Aamer Anwar reads a statement outside court

Five Palestine campaigners who contested the relevancy of a “racially aggravated conduct” charge in relation to their protest against Israel’s blockade of Gaza had all charges against them dropped today. 

The campaigners, all members of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC), had interrupted the August 2008 Edinburgh Festival concert by the Jerusalem Quartet. Tours by the classical musicians are regularly sponsored by the Israeli Government, which the campaign group claims makes them a legitimate target for protest. 

The campaigners had been accused of making “comments about Jews, Israelis, and the State of Israel”, but during a three-day legal debate at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, a BBC audio recording of the event revealed that there had been no reference made to “Jews”. Comments included “They are Israeli Army musicians”, “End the Siege of Gaza”, “Genocide in Gaza”, and “Boycott Israel”.

Sheriff James Scott ruled that “the comments were clearly directed at the State of Israel, the Israeli Army, and Israeli Army musicians”, and not targeted at “citizens of Israel” per se. “The procurator fiscal’s attempts to squeeze malice and ill will out of the agreed facts were rather strained”, he said. 

Read the SPSC website here or click on the link on the Solidarity homepage.

For Solidarity website reports on previous court appearances click here and here

For a report of speeches by 2 of the SPSC5 at Solidarity Conference click here  

Stop the Cuts - Public Works:
Rally to defend public services
Glasgow, Saturday 10 April

The next key event in our campaign calendar will be the stop the cuts March and Rally in Glasgow on 10 April.

Assemble from 9.30am at Kelvin Way next to Kelvingrove Park for march off around 10am

Rally in Park at 11am

Lots of fun stuff for children too

For more info visit http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/index.html

Solidarity, Scotland’s Socialist Movement offers our sincere condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of the two Southampton based firefighters James Shears and Alan Bannon who were tragically killed whilst undertaking their duties. 

The deaths of James and Alan are yet another reminder of the dangers faced by fire service personnel day and daily. 

In the last 6 years, 16 firefighters have died attending fires. The FBU have published a report called, “In the Line of Duty” arguing that the lessons of previous tragedies must be learned, if they are not to be repeated.

The report can be accessed here