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| No justice for student protesters Alfie Meadows and Zak King | No justice for student protesters Alfie Meadows and Zak King |
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| More than two years after the student protests of December 2010, two young men, Alfie Meadows and Zak King, are still waiting to clear their names after being prosecuted on charges of violent disorder (Letters, 21 November 2012). We condemn the use of such a serious charge against protesters. We also believe that a two-year lapse between the events to which the charges relate and the trial is unacceptable. Alfie and Zak have not been free to live their lives as they would have chosen, but have had to live under the constant fear that they would spend a lengthy period in prison (violent disorder carries a five-year maximum term). | More than two years after the student protests of December 2010, two young men, Alfie Meadows and Zak King, are still waiting to clear their names after being prosecuted on charges of violent disorder (Letters, 21 November 2012). We condemn the use of such a serious charge against protesters. We also believe that a two-year lapse between the events to which the charges relate and the trial is unacceptable. Alfie and Zak have not been free to live their lives as they would have chosen, but have had to live under the constant fear that they would spend a lengthy period in prison (violent disorder carries a five-year maximum term). |
| Alfie and Zak now find themselves in the extraordinary position of facing a third trial after a jury failed to reach a decision in their first trial and their retrial collapsed after repeated delays. While we do not blame anybody for the outcome of the previous hearings, no one should have to wait so long for justice to be done. We deplore a criminal justice system such as this, which leaves protesters' lives on hold while they wait to clear their names, and the families of those individuals who have died at the hands of police waiting endlessly for justice for their loved ones. We call on the CPS to discontinue the prosecution. Hannah Dee Defend the Right to Protest David Renton, Haldane Society of Lawyers, barrister, Garden Court Chambers Sheila Coleman Hillsborough Justice Campaign Barbara Jackson Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign Slavoj Zizek International director, Birkbeck Institute of Humanities Bill Bowring Professor of law, Birkbeck, University of London Nina Power Senior lecturer, Roehampton University Peter Hallward Centre for research in modern European philosophy, Kingston University Jelena Timotijevik UCU NEC, Brighton University Alex Callinicos Professor of European studies, King's College London Professor Satnam Virdee Head of sociology, University of Glasgow Dr. Alexander Anievas University of Oxford Tess Gill Vice-president, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers Jim Wolfreys Kings College London Estella Schmid Campaign Against Criminalising Communities Russell Fraser Barrister, 2 Dr Johnson's Buildings Paul Heron Solicitor, Hackney Community Law Centre Kani Areef Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers Liam Burns NUS Laurie Penny John McDonnell MP Zita Holbourne PCS NEC Martha Jean Baker Barbara Harriss-White Emeritus professor of development studies, Oxford University Kate Markus Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers Michael Seifert Solicitor Alberto Toscano Senior lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London Adam Hanieh Lecturer in development studies, SOAS, University of London Rasheed El-Enany Professor emeritus, University of Exeter Dr Anne Alexander Research fellow, University of Cambridge Adam Geary Reader in law, Birkbeck, University of London Maria Aristodemou Senior lecturer in Law, Birkbeck, University of London Elena Loizidou Senior lecturer in Law, Birkbeck, University of London Nadine El-Enany Lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Eddie Bruce-Jones Lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Fiona Macmillan Professor of law, Birkbeck, University of London Sarah Lamble Lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Zeina Ghandour Lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Patrick Hanafin Professor of law, Birkbeck, University of London Victoria Ridler Lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Piyel Halder Senior lecturer in Law, Birkbeck, University of London Les Moran Professor of law, Birkbeck, University of London Oscar Guardiola-Rivera Senior lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Anton Schütz Senior lecturer in Law, Birkbeck, University of London Daniel Monk Reader in law, Birkbeck, University of London Patricial Costall Academic support officer, Birkbeck, University of London Peter Thomas Lecturer in politics, Brunel University Gareth Dale Senior lecturer in politics and international relations, Brunel University | Alfie and Zak now find themselves in the extraordinary position of facing a third trial after a jury failed to reach a decision in their first trial and their retrial collapsed after repeated delays. While we do not blame anybody for the outcome of the previous hearings, no one should have to wait so long for justice to be done. We deplore a criminal justice system such as this, which leaves protesters' lives on hold while they wait to clear their names, and the families of those individuals who have died at the hands of police waiting endlessly for justice for their loved ones. We call on the CPS to discontinue the prosecution. Hannah Dee Defend the Right to Protest David Renton, Haldane Society of Lawyers, barrister, Garden Court Chambers Sheila Coleman Hillsborough Justice Campaign Barbara Jackson Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign Slavoj Zizek International director, Birkbeck Institute of Humanities Bill Bowring Professor of law, Birkbeck, University of London Nina Power Senior lecturer, Roehampton University Peter Hallward Centre for research in modern European philosophy, Kingston University Jelena Timotijevik UCU NEC, Brighton University Alex Callinicos Professor of European studies, King's College London Professor Satnam Virdee Head of sociology, University of Glasgow Dr. Alexander Anievas University of Oxford Tess Gill Vice-president, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers Jim Wolfreys Kings College London Estella Schmid Campaign Against Criminalising Communities Russell Fraser Barrister, 2 Dr Johnson's Buildings Paul Heron Solicitor, Hackney Community Law Centre Kani Areef Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers Liam Burns NUS Laurie Penny John McDonnell MP Zita Holbourne PCS NEC Martha Jean Baker Barbara Harriss-White Emeritus professor of development studies, Oxford University Kate Markus Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers Michael Seifert Solicitor Alberto Toscano Senior lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London Adam Hanieh Lecturer in development studies, SOAS, University of London Rasheed El-Enany Professor emeritus, University of Exeter Dr Anne Alexander Research fellow, University of Cambridge Adam Geary Reader in law, Birkbeck, University of London Maria Aristodemou Senior lecturer in Law, Birkbeck, University of London Elena Loizidou Senior lecturer in Law, Birkbeck, University of London Nadine El-Enany Lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Eddie Bruce-Jones Lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Fiona Macmillan Professor of law, Birkbeck, University of London Sarah Lamble Lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Zeina Ghandour Lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Patrick Hanafin Professor of law, Birkbeck, University of London Victoria Ridler Lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Piyel Halder Senior lecturer in Law, Birkbeck, University of London Les Moran Professor of law, Birkbeck, University of London Oscar Guardiola-Rivera Senior lecturer in law, Birkbeck, University of London Anton Schütz Senior lecturer in Law, Birkbeck, University of London Daniel Monk Reader in law, Birkbeck, University of London Patricial Costall Academic support officer, Birkbeck, University of London Peter Thomas Lecturer in politics, Brunel University Gareth Dale Senior lecturer in politics and international relations, Brunel University |
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