Off Topic Politics Thread

[BackFromBeyond]

I think that this kind of criminal violence is counter-productive to assisting the cause of Palestine. It is difficult to think just what was behind the motive to attempt to kill a security guard who probably knew little about the factory supplying gear to Israel and was probably on minimum wage. Sickening.

Corner was specifically acquitted of the charge of "causing grievous bodily harm with intent" against the police officer and convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent.

It's a complex and ultimately distressing case; the UK criminal justice system is being politically weaponised. Elbit Systems - the Israeli weapons factory at which they were arrested while vandalising drones - which have targeted and killed British aid workers (some of them former veterans). The UK government has run cover for the arms manufacturer, conspicuously - unlike Poland whose nationals were also killed - the UK Foreign Office has failed to back an investigation into the deaths.

"The UK government and arms industry is complicit in Israel's killing of seven aid workers in Gaza, including three British citizens. The workers were killed by a strike from a Hermes 450 drone manufactured by Elbit Systems. The Hermes 450 is powered by a UK-made R902(W) ****el engine, produced by Elbit subsidiary UAV Engines Limited in the UK."

CAAT - MEDIA RELEASE: The UK is complicit in Israel’s killing of UK aid workers in Gaza

Our government has failed us, and it has failed the Palestinian people, and it has failed its own citizens. It is down to us to take action.

caat.org.uk

At The Filton Six retrial, there was an unusual special mandate under which the context of what they were actually doing - that it was a weapons factory, where these weapons have been used, on whom, the death tolls involved, and the accused stated intention to prevent harm - was completely hidden from the jury at trial. The accused's legal representation were barred from explaining their clients moral or ethical motivations to the jury or make an appeal to equity at the sentencing stage of the trial

"In the context of sentencing (not overturning a conviction), a barrister can - and absolutely must - present moral motivations as mitigating factors" The Bar Standard Board.

A "terrorist connection" was also added to the convictions (the jury believed they were adjudicating a prosecution for criminal damage) in order to increase the terms and re-proscribe the group as "terrorists" only days later - at the conveniently timed - proscription rehearing at the Court of Appeal.

All very concerning.

 

[BackFromBeyond]

I really think PA crossed a line when members physically assaulted the guard and could have easily killed him. That could never be justified.

The action such as damaging the airolane or climbing on to the roofs of factories is something many peoole will have sneaking admiration for but there are other peotest groups who can get their message across without resulting to violence against someine who was innocent.

I hope the security guards sues them.

Members', plural?

What that one person did was a complete outlier, physical violence is not a stated aim or objective of the group - there have been no other instances of it. Sentence that individual, not a group who hundreds of thousands of people support. Maybe sue Saints for something violent one fan did?

While it's bizarre (and ahistorical) when proscribing PA the government has invoked the Suffragettes, as reimagined - completely defanged- state approved happy-clappers of protest!