’

Riot police with batons drawn on the streets of Hackney on Monday (Pic: Guy Smallman)

The following eyewitness reports from Tash Shifrin, Jonny Jones, Ali Alizadeh, Steve Henshall and Sam Bogg, were published on the British Socialist Worker website.

Riots of the poor and dispossessed spread through Britain this week. The police struggled to crush an uprising against their own racist brutality and poverty. 

The riots reveal the deep-seated social tensions at the heart of Tory Britain.

The streets weren’t the police’s any more—they belonged to the angry, disenfranchised and the poor.

A young African-Carribean man pointing to the police told Socialist Worker, “These people are supposed to protect us—when I see them at night I run the other way. How can any of us feel safe when they’re shooting people?”

The SIS and Police: the job of inventing a terrorist threat

Reading (between) The Lines...
Why you will always find what you are looking for, or what the SIS and Police reports tell us

by October 15th Solidarity

Anyone who has worked in an academic research institute will be familiar with the annual problem of securing funding for the next year. On the one hand, the university finance committee, government department or whoever else is providing the money must get the impression that last year's funding was a good investment, while at the same time they must be convinced to continue. The annual report then usually indicates that the department is on the verge of a major discovery or has at least made huge progress, but to get really conclusive results, another year's worth of work, preferably with more staff and resources is required.

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A new kind of police in Venezuela

Crime is one of the big problems in working people's communities all over the world - in Venezuela, as elsewhere. Venezuela's socialist government is working to fix this, by creating a new police force which is responsible to local communities, rather than acting as armed occupiers over them. Just think - if we did this in New Zealand, we might have police who spend their time and resources protecting working people's lives and safety, rather than snooping on political activists, harrassing young people or busting strikes. A police force that fights the kind of crime that affects ordinary people, rather than acting at the behest of the rich and powerful - what a concept.

Venezuela Passes National Police Law

by James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com

April 11th 2008

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez promulgated the Organic Law of Police Service and National Police by presidential decree Wednesday, creating the legal framework for a single, integrated, national “revolutionary police of the People,” after nearly 6 years of legislative debate and public consultation. Chavez passed the law under the 18-month law-decree authority that the National Assembly had given him last year for this purpose. Chávez acknowledged Wednesday evening that citizen security “has been deteriorating.” He advocated “profound changes” in order to “finish demolishing the old, repressive police model with education, conscience, social organization, and prevention.” The president said the “capitalist” police forces of the past, which have been “generators of police abuses, not in the rich zones, but in the poor barrios,” will be gradually transformed into “communal police” that are “close to the citizens, dialogue-oriented, preventative, which shall be loved by the People and not feared by the People, and shall be part of the People.” Local community councils, which have proliferated since a 2006 law was created to facilitate their formation, will manage “security modules in each barrio,” where they will “work with the new police,” Chávez envisioned, emphasizing the preponderant role of governors, mayors, police academies, and local populations in this process. Chávez called for “the best young men and women” to comprise the new brand of humanist police who will be the model for this “transformation from within the current police.” They will go through a “very rigorous” and “meticulous” selection process headed up by the Minister of Justice and the Interior Ramón Rodríguez Chacín. The minister commented that the new law will fill in the “empty spaces” in the present system. “We must mobilize the battalions,” Chacín remarked, referring to the newly formed United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), and “go house to house to exhibit the law, explaining the benefits and the co-responsibility that we have in this initiative.” Zuleima Flores, the spokesperson of a Caracas community council, said the “soul of this new police will rest in the amount of solidarity that exists between the security forces, the communities, and the People…that is why we should collaborate and understand that these new police will be new citizens in our communities.” Similarly, the Venezuelan Attorney General, Luisa Ortega Díaz, said in a radio interview, “to the extent that the police remain close to people, to the extent that the police participate in community issues... we will attenuate the violence and crime will diminish,” adding that “we are going to improve the conditions of the prisons, too.” This constitutes the “integral format” of the new system, which improves citizen access to the levers of justice, in the opinion of Luisa Estela Morales, the president of the Supreme Court of Venezuela. A prominent sceptic of the law is Eliseo Guzmán, the former director of Venezuela`s investigative police, who admitted he had not yet read the law. Designating a single national police body is unnecessary and brings with it “a lot of inconveniences,” Guzmán commented Wednesday to the Venezuelan daily El Nacional. He suggested that the government should have opted to improve the legal framework already in place, asserting, “we have police, but what we do not have is a functional coordination among all the actors.” Guzmán also expressed that too many different proposals of the law had been circulated through a confusing array of constituencies during the formation process, rather than being sufficiently analyzed by what he called “specialists” in criminal justice. The National Assembly initiated discussions of police reform in 2002 and created the National Police Reform Commission (CONAREPOL), which organized a nation-wide, community-based deliberation process during which approximately 700,000 Venezuelans participated in local police reform conferences, culminating in 2006. The council produced a report based on public recommendations that became the basis of the law which was passed by presidential decree Wednesday. All recent polls show that Venezuelans identify insecurity as the number one problem in their country. Even so, Chávez boasted of the “positive impact” of his administration`s policies, citing a national poll conducted in March by the Venezuelan Data Analysis Institute (IVAD) that showed the percentage of Venezuelans who said that insecurity was the worst problem they faced dropped from 81.4% to 69.5% since 2007. In contrast, El Nacional highlighted the findings of the Datos polling firm in late March, showing that between 34% and 41% of Venezuelans think the president is “totally responsible” for the nation`s problems, security being number one, while between 20% and 25% think he is “not at all responsible.” The president also cited the 2007 annual poll of 18 Latin American countries by the highly-respected Chilean polling firm Latinobarometro, which reported that 38% of Venezuelans believed that “equal access to justice” existed in their country, while the average for the rest of Latin America was 22%. In the same Latinobarometro study, however, Venezuela had the highest percentage of people who said they or a relative of theirs had fallen victim to a crime in the past year, with 49%, while the Latin America average was 38%.

