2 London workshops (by me) tomorrow (Thurs 17th) and Tues 22nd

Both workshops are at LARC - 62 Fieldgate St, Whitechapel, London, and both start at 7pm.

Thursday 17th - Mental illness and community support

A workshop/discussion on supporting those who suffer through mental illness, the different options available and how we can better support each other.

Tuesday 22nd - Indigenous repression and resistance in Australia and Aotearoa / New Zealand

A talk by two anarchists, one from Australia and one from Aotearoa / New Zealand (both non-indigenous), about recent assaults by the state on indigenous communities, and on indigenous and anarchist resistance to these attacks.

The talk will focus mainly on the invasion of the Northern Territory by the Australian government and the disgusting treatment of aborigines living there, and on the so-called “terrorism raids” that occured in Aotearoa / New Zealand in 2007 targetting indigenous activists and anarchists.

Otautahi / Christchurch benefit gig for Operation 8 arrestees

Blackball 08 — 100 Years On

Just flicked this feature up on Aotearoa Indymedia:

Blackball 08 — 100 Years On

This easter weekend Blackball celebrated its rich militant worker’s history with the centennial of the 1908 strike…

A good turnout in the rather isolated Balckball kicked off the weekends events, aimed at celebrating the 11 week strike, which, 100 years earlier, helped strengthen the rights of miners, workers and unionism throughout the country.

[ Read full report ]

Links: Celebration Invitation | The Blackball Museum of
Working Class History | The History of Blackball | “Trouble Makers” - Anarchism and Syndicalism. The early years of the Libertarian Movement in Aotearoa / New Zealand

Biographies of prominent strikers: Pat Hickey | Robert “Bob” Semple | Patrick “Paddy” Webb

Video from Stop The Raids protest in Otautahi / Christchurch

A short (4 mins 25 secs) video from today’s protest in Otautahi / Christchurch in solidarity with those arrested on October 15th 2007 & February 19th 2007.

If you can’t see the embedded video, click here to watch it on YouTube.

Film by Anarchia Films - anarchia.wordpress.com

For more info, see www.october15thsolidarity.info

Private investigators in court over corporate spy scandal

Private investigation firm Thompson & Clark Investigations Ltd (TCIL) appeared before the Registrar of Private Investigators and Security Guards in the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st February.

TCIL faced allegations that they had breached the Private Investigators and Security Guards Act (The Act) which governs their conduct. The allegations refer to the engagement of Ryan Paterson-Rouse to infiltrate the Save Happy Valley Coalition (SHVC) and of Somali Young to infiltrate the Wellington Animal Rights Network (WARN) and Peace Action Wellington (PAW). Also in question was the legality of the placement of a spy camera on the road near the entrance to the Happy Valley occupation site in 2006, by TCIL.

SHVC, WARN and PAW complained to the registrar in June 2007, after Paterson-Rouse and Young were exposed as spies paid by TCIL to infiltrate activist groups and gather information. TCIL then passed that information on to companies that had hired it, including Solid Energy, and likely the NZ biotech industry and NZ Defence Industry Association.Despite being served with a subpoena and having flights from Wellington paid for, Somali Young did not appear in Court, and may be fined by the Registrar. On the stand, Gavin Clark declined to answer any questions relating to Somali, including whether he had ever met her. Despite objections from Frances Mountier (for SHVC) and Valerie Morse (for PAW), the Registrar refused to compel Clark to answer the questions. Clark claimed immunity from having to answer the questions due to the public interest, although Mountier and Morse both questioned whether this in fact had any basis in law whatsoever.

Spy Camera

In his submission to the Court, Clark acknowledged for the first time that the camera was in fact placed by TCIL. The act states that:

Every person, who, in the course of or in connection with the business of a private investigator, -

(a) Takes or causes to be taken, or uses or accepts for use, any photograph, cinematographic picture, or videotape recording of another person; or

(b) By any mechanical device records or causes to be recorded the voice or speech of another person, - without the prior consent in writing of that other person, commits and offence [against this act]

Clark claimed that the camera was placed in TCIL’s role as a security contractor to Solid Energy rather than as private investigators. In response, Mountier pointed out that it would defeat the purpose of the protections that The Act purports to afford if private investigators were able to break their governing legislation by claiming they were acting outside of their licensed role.

The Spies

The allegations concerning Paterson-Rouse and Young were that they had acted as private investigators without holding a valid license, which is an offence against The Act for both them and for TCIL, the private investigation firm that paid them. Gavin Clark claimed that Paterson-Rouse was never an employee of TCIL, but rather an informant paid as per the quality of information provided rather than any set rate.

In his evidence, Clark stated that he had been given a list of names and information of people in Christchurch, and of those names, he chose Paterson-Rouse as he felt he would be most likely to fit in with the other SHVC activists. He then contacted Paterson-Rouse and had a meal with him to further assess whether or not he would be able to carry out the infiltration of SHVC. Upon deciding that he would, Clark advised Paterson-Rouse to join, and the infiltration began. When asked if he still stood by his judgement that Paterson-Rouse was a good choice to infiltrate SHVC, Clark stated “Well, Ryan Paterson-Rouse’s behaviour is why I’m here talking about him today…”

Over the next 7 months, Paterson-Rouse was given a cellphone and paid over $3700 by TCIL for providing information. Clark stated that information sought included personal information such as where people lived and who they were in relationships with, in addition to people’s roles in SHVC and any special skills they might have, such as tree-climbing. At times, Paterson-Rouse’s pