First posted to Melbourne Indymedia.

Thousands of unionists and supporters jammed the streets outside the County Court yesterday in a show of support for Craig Johnston, due to appear to answer charges ranging from affray and criminal damage up to threats to kill. He had been singled out for the full treatment while the other 16 co-accused after the events at Johnson Tiles and Skilled Engineering in June 2001 were charged with the lesser offence of unlawful assembly and received relatively small fines. The rally heard that Doug Cameron, national secretary of the AMWU, had threatened disciplinary action against any members who might attend – if so, the threat doesn’t seem to have carried much weight with these unionists:

Whichever way you look …

Feltex workers remembering Craig’s support for them …

“I’ve never worn a suit to a rally before”

Preparing to chair Craig into the courthouse

And a true union sendoff