The Secret (Policeman's) Garden

Commentary: Pat OD

Soon after the Terror raids the Commissioner of Police, Howard Broad gave an interview to the Sunday Herald in an attempt to win hearts. Howard Broad tried to court popularity, by giving a media interview, on of all things, his garden. Unfortunately there is no indication of when this interview occurred, though it was probably before the Solicitor General dumped the terror charges, which Broad had been expecting to proceed with.

The interview entitled "My Secret Garden", could just have easily been entitled, "Terrorists at the bottom of my garden"Canvas editor Michelle Crawshaw, commenting on this weirdly sinister interview, felt compelled to quip, "I bet Police Commissioner Howard Broad's tomato plants would do exactly what they're told to." The Herald interview was accompanied by a photo of the Commissioner posing for the Herald photographer standing in his palatial grounds before his duck pond, (complete with arched bridge, a gazebo, spreading trees and large two story home in the background.)

In his own words Howard Broad, talked to the Herald about what he called Operation Morning Glory, He said "I went on a search-and-destroy mission for convolvulus and nasturtiums,""At the moment I'm just about to announce victory. There is one small colony of dissidents, but they're heavily entwined in some big plant that I don't know the name of. Weed killer doesn't work on convolvulus. There will be people who tell me it does, but basically it's get in there and ruthlessly hunt down and destroy them, and then take their roots to the dump. I'm passionate about getting rid of the roots of convolvulus, I have to say. Fork them out, sieve the ground, then you can nuke them with weed-killer if any fresh sprouts come up."

My question is, is Howard Broad really talking about his garden at all, or about "Operation Ate"? Given, that this is his only, at length statement since launching Operation Ate. It seems strange to me, that in his only extended interview in the print media, all he wanted to talk about, was his garden. I, and most people could be forgiven for thinking that he is talking (in a coded way) about something else entirely. Why is Howard Broad so "passionate" about his garden, when as he tells it, he only brought this property on being made Police Commissioner and is already selling it again, having bought another property nearby.

In his own words, he even admits his own doubts on his credibility. He said though he enjoyed making speeches, "I'm always apprehensive about what I'm going to say and whether, in fact, people will think I'm talking crap. The key to good public speaking is having a range of stories and the way they're constructed - it's very easy to work that stuff over in your mind when you are gardening." This sounds more like a recipe for rehearsing your "range of stories" and/or drifting into fantasy. There is no need for a reality check, while working in the garden.

In his interview on his garden, Howard Broad also revealed a hint of the close political links that funnel the "Global War on Terror" hysteria, into our country's police and security services. His favourite shirt that he admitted wearing only in the privacy of his own home and grounds is a law enforcement polo shirt, a gift from the American FBI. However in the aforementioned publicity photograph he is either not wearing this shirt or has covered up the FBI logo.

Is the Commissioner of Police really talking about his garden? Or in a sly nod to his supporters, giving a veiled outline of his motives and methods for the attack on Maori and other political activists? Just before he died, Peter Sellers, in the last movie he ever made, which was called "Being There". The lead character Chauncey Gardener is running for President of the United States. During the campaign,Chauncey Gardner (Peter Sellers) gives a media interview, about his garden. Of course everyone takes this for a metaphor for his policies for running the country.

My question is this; Is Commissioner Broad a naive incompetent bumbler like the character Chauncey Gardner? Or is Howard Broad a Machiavellian conspiracy theorist, who feels that his political views on dealing with what he calls "a small group of dissidents" i.e. "hunt them down", "destroy them", "fork them out", "nuke them" are too extreme to be stated openly. Could it be, that like the Hollow Men in Nicky Hagar's book, Howard Broad knows his public utterances must be guarded. And his views on protesters, activists, and Maori, cannot be stated openly without risking public opprobrium.

Where are their walls?

Commentary: Pat O Dea

Conservative politicians, local and National, are figuratively tearing
their hair and rending their garments in impotent rage over graffiti.
Whether we love or hate graffiti. In my opinion the visceral hatred
from the "the powers that be" to graffiti is centered on two things;

1/ Protection of property rights, (which is a serious concern to
those who actually have property, a decreasing minority in NZ)

2/ The monopoly of all means of public expression by the privileged.

The taggers, with their incomprehensible, inarticulate, messy and
destructive petty vandalism, have a message for us all to read, if we
choose too.

The message writ large and often ugly, is one of alienation, anger,
boredom, societal breakdown and increasing inequality and lack of
resources at the bottom of society.
This is a message, that more privileged members of our increasingly
stratified society would like to see suppressed at all costs.
(Like the builders of the potemptkin towns of medieval Russia they want
to project the facade of a decent all inclusive society.)

What are the choices?
Suppression or engagement?.
More and Harsher punitive laws, greater and more aggressive enforcement
and repression. (Which I believe as well as being expensive will be
futile.) Or Engagement with the taggers.
The so called Labour Government, automatically rushes to extremism and
harsh repression, with out considering any other alternatives,

One alternative could be to try and bring taggers and their sub-culture
into the open, let's try and encourage and harness these creative
urges. This could involve government sponsored lessons in art, and
creative expression, with competitions and recognition of the talented
daring and creative.
The creation of public spaces to be made available where tagging is
acceptable. Suitably specialist structures could incorporate a challenge for city
planners and architects.

