THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF AMERICAN BASES (CAAB)


return to Latest News menu

CAAB report 103

 

Harrogate Magistrates' Court - 28 July 2003

 
Following on the saga of the treatment of Lindis Percy at the behest of the Ministry of Defence Police Agency at NSA Menwith Hill when she was again spuriously arrested for alleged breach of bail conditions at the weekly CAAB demonstration last week (refer to CAAB website if you did not receive the CAAB reports for this and for the week before) ..........
 
Lindis was in Harrogate Magistrates' Court today to make an application for a variation of bail conditions.  The bail conditions imposed last week by Harrogate Magistrates' Court clearly were unworkable, uncertain and unreasonable in that the Ministry of Defence Police (for the second week running had quite spuriously arrested Lindis for 'obstruction of the highway' and 'breach of bail conditions'.  She was detained over night at Harrogate Police Station.  She did not appear in court until the the next afternoon. 
 
Harrogate Magistrates found that the alleged breach of bail conditions was 'not proved' (not proved because she was in MDPA custody at the time and had been dragged into the area within the bail conditions by PC Gary Hall  - MDPA).
 
Today Lindis suggested clear and certain bail conditions to the Magistrates which were immediately opposed by Peter Scott (Crown Prosecution Service).  The Magistrates adjourned and returned to court after sometime and imposed the same bail conditions:
 
'Not to go within 15 meters of the boundary of Menwith Hill'
 
It seemed that Harrogate Magistrates had not listened to the account of the way the MDPA had twice arrested Lindis and both incidents had not been proved.  They have put Lindis again in an impossible situation and have reimposed the same unworkable bail conditions.
 
Lindis will be present once again at the weekly CAAB demonstration at Menwith Hill to uphold her right to protest (Harrogate Magistrates had specifically imposed the distance of 15 meters so that she could demonstrate - despite Anni, Mel and Laura carefully measuring the distance with the help of a MDPA officer, Lindis was arrested as soon as she arrived at the weekly demonstration last week).  We will once again carefully measure the distance to enable Lindis to attend.
 
CAAB is very keen to ensure that our Human Right to peaceful protest is upheld and will not be deterred or intimidated by the MDPA who seem determined to arrest Lindis on the slightest of pretexts - whether lawful or not.
 
Anni Rainbow and Lindis Percy
Joint Co-ordinators 
CAMPAIGN FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF AMERICAN BASES (CAAB)
8 Park Row, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 1HQ, England, U.K.
Tel/fax no: +44 (0)1943 466405 0R +44 (0)1482 702033
 
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed it's the only thing that ever does."     Margaret Mead

 

return to Latest News menu