54 peace activists acquitted!

IssueJuly - August 2010
Feature by Milan Rai , Emily Johns

In this bumper summer issue of Peace News, we bring you good news from all around the world – from Australia where Ploughshares activists (pictured above) who pleaded guilty to breaking into a top secret spy base were nevertheless found not guilty by their judge, to Serbia, where charges were dismissed against six anarchists initially charged with international terrorism for protesting at the Greek embassy.

In Washington DC, in the US, there were acquittals for 24 human rights activists prosecuted for a protest at the US Capitol against the continued existence of the Guantanamo detention centre. In Derry, in the north of Ireland, nine women charged with breaking into the offices of the US arms manufacturer Raytheon were acquitted after raising Raytheon’s complicity in the 2009 Israeli assault on Gaza (lack of evidence acquitted three male protesters).

Here in Britain, an alleged anti-G20 “ringleader” was found not guilty of violent disorder at the 1 April anti-capitalist demonstrations in the City of London; seven people protesting at a fancy dinner for DSEi arms traders were found not guilty of disobeying a police order to confine themselves to a pen; and an anarchist organiser and two young children won unconditional apologies from the Kent police for the illegal searches they were subjected to at the Kingsnorth Climate Camp in 2008.

Please search through this issue for these and other amazing stories of determination and courage. What a month! Enjoy your summer.