To begin with a large public wall, in the most public space possible,
(not tucked away in some remote spot as conservative councils might
agree to.) Should be built 50 cubits long and 10 cubits high. (the
height being necessary to challenge the more inventive and daring taggers.)


Architects at university should be challenged by their lecturers to
design specialist multi functional structures for this purpose.
Lots of other outlets for these young people's creative urges could be
explored and properly funded.

Who knows? a new type of acceptable People's Baroque city decoration,
complete with giant multicoloured balloon letters might result.
That art training and engagement with the tagging culture try to
encourage a taggers code of conduct, were the defacing of home owners
private property comes to be seen as dishonorable and beneath the
contempt of their tagging stars and peers.

I remember all the millions of dollars given by this labour government
to the rich America's Cup contestants for their priviledged pastime.

Ka kiti
Pat O'Dea

Terror Raids Part 2 in Tuhoe country - DEMONSTRATION SATURDAY

Come to a peaceful protest organised to show solidarity with
the people whose homes were raided this morning by police, and the 3 men arrested and facing firearms charges.

Please bring banners, placards, noise makers etc.

12pm AOTEA SQUARE SAT 23RD FEBRUARY 2008
STOP THE RAIDS!

TELL EVERYONE PLEASE! This action by Police must not continue. Leave Tuhoe alone!

===

Silence = Consent

Chris Trotter in his column in the Sunday Star Times (February 3) detailed a list of things he thought had alienated the left and Labour's "working class base".

Trotter's list mentioned the war in Afghanistan, genetic engineering, the Foreshore and Seabed Act, the anti-smacking legislation.

However, Trotter's list has one very glaring omission.

By not mentioning last year's paramilitary actions targeting Maori and Environmental activists, Chris Trotter is guilty of ignoring an elephant in the living room.

In his ongoing silence on this issue, Chris Trotter is only continuing the open support he gave to these extreme attacks before the terror charges spectacularly failed.

From the start, Chris Trotter was a strident and vocal supporter of the 'Terror Raids'. From his prominent pulpit in the media, this self described "leftist" abandoned the principle of Habeas Corpus in favour of condemnation by media.

But the evidence of any terrorist activity was not forthcoming. Chris Trotter has refused to say if he still supports these unjust and brutal attacks on Maori and Leftist activists.

However, Chris Trotter's silence is an answer in itself.

As the old German saying goes; "Keine Antwort is auch eine Antwort." the rough translation being: No answer is also an answer. Meaning "Silence gives Consent".

In his blindness on this issue, Chris Trotter in the same article wondered why talk-back critics of Helen Clark mention her severe style of hair and clothing. What he is not admitting that body language and looks often speak to people. And that Helen Clark's strict and often harsh look, allied with her government's recent brutal actions, are very unsettling to a lot of people at an emotional level.

No doubt the image make over experts will try and soften Helen Clark's appearance for the upcoming election. But the damage to her and Labour's image is, unfortunately for them, probably irreparable.

The SIS and Police: the job of inventing a terrorist threat

Reading (between) The Lines...
Why you will always find what you are looking for, or what the SIS and Police reports tell us

by October 15th Solidarity

Anyone who has worked in an academic research institute will be familiar with the annual problem of securing funding for the next year. On the one hand, the university finance committee, government department or whoever else is providing the money must get the impression that last year's funding was a good investment, while at the same time they must be convinced to continue. The annual report then usually indicates that the department is on the verge of a major discovery or has at least made huge progress, but to get really conclusive results, another year's worth of work, preferably with more staff and resources is required.

It's no surprise then that the Police and New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (SIS) work the same way. In the aftermath of 9/11 the budgets of both were drastically increased. Attempts to convince the public that Algerian refugee Ahmed Zaoui was such an enormous threat to the country that he had to be deported failed. The deportation in 2006 of a Yemeni national who was deemed a security risk also failed to get the desired public hysteria and fear of terrorists. Eventually, spending all that money and hiring new people has to be justified. After all, who would want to lose the new Special Tactics Group, a Specialist Search Group, a Strategic Intelligence Unit and a National Bomb Data Centre Manager?

Predictably the SIS reports regularly contain statements like: "Although the Service is not aware of a specific terrorist threat against New Zealand, we cannot afford to be complacent. Increasing vigilance is required" (2004/2005) or "While the Service continues to believe that the risk of a terrorist attack on New Zealand or New Zealand interests is low[.], we cannot afford to be complacent."(2005/2006)

But what has been really going on? The SIS is a bit tight-lipped. In other countries the 'intelligence community' is far more verbose. For example, the German Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution) issues an annual report of almost 300 pages with detailed sections on "right-wing extremism, left-wing extremism, Islamic terrorism, extremist organisations of foreigners (not Islamic), espionage and Scientology." And that's just on the federal level, each state then issues its own, even more detailed report.

So without that level of detail available here in Aotearoa, we have to look a bit more carefully. There were actually hints that the Police and the SIS thought they were on to something for some time. Since 2007, the SIS has been mentioning the 'process of radicalisation' as a new area of investigation, while being very vague about actual results.

The Police reports provide more substance. In 2004, "The Strategic Intelligence Unit has participated in a range of training scenarios to ensure their skills are developed and maintained to a high level". For 2005 the report states that "Special Investigation Groups, whose work is to complement that of the Strategic Intelligence Unit and the overseas liaison officer network, were established in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in January 2005. These groups are dedicated to the investigation of national security- related crime including terrorism."

