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SSP leader jailed for anti-trident demonstration
 international |
anti-war / imperialism |
other press
 Wednesday August 27, 2003 20:00 by E.G.
Tommy Sheridan, the firebrand leader of the Scottish Socialist party, was sent to jail for seven days yesterday after he refused to pay a fine imposed for his role in an anti-Trident demonstration.
At a court appearance which lasted less than a minute but attracted a full press gallery, Sheridan told the magistrate, Robert Hamilton, that he had no intention of paying a £200 fine imposed for breach of the peace last year. Sheridan, dressed in jeans and tracksuit top, was then led from the dock at Glasgow district court to begin his sentence at Barlinnie prison.
As he left, his mother, Alice, shouted, "Keep walking in the light son," while his father-in-law raised his fist in a socialist salute from the public gallery.
The magistrate was unimpressed. On his instructions, police officers removed Mr Sheridan's father-in-law from the court and took him into custody. "I am trying to run a court, not a circus," Mr Hamilton said.
Sheridan was arrested at the Faslane naval base on the Clyde, the home of the Trident nuclear programme, during a protest in February 2002. He was subsequently fined £200 for breach of the peace last August.
From the outset, Sheridan said he had no intention of paying the fine and he presented himself at Glasgow's Govan police station late on Sunday night after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He spent the night in cells there.
Speaking outside the court, his mother condemned the sentence. She said: "I have utter contempt for the verdict and I am very proud of what Tommy has done."
But the Scottish Conservatives' chief whip, Bill Aitken, accused Sheridan of wasting taxpayer's money.
"Scotland's police and our criminal justice system are trying hard to cope with the rising tide of violent crime," he said. "So the ego-tripping antics of Tommy Sheridan that waste valuable time and resources are an affront to all honest citizens and an abuse of our police and courts."
Sheridan is no stranger to Scotland's penal institutions.
In December 2000 he was sentenced to 14 days for failing to pay a £250 fine imposed following another anti-Trident demonstration.
In 1992, as one of the leading poll tax campaigners, he spent four months in Edinburgh's Saughton prison for attempting to stop a warrant sale (trying to prevent the enforcement of a debt).
FULL STORY HERE:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2003/aug/26/uk.scotland?INTCMP=SRCH
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Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4(No reason given for his early release. There is an unsusstanyiated rumour that Peter Taafe paid the fine.)
Freed Sheridan remains defiant
Mr Sheridan said his protests will continue
The Scottish Socialist Party leader has emerged from prison in defiant mood after serving a jail term following his role in an anti-nuclear protest.
Tommy said he would be prepared to go to prison again to "make a stand" for what he believes in.
He was sent to jail for seven days at Glasgow District Court on Monday after refusing to pay a fine for his role in an anti-Trident protest last year at the Faslane nuclear submarine base on the Clyde.
However, the Glasgow region MSP was released from Barlinnie Prison on Thursday morning to cheers from his supporters.
The biggest waste of taxpayers' money is the £1.5bn a year that we spend on the maintenance of weapons of mass destruction in Faslane
Tommy Sheridan
SSP leader
He said: "I don't think jail is a pleasant place to be and I would not encourage anybody to get themselves into a position where they go to prison.
"But sometimes you have to make a stand on certain issues and this is one issue you have to make a stand on, so I will be involved in future anti-nuclear protests."
Mr Sheridan rejected criticisms from opponents of placing an additional burden on the criminal justice system and of wasting taxpayers' money.
He said: "I think it is the height of hypocrisy for anyone to accuse me of wasting taxpayers money when I am in there in protest at the waste of taxpayers' money.
Warrant sales
"The biggest waste of taxpayers' money is the £1.5bn a year that we spend on the maintenance of weapons of mass destruction in Faslane."
Mr Sheridan thanked prison officers for "their professional conduct and assistance" during his short stay.
"Can I also thank the fellow prisoners for their solid support and help," he said.
Mr Sheridan has already served one previous jail term following an anti-nuclear protest and was jailed on two occasions after protests about poindings and warrant sales.
Among those greeting him at Barlinnie on Thursday were his wife Gail, mother Alice and father-in-law Gus Healy.
Mr Healy, 66, was taken to the cells at the court on Monday after raising a clenched fist in support of Mr Sheridan.
He said: "I was there for a couple of hours and I got a wee ticking off. But I'm 100% behind Tommy."
and on a lighter note...
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Dead mouse found in parliament
A dead mouse has been found in the Scottish Parliament's canteen, a spokesman said.
He said the parliament's pest control company examined the kitchen thoroughly and the area has been sanitised since Monday's find.
Green MSP Robin Harper said: "Is this the first mouse to have died from starvation in the midst of plenty?"
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Another by election for New Labour to fight?
Well done Tommy sheridan, not afraid to stand up for his principles.
"Well done Tommy sheridan, not afraid to stand up for his principles"
Tommy is hardly one for his principles! Remember his refusal to say he'd nationalise Tescos? Remember he said scandanavian social democracy is the model for Scotland?
I think we should not get too carried away with cheering on the SSP. They have their problems.