Statement regarding UKUncut actions March 26th
We do not represent UKUncut. Nobody really does, that’s the point.
However, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the arrest yesterday of dozens of UKUncut members following the peaceful occupation of Fortnum & Mason.
In taking this action, police have sought to create scapegoats for the violence outside the building that was not in any way connected to the peaceful protest taking place inside. Unable or unwilling to arrest those responsible for acts of violence and vandalism on the streets, the police have chosen to pick on an easy target.
Along with the mainstream media, the police have through ignorance or malice conflated the actions of a peaceful tax avoidance protest group with those of so-called “black bloc” anarchists, in a manner that shows they are unfit to police events that might require subtlety or nuance to understand.
UKUncut are a peaceful protest group that use comedy, costumes, and inventive protest methods to draw attention to tax avoidance by corporations and their owners. We call upon the police to immediately release those arrested for the occupation of F&M, and politely request that they issue a statement in which they demonstrate that they understand the difference between peaceful protest and violent anarchy.
By appearing to hold peaceful protesters responsible for scenes of violence committed by others, the police do nothing to improve relations with protesters, and this will be remembered.
#solidarity
Bankers Uncut 
The police treated ukuncut in this way because you won’t play with them and ask their permission to protest. They have stated that if you don’t work with them (which would effectively render your protests impotent) then they will use ‘extreme’ measures to curtail your activities. This comment came after the pepper spraying incident.
Don’t let ’em grind you down, you have the right idea, your protests have been imaginative and effective. Ignore the police and carry on, but expect more rough treatment, ‘cos they are seeing you as a direct challenge to their authority.
Good luck for future protests.
“Don’t let ‘em grind you down, you have the right idea, your protests have been imaginative and effective.”
Bwahahaha. Yeah, really effective. Look at the following list of companies who have come forward and volunteered to pay more tax than they should due to the heroic intimidation of shop workers :
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Anarchy isn’t actually about running around smashing things up all the time, it’s about responsible self-government as opposed to the big alien couldn’t-care-less-about-the-electorate kind we presently have. These people you speak of aren’t anarchists at all and you shouldn’t dignify them with the label.
BB
The police arrested your little chums because you were committing aggravated trespass, which is a crime. This is what they have been charged with.
That is all. Stop crying about it.
Who’s crying?
We’re not upset – we’re angry.
If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. Simple. There’s no point bleating about it afterwards.
So in other words, aggravated trespass is OK and should be ignored.
Did aggravated trespass account for 75% of the disorder, damage and violence yesterday? Because it made up a rather disproportionate 75% of the arrests.
Ah, so your argument is “crime X is less serious than crime Y, so crime X should remain unpunished”.
That’s really wonderful logic.
Not at all – rather that by focusing on nonviolent crime, the police actively allowed violence to continue.
Arrests of UKUncut members from inside was to compensate for failure to control violence outside. Not effective policing, and does nothing to aid public safety.
Well done yesterday. And just so peeps are aware we did write a nice piece to the Met asking them nicely to play fair.
http://achancetospeak.wordpress.com/
Peace 🙂
Well done for yesterday. Just so peeps are aware we did write a plea to the Met asking them to play fair as we were marching for their jobs too:)
http://achancetospeak.wordpress.com/
Some members of the Solidarity Federation (an anarchist group) wrote a letter to UKUncut activists on their website, offering solidarity and practical help.
The article is replicated here:
http://libcom.org/library/letter-uk-uncutters-violent-minority
Would be interested to know what you think.