While back in 2001 national security wasn't even mentioned, by 2005 several specially trained groups are dedicated to investigating it. The report for the 2006/07 period then reveals that "Police were involved in four regional policing operations that had potential implications for New Zealand's national security in aegional context. The National Strategic Intelligence Unit has produced a number of strategic and tactical reports on issues related to national security. This reporting has led to targeted investigations in New Zealand in conjunction with other enforcement and intelligence agencies." The Special Investigation Groups that were created the previous year are reported to be "principally involved in the investigation."

The pattern here seems to be that first, new legislation is introduced that gives the Police and the SIS vast amount of power to go on fishing expeditions. These organisations then sharpen their view by organising training and subsequently create a number of specialist groups. These groups monitor phones, bug cars and install cameras to gather information on activists until they find something to investigate. The results are then assessed by the same people who provided the training.

Ross Meurant, former police officer and head of the Red Squad in the 1981 Springbok tour, describes it: "Police say they have collated information over a period of 12 months which on analysis leads them to the conclusion that there is a real threat to the stability and security of our country. The problem as I see it is, that information they have has been self assessed by the same people who collate the data or, at best, by the supervisor of the "intelligence unit" and his superior; all of whom view society from within the forest [=police culture] and with vested interests in producing an outcome which justifies the retention of their unit. These subjective conclusions are presented to judicial officers as the basis of justification for warrants and implementation of anti terror legislation which abrogate the most basic of our legal rights."

It seems reasonable to assume that 'Operation Eight' (which led to the arrests of October 15) was one of the four investigations mentioned in the 2006/7 Police report, and it's probably related to the other three. The targets were people who supported Tino Rangatiratanga, a political concept that threatens the State. This made it easy for the Police and SIS to sell their story of a real terrorist threat without providing much substance and the mainstream media had a feast. But after a month, the terrorism conspiracy collapsed. What remains are long court cases and the emotional scars of the raids. It's still worth (between) reading the lines.

E Tu! Free concert to oppose the Terrorism Suppression Act, Sat 1st December, Frank Kitts Park, Wellington

FREE CONCERT, Sat 1st December, Frank Kitts Park Wellington You are invited to E tu! A free day concert on Sat 1st December (Sun 2nd if rain) from Noon till 7pm. Come and check out the amazing line up of bands, knowledgeble and insightful speakers, plus enjoy kids activities, food and information stalls and our Wellington waterfront. E tu! will provide you with the space, time, resources, and relaxed atmosphere to educated yourself, whanau and wider community about the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002, its background, global context and implications. Who and why? A group of concerned Wellingtonians are running E tu!, a Terrorism Suppression Act (TSA) awareness raising gig on Saturday 1st Dec (if wet Sunday 2nd).E tu! will engage and educate the public on this subject, as well as the myriad of issues raised which directly effect our civil rights. We will be calling for the TSA to be repealed. E tu! will raise awareness on the day by way of information stalls and key speakers. There will be a dedicated forum area with guest speakers. By having well known people support the issue, the public will see that this is an issue worth further understanding and investigation. We are aiming to meet everyone's needs, old and young alike. It will be a fun day for the whole family, with kids’ games, craft and food stalls,and a wide variety of music. This is a chance for Wellingtonians to come forward and become better informed, and to be counted in their disapproval of the TSA, how it affects our society, and how it may be used in the future. This event will send a clear message to the Government and police that: •We do not want join the USA/Australian/British ‘war on terror’ •We will be saying that there is no need for a Terrorism Act in New Zealand because we already have appropriate laws. There is no need for a separate set of laws to cover crimes committed with religious or political motives. This Act criminalises protestors and their movements. •It is threatening our democratic right to question the government’s policies and legislations. •This event will say that the ‘Uruwera 17’ should not have been arrested. •E tu! will demand both Government and police accountability and transparency in their operations. •We will also be sending the message that we will not stand for institutionalised racism as seen in the ‘terror raids’. We must stand up against this legislation and any plans to toughen it up. If we do not, we will not be able to safely stand up to our government in the future for fear of being labelled a terrorist. Today, 1981 Springbok tour protestors would be charged with 'terrorism' for obstructing infrastructure, as defined by the Act. The TSA is an attack on our right to free speech. It is crucial that New Zealanders from all walks of life engage now. We also need to be equipped with information that allows us to critically analyse mainstream media, which has frequently been incorrect and shown bias. More info at: http://www.e-tu.org.nz/

Cops, SIS create terror panic over FOUR GUNS

Contrary to panicky rumour, the police found no AK-47s, no molotov cocktails and no napalm bombs at Ruatoki. All they found were four rifles, a few rounds of ammunition and a lot of tough talk. Your average National or ACT member living in a rural area probably has more than that in their shed. It's shown once again that the Terror Raids were nothing to do with fighting an actual threat to life, limb or property. This is all about criminalising and anathematising Maori sovereignty, ecologist and anarchist activism. The police, SIS, and the right-wing blogosphere know that it's not illegal to talk tough and play soldier - but they want to make it so, at least for people whose political views they don't like. When former leaders of neo-Nazi organisations do it, though, it's apparently okay - unless Kyle Chapman's "Survive Club" is next to be raided by battalions of ninjas.

Terror raids - charges linked to just 4 guns

5:00AM Saturday November 17, 2007 By Phil Taylor

The anti-terror raids of October 15 resulted in the seizure of only four weapons and 230 rounds of ammunition that have led to charges.

The early-morning raids involved more than 300 officers.

The police have not said what they seized in the property searches in Auckland, Waikato, the Bay of Plenty, Wellington and Christchurch using warrants alleging crimes under the Terrorism Suppression Act and have declined a request to do so.

But of 16 people charged with firearms offences, items seized on October 15 are the basis of charges against only two - Tame Iti, and a man who has name suppression.

The charges Iti faces include illegal possession on that date of three rifles - a Ruger, a Siga and a Machtech - while the other man is charged in regard to a Ruger rifle and 100 rounds of .22 calibre bullets and 130 rounds of .303 calibre ammunition.

The police said it was inappropriate to comment about matters before the court.

Many of the 16 are charged jointly with up to 12 others and the dates the offences are alleged to have occurred relate to dates of the alleged training camps in the Ureweras. The earliest charges relate to November 2006.

The Crown predominantly appears to rely on evidence from surveillance of the camps and interception of conversations. While the latter would be admissible for charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act, it is unlikely to be for firearms charges.

Meanwhile, the Solicitor-General says he has no plans to provide a detailed assessment of flaws he identified in the Terrorism Suppression Act, which he said was "almost impossible to apply in a coherent manner".

His criticism prompted the Government to refer the matter to the Law Commission.

An Auckland University specialist in criminal procedure, Associate Professor Scott Optican, said Dr Collins' input would be invaluable to the commission because he had assessed the evidence and the terrorism law.

"How can the Law Commission comment on the sufficiency of a law unless they know exactly what are the problems alleged with it with respect to the facts of this case," said Professor Optican, a former prosecutor.

"I haven't been convinced enough to know whether there really is a problem in the law or [whether] the case just failed for lack of proof.

"You have to make a rational argument as to what is wrong with the law and why you want it to get at behaviour that it doesn't get at. Just to say the law is rubbish isn't enough; you have to be very specific in light of the facts of the case."

A spokeswoman for Dr Collins said he was not doing a report on the matter and had not been asked to.

But it was usual for the commission in the course of reviews of legislation to consult all agencies with an interest in the particular legislation.

Our comrades are free - but keep up the fight!

The terror charges against the “Urewera Seventeen” have been dropped, and most if not all of them appear to have won bail. But this isn’t the end of the fight. We have to keep up the pressure to make sure this abuse of police authority never happens again. The police and the police sympathisers in the government and media are already starting their spin campaign. Their own Solicitor-General has admitted that the current terror laws are “incoherent”. But incredibly, some politicians and media figures are saying that the fact that these political activists are out on bail pending trial shows that the law should be tougher - rather than that it should have never been used in the first place. Despite what we’re told about the role of the courts and “innocent until proven guilty”, the word of a policeman is good enough to convince these prominent leaders about who needs to be locked up. That runs contrary to everything that we’re taught a democracy should look like. Police Commissioner Howard Broad has said in the media that the problem with everyday law like the Crimes Act or the Arms Act is that they can’t be used before a potential crime has been committed or is even in its planning stages. So Commisioner Broad wants terror laws to give police the power to arrest people who have done nothing and are planning nothing. When a senior policeman talks like that, everyone who believes in liberty of conscience or expression should be worried. This kind of “pre-emptive policing” sounds like something from a science fiction movie. Unlike in the Spielberg film Minority Report, though, the cops won’t be acting on the basis of information from psychics. They will be acting on their own personal prejudices and willingness to believe in an imaginary “terrorist threat”. No thoughtcrime Helen Clark is going around saying that these are “serious” charges remaining under the Arms Act. But it’s well known that some of those on firearms charges aren’t accused of firing or even owning an unlicenced gun - but simply being in the same room as someone who was holding an unlicenced gun. If that information got out further, this attempt to sow mass panic about a “terrorist evil in our midst” would be stopped in its tracks. The basis of terror laws is what George Orwell called “thoughtcrime” - that police should have the right to punish people who are even considering acting in a certain way. Those who support terror laws want to make it illegal for people to even think about acting against the State - a threat to not just Pakeha anarchists or Tuhoe nationalists, but everyone who doesn’t have faith that “our own” government, army and police are right all the time about everything. The Terror Laws must be abolished - before they are used against any of us who doesn’t shut up and do what they’re told. We need to build the biggest possible political movement against these anti-democratic laws - and the corporate politicians in Labour and National who support them.

'For freedom fighters around the country', says Tame Iti

Friday November 09, 2007 By Edward Gay

Freed Tuhoe activist Tame Iti thanked his supporters in emotional scenes outside the Auckland High Court this evening.

After beating terror charges yesterday, Iti was released on bail from the Auckland High Court just after 5pm this evening.

"It's for freedom fighters all around the country. Thank you for your support," Iti told his followers.

Earlier, Justice Cooper approved his bail amid scenes of high excitement from Tuhoe supporters.

Iti and four others, who were also released on bail, will return to the Auckland District Court on December 3.

The five are facing firearms charges following the Solicitor-General David Collins' decision yesterday not to allow police to bring terrorism charges against any of the 'Urewera 16'.

The accused had their bail hearings heard in two groups with four people - Valerie Morse, Emily Bailey, Omar Hamed and a Swiss national who has name suppression - receiving bail, before Iti entered the dock.

Iti then received a separate bail hearing and was awarded bail.

The decisions sparked scenes of jubilation in the court, forcing Justice Cooper to remind the public that his courtroom was not a place for such scenes.

Their successful bail application followed that of a co-accused, 38-year-old Whiri Kemara, who was bailed this morning.

In a dramatic afternoon, all members of the public and the media were asked to leave the courtroom while the crown prosecutor presented secret police evidence in relation to the bail application against the accused to the court.

Justice Cooper said that the five accused faced charges under the Arms Act which carry a maximum sentence of four years in prison and up to $5000 in fines.

No terror charges for the Urewera 17!

The Solicitor-General has decided not to authorise the police to prosecute the "Urewera 17" under the Terrorism Suppression Act. The Solicitor General has also endorsed the argument of Socialist Worker that the current TSA is an inoperative piece of legislation. Now most of the Urewera 17 are charged with only offences under the Firearms Act - most of which seem to be only charges of handling an unlicenced firearm, and most of which seem to relate to one and the same firearm. Unless the police can show any evidence that any of them are liable to harm people or evade prosecution, there is now no longer any justification to keep any of these people in jail without trial. Bail them all - NOW! No terror charges to be laid by police Solicitor General David Collins QC announced this afternoon the cases did not warrant prosecution under the Terrorism Suppression Act. 4:03PM Thursday November 08, 2007 By Edward Gay The police are not charging any of the so-called Urewera 16 under the Terrorism Suppression Act, despite using the legislation to search homes last month. Police took 12 of the 16 cases to the Solicitor General last month who assessed the police's evidence. Solicitor General David Collins QC announced this afternoon that the cases did not warrant prosecution under the act but could go ahead under the Arms Act. Mr Collins told a media conference that he had read hundreds of pages of communications and viewed photographs and video footage. "Regrettably not all the evidence I have been able to see will be made public," Mr Collins said. "The key reason I am not prepared to authorise prosecutions under the act is there is insufficient evidence to establish to the very high standard required that a group was preparing a terrorist act," Mr Collins said. He said his decision was not a criticism of the police who had no doubt "put an end to disturbing activities". Mr Collins criticised the legislation and said it should be reviewed by the Law Commission. He said it was complex and incoherent and was almost impossible to apply to domestic terrorists. But he said a lot of the evidence will be made public during the up-coming trials. "Police were following proper practice under the Terrorism Supersession Act," Mr Collins said. Peter Williams QC is representing residents of Ruatoki who have complained about the way armed police searched their homes last month. Mr Williams said the Solicitor General's decision was a wise one and he was personally pleased with it. "In a small way they have contributed to the hysteria possibly being emitted by certain aspects of the prosecution but on the other hand it's not the issue the people of Ruatoki are looking at, they're looking at whether or not there was a form of terrorism by the police themselves," Mr Williams said.

Guantanamao, Aotearoa

Powerful TV3 extended footage of today's protest HERE

DEEP IN THE FOREST- Police culture exposed by former Top Cop

"In the Ureweras there are weapons of mass destruction. Trust us."

I urge every New Zealander not to allow the state apparatus to take from you by default, legal rights people long before us fought for, died for.

Explosive stuff from Ross Meraunt here

Also watch Jimmy O Dea talk about the police raid on his house to TVNZ news Here

NZ Herald: Mass raid stuns veteran unionist

NZ Herald: Mass raid stuns veteran unionist

5:00AM Friday October 26, 2007

By Elizabeth Binning

Anti-terror raids
Tame Iti's case to be heard in Auckland
National, Labour 'bad as each other'

A 72-year-old socialist worker who has been protesting against the "anti-terror" raids had his own home searched by police yesterday over an alleged kidnapping.
Jimmy O'Dea, a veteran trade unionist who has prostate cancer, said he had no idea why eight carloads of police arrived in the afternoon at his Bastion Pt home armed with a search warrant.
"I was at home with my wife and kid and my dog started barking. I thought someone was there so I went out and I couldn't believe it - there were police everywhere.
"I said, 'Are you the anti-terrorist searchers?' and they ummed and ahhhed. They said, 'We have got to search your house' and they showed me the warrant and said, 'You better read it'."
The search warrant, which was granted by a district court judge on Tuesday, said police had reasonable grounds to believe that a number of items, including clothing, a chrome pistol and ammunition, hunting knife, pliers and a baseball bat, were at the house.
The items were believed to be evidence of kidnapping, threatening to cause grievous bodily harm, blackmail and commission of a crime with a firearm.

However, Mr O'Dea said he had no knowledge of any kidnapping or similar crime. "I don't commit crime like they are talking about. I was flabbergasted, to be honest."
Solidarity Union secretary Joe Carolan said Mr O'Dea was helping to distribute pamphlets for a coming protest against the "terror raids" so the timing of the search on his own home was a strange coincidence.
"We want to know why they think Jimmy is a bloody suspect, given he's 72 years old."
Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said Mr O'Dea was not a suspect in the kidnapping, nor did it have anything to do with the "anti-terror raids" or Mr O'Dea's stance on them.
Ms Hegarty said the warrant was in relation to another man who was arrested on Tuesday after his own home was searched.
The arrested man had given Mr O'Dea's address on his bail form so police had sought a new warrant and searched the property looking for evidence of the kidnapping.
"It has absolutely nothing to do with any events to do with last week's raids."
Mr O'Dea said last night he did not know the arrested man but had received mail addressed to a person in recent months. It was not clear if it was the same person who had been arrested this month.

From TVNZ news

Elderly activist slams police raid

Oct 26, 2007 8:18 PM

A long-time activist and friend of Tame Iti is labelling as "overkill" a police raid on his own home.

Seventy-two-year-old Jimmy O'Dea's house in Auckland has been searched but authorities say it has nothing to do with terrorism.

It all started with O'Dea's three border terriers.

