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16 December 2001 |
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(See also: High Court upholds campaigner's right to deface US flag - December 22 2001; CAAB US Flag Conviction Quoshed - January 21 2001.) |
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The use of the US flag in peaceful protest will be tested in the High Court London this week on Wednesday 19 December 2001 at 2 pm. This case arises out of a protest by Lindis Percy (Co-Coordinator of the CAMPAIGN FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF AMERICAN BASES - (CAAB) at the American Deep Space Tracking Center and Near Space Facility at 'RAF' Feltwell Norfolk on 16 December 2000. Ms Percy protested at this base using the US flag with the words 'STOP STAR WARS' written across the flag. Ms Percy was arrested by a Ministry of Defence Police officer for 'obstruction of the highway'. She was charged under s.31 ('racially aggravated' offence) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 but not for 'obstruction of the highway'. The 'racially aggravated' charge was eventually discontinued. An amended offence under s.5 (causing alarm, distress and insult in the sight and hearing of persons likely to be alarmed, distressed and insulted) of the Public Order Act 1986 was substituted as well as 'obstruction of the highway'. At Fakenham Magistrates' Court Norfolk earlier this year Ms Percy was found 'guilty' by Patrick Heley (District Judge) of 'obstruction of the highway' and the amended Public Order offence. It is the conviction and sentence of the Public Order offence that Ms Percy is appealing in the High Court by way of 'case stated'. Lindis Percy said "The case is important in terms of what or what is not allowed to be used in future when protesting peacefully particularly as more and more people are concerned at the unilateralist moves by the US government - for example 'STAR WARS' is becoming a reality unless we stop it and we are determined to do just that by all peaceful means possible". NOTE TO THE EDITORS: In an almost identical charge and case involving Ms Percy and the US flag this year she was found 'not guilty' for using the US flag with 'STOP STAR WARS' written across the flag at the American base at Menwith Hill Station in North Yorkshire. The base is part of the Space Based Infra Red System (SBIRS) and will be crucial (with Fylingdales) to the American Missile Defense system. It is widely thought that Tony Blair has privately given formal consent to George W Bush for use of Menwith Hill and Fylingdales in the American Missile Defense System ('STAR WARS'). FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lindis Percy OR
Anni Rainbow For legal information:
Hossein Zahir
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