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Nearly 50 Solidarity members and well-wishers demonstrated outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday 27th March as Tommy and Gail Sheridan arrived for a private appearance in relation to perjury charges.  We were there in good number and good heart for two reasons: firstly, to show our complete Solidarity and support with Tommy and Gail, and with the other five comrades who face these charges, and secondly to demonstrate our contempt for Rupert Murdoch's billionaire media empire and gutter rag, the News of the World, and their lackeys in Lothian and Borders police who have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money pursuing this unnecessary, unprecedented and vindictive investigation. People had come from all over the country - from Muir of Ord in the Highlands to the Borders of Scotland to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Sheridans and with all of the Sheridan Seven. Solidarity banners were present from every region and Anne MacLeod from Culloden brought a huge hand made banner which simply said 'Tommy and Gail - Your Friends are with you'. The onlooking media pack and two of Lothian and Borders finest were treated to chants of 'Lothians police - shame on you' and 'Rupert Murdoch, he tells lies - he's the one who should be tried' from the ever expanding crowd, and when Tommy and Gail arrived they arrived to thunderous applause. Tommy and Gail made no plea or declaration in relation to the charges. Interestingly, no charge relating to the alleged 'theft' of miniatures appeared on the petition. The Crown Office now has up to a year to decide whether to bring these charges to court. In a statement outside the court Aamer Anwar, Tommy and Gail's solicitor, made the point that as matters are now legally 'live' and sub-judice, Tommy and Gail can make no comment. Disgracefully, this did not stop yet another leak from Lothian and Borders police appearing in the Daily Record the next day. Solidarity has complained in the strongest possible terms about this breach of the law (see PR below). As Hugh Kerr said to the assembled demo when Tommy and Gail emerged from court 'this is an attack on anyone who stands up to challenge the system. We will fight this to the end. Tommy was a victor before and he will be a victor again.' |
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