"I heard the dogs barking and I went to the front door and opened it and the place was covered in police," O'Dea says.

Neighbours say eight car loads of officers came through O'Dea's front door.

"I said what are you searching for and they wouldn't tell me," he says.

Police produced a search warrant saying they were looking for a pistol, cell phone and ammunition.

This was going to be quite a search because O'Dea has lived there 50 years and likes to keep his things close.

"They found nothing as far as I know," he says.

It's not the first time the police and O'Dea have not seen eye to eye.

During the 1981 Sprinkbok tour they came through the back door O'Dea lost a battle with a police baton during a protest.

Before that it was the 1975 land marches and the 1978 occupation of Bastion Point.

O'Dea is an Irishman who has stood beside Maori in many a protest. He has known Tama Iti for 30 years and knows those arrested two weeks ago.

But according to police, Thursday's search has nothing to do with terrorism or Iti.

They say is was all about a kidnap suspect arrested further up the street on Tuesday.

Police also also say five cars not eight showed up as neighbours claimed.

But it does say something about the current climate that a search warrant at an activist's house is suddenly news.

And O'Dea thinks it is all to do with what happened in Ruatoki early last week when police raided suspected guerilla training camps and made a number of arrests for alleged weapons offences.

"In the 50 years I've lived in this house and the 50 years I've lived in New Zealand I have never seen anything like this in my life," he says.

MAORI YESTERDAY: TRADE UNIONS TODAY?

PRESS RELEASE: SOLIDARITY UNION
4pm, Thursday 25 October

MAORI YESTERDAY: TRADE UNIONS TODAY?

Union activists say that a police raid on a 72-year
old trade unionist in poor health today is part of a
crackdown on all political activists.

This afternoon at 2pm, eight police cars raided the
Orakei house of Jimmy O'Dea, a 72-year-old trade
unionist in poor health. The house was searched under
a warrant mentioning a kidnapping in the area.

Jimmy O'Dea says that when he told the police he was
too old to be involved in any such thing, the police
replied: "No you're not."

"Jimmy O'Dea has been a fighter for both Maori and
trade union rights for decades now," said Joe Carolan,
secretary of Solidarity Union.

"Jimmy helped to organise trade union support for the
Bastion Point occupation in 1978.

"Despite his poor health, he's been helping organise
the new Solidarity union among industrial workers in
South Auckland.

"To anyone who knows Jimmy, the idea that he could be
involved in a kidnapping is purely ridiculous," said
Joe Carolan.

"But what is true is that Jimmy is known as a fighter
for workers' rights and Maori rights. The police know
him as a 'troublemaker' from way back.

"If this is a coincidence, it's a very peculiar one,"
said Carolan.

"We have been saying that the "anti-terror" raids of
last week are an attempt to strike fear in the heart
of all political activists.

"This raid on a 72-year old man in poor health just
confirms what we've been saying."

ENDS

For more information, contact Joe Carolan on (021) 186
1450 or
634 3984.

This is NOT what a terrorist looks like

Name supression was today lifted on our friend and comrade, Omar Hamed.

Omar is a fighter, a thinker, a writer, a journalist, and someone whom we are proud to call our friend.

Omar is NOT a terrorist. Omar is NOT a threat to anyone's life and limb.

Omar is 19 years old. He should NOT be spending the next two years of his life in jail, without bail or trial, on secret and therefore suspect evidence, while the police try to fit up a case against him - and terrorise every other activist in the country while they're at it.

Omar is a volunteer organiser for Solidarity Union. Another Solidarity organiser, Jimmy O'Dea - a 72-year-old man in health difficulties - had his house raided today by EIGHT police cars, on the excuse of suspected involvement with a kidnapping.

This is a charge even more ridiculous than those which have been laid against Omar. This is either a spectacular blunder by the police - or evidence of a nasty and Machiavellian plan to "put the fear" into all activists for social justice.

No to Police Brutality!
Abolish the Anti-Terror Laws!
Free Omar Hamed!
Free Tame Iti and the rest of the Urewera 17!

Standing at the dock is a skinny 19-year-old boy, fluffy hair, wearing glasses and an old wool jersey, he gives a smile to his mother and friends.

Like all the defendants Omar Hamed is charged with firearm offences and police are still considering laying terrorist charges against him – he is one of the 17-arrested in the police raids last week.

Half-Palestinian, born in Greece but raised in New Zealand, he has campaigned for social justice from an early age. In the past he has told reporters that he gained his inspiration from seeing his mother struggling to stop National and NZ First attacks on social welfare.

He told them that once he began to get a better understanding of issues he started writing and educating others. He has written several pieces published on Scoop.co.nz in recent months.

An active member in Students for peace and justice in Palestine, Omar is also active in a range of causes in New Zealand, that include the www.Supersizemypay.com campaign aimed at raising the minimum wage, and Radical Youth.

He currently studies History and Sociology at Auckland University.

Maire Leadbeater the head of the New Zealand Indonesian Human Rights Committee and sister of Green MP Keith Locke has worked together a lot with him.

She describes him as someone who is, “very dedicated and committed to human justice.”

“He was one of the key people with an interest in the Superfunds,” she said. “He did a lot of research into the superfund investments.”

The Governments Superfund has come under pressure this year because of revelations of apparent unethical investments, it includes investments in arms manufacturers, nuclear technology, and Total- the French petroleum company that has operations in Burma.

He was “keen for everyone to work together [to raise the Superfund issue]” Leadbeater says, he even attended a meeting with Superfund director in August to discuss the possibility of ending those investments.

A friend and activist that has known him for 3 ½ years says he was an articulate speaker and also very passionate.

He went on to say that that some people come along to protests for the fun of it but he was really committed, he would spend hours researching and writing about the different causes.

“He is someone who cares about the issues, which stems from the fact that he cares about people,” the friend said.

Hamed was also instrumental in organizing the recent protests against the US-NZ Partnership forum and also lives and helps run A Space Inside Social Centre, an Anarchist collective on Symonds Street. It runs as a bike workshop, library, meeting room for discussion of ideas and holds film screenings and shows for anyone interested.

Abolish the Terror Laws!

If we don’t fight to defend the “Urewera Seventeen” - the activists currently imprisoned without bail or trial - then it could be us next. That’s the simple fact that all of us who believe in social justice have to learn. Everyone who knows someone who was arrested knows full well that these people are not terrorists. There is no way that these people were planning to kill, maim or destroy in pursuit of their political activism. So why did the cops feel the need to terrorise schoolkids, smash windows and confiscate property on Monday 15th? It’s surely not a coincidence that that was the week that beefed-up “anti-terror” legislation was up before parliament. And the cops - and the SIS who stand behind them - were probably feeling a bit embarrassed that they hadn’t gotten to use the old legislation yet. So they wanted to give it a go. But why do we have the “Terrorism Suppression Act 2002” in the first place? Simply put - because the Americans told us we had to. Using the shock of the aftermath of the attacks on New York and Washington, the United States pushed the demand for “anti-terror” laws through a compliant UN in 2002. New Zealand was “obliged” to adopt these laws, or get in the bad books of the United States. No New Zealander is on the UN’s list of terrorists or terrorist groups. But Maori activists said at the time that it was only a matter of time before these were used against Maori activists. Looks like they were right. State violence Some commentators - even some of those “on the Left” - are wagging their fingers at the people who are currently stewing in jail without trial or bail, saying they should have known better than to even look like they were preparing to challenge the State. But this is a colonial nation. The New Zealand state was founded on acts of violence and dispossession of the tangata whenua. No-one disputes that. And no-one should be surprised that some Maori are not prepared to accept the status of a defeated people. Challenging the New Zealand state is their political birthright - not an act of “terrorism”. An attitude that says that challenging the authority of the state should be enough to get you put in “Guantanamo of the South Pacific” isn’t about fighting terrorism. It’s about defining within what limits dissent and debate is “acceptable” - and enforcing those limits with ninja police breaking and entering. There is no good reason for the “anti-terror” laws. They should be called the Terror Laws - their purpose is to sow terror in the hearts of anyone who might think of challenging those in power over us. Ordinary workers who’ve been in union struggles know that the police and courts are not the friends of anyone who wants to rock the boat. The Terror Laws must be abolished - before they are used against any of us who doesn’t shut up and do what they’re told. We need to build the biggest possible political movement against these anti-democratic laws - and the corporate politicians in Labour and National who support them.

CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENCE: All out, Aotea Square, Auckland- 12 noon Saturday October 20th

Defend Civil Rights-
rally at Aotea Square, Auckland
12 noon, Saturday, October 20th.

Join the group here

Terror scare: who's behind it?

Who is the driving force behind the mass arrests of Maori sovereignty, peace and justice activists? If this "operation" has been planned for so long - who decided we should have a terror scare right now? Everyone interested in civil liberties and democracy in Aotearoa should be asking that question.

Police Rape: The Tip of the Iceberg

(a leaflet written by Socialist Worker women for the International Women's Day marches in Auckland and Wellington) We are told that the police are there to protect us. But who will protect us from the police? Clint Rickards and his rapist cronies are just the tip of the iceberg of a system which not only condones but supports violence and abuse of power. Rape is not about sex at all – it's an act of power and violence. And those are two things that the police are good at. The police are nothing more than a gang - the biggest, best equipped gang out there. Like other gangs, they wear patches, have a code of honour, and band together against outsiders. Internal police culture is all about bullying and intimidation – not only of their prisoners and the general public, but of those lower down in their pecking order. They aren't there to defend us – they are there to defend our rulers, their property and their power. Compare how many police you see in the “nice suburbs”, compared to the places where working people live. The justice system is also set up to benefit the powerful over the powerless. Only five percent of rape cases are reported – women know perfectly well that it's usually not worth it going through the humiliation of the judicial process. Defence lawyers do their best in any rape trial to make it look as if the defendant somehow “asked for it”. Rape is a means of intimidation - and not for just women and children either. Just look at how this culture laughs and winks at the idea of men raping other men in prison - this, they say, is what happens if you step out of line. It's not just the police who target women, of course. Despite the offical concerns about the high rate of domestic violence and murder, violence against women in our society is still tolerated. While some women become Prime Minister or bosses of big corporations, most women are concentrated in low paying, low status jobs. This is not a simple question of men oppressing women. Ordinary men do not benefit from their wives, sisters and partners being poorly paid and under constant threat of humilation and violence. No-one in our society is free while women are treated like second class citizens. We need social change that will bring a living wage and free childcare for all. We need contraception and abortion on demand. We need to call a halt to the criminalisation of women raising children alone. And we need a better way to bring justice for rape victims. The only kind of society that can provide that is a society based on human need rather than profit – a socialist society. By organising and fighting back against sexism and police abuse, we are building the struggle for a better world right here and now. Women in the 1960s and 70s got angry at the way women were treated and won some important gains, but we haven't gone far enough. We need to make sure that Clint Rickards and people like him can no longer get away with abusing and humiliating the rest of us. It's time for women – and men - to get angry again!