October 15th Solidarity

Tena koutou,

Four years ago, the NZ police conducted a paramilitary invasion of Ruatoki. Four years have passed and there is still no apology for raiding a school bus with armed police, for locking a whole family up in a shed for hours with no food or water, for making kids kneel on the ground with police pointing their guns at their heads for targetting a whole community in a racist operation. Four years on, four people still face charges!

The International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS) welcomes the announcement that 13 of the 17 defendants in the so called ‘terror raids’ trial in New Zealand have had all their charges dropped.  We call for all the charges against the remaining four defendants to also be dropped. 

FRIDAY - OCTOBER 14TH, 2011 - FOUR YEARS OF STATE TERROR.

Free Gig to commemorate the four-year anniversary of the State Terror Raids on communities throughout Aotearoa, and to celebrate the on-going solidarity and support for the defendants.

Featuring Riki Gooch, Mara TK, Imon Starr, Vanessa Stacey, DJ Hammondhead, Mikki D, Sheeq n La, and Benny Tones.

Venue: Southern Cross, Abel Smith Street
Time: from 9pm 

“The unanimous decision by the Supreme Court that all of the police video evidence in the Urewera case was illegal should come as no surprise to anyone, least of all the police. It is blatantly obvious that the police never had this power and what it shows is that the police have been willfully disregarding the law for years,’ said Valerie Morse, former defendant.

It can now be revealed that the remaining four defendants in the court case against political activists came unbelievably close to also having their charges dropped after a majority verdict in the Supreme Court earlier in the month.

“The new indictment presented by the Crown in the Urewera case is utterly unsubstantiated by any credible evidence. The Crown did not bring the ‘criminal group’ charges until more than a year after the original arrests on 15 October 2007, and after the preliminary depositions hearing in September 2008 so they did not even have to make a prima facie case (a case on the face of it)” said Valerie Morse.

Taranaki environmental activists facing charges alongside Tame Iti in the wake of the Urewera "terror raids" four years ago are calling for a jury of their peers to hear the case against them.

Urs Signer and Emily Bailey, along with Tame Iti and Rangikaiwhiria Kemara, have denied participating in a criminal group and firearms charges.

Last week, the Crown dropped firearms charges against 13 others.

The Crown originally sought trial by judge alone but yesterday morning, the Supreme Court granted the defence appeal for a trial by jury.

A protest demanding the withdrawal of ALL charges against the remaining four defendants in the Urewera raids case will accompany the discharge of the defendants at the Auckland High Court on Monday, 12 September at 9am. The protest will start about 8.30am and all people concerned about justice are welcome to come!

Drop ALL the remaining charges!

Solidarity protest outside of the Auckland High Court

Monday, 12th September, 8.30am (Please note change of date/time!)

13 accused in the Urewera case will be discharged from the Auckland High Court on Friday, 9 noon sharp.

Please join us for a solidarity picket demanding the freedom of the four remaining people – Emily Bailey, Urs Signer, Rangi Kemara and Taame Iti - and an end to all of Operation 8.

Media Statement from October 15th Solidarity
Date: 6 September 2011

The dropping of all charges against 13 accused in the Police Operation 8 case is an enormous victory for the defendants, their whanau and supporters across the country and across the world. There are four people who continue to face charges and the struggle for their freedom will continue.

This whole operation has been a disaster from start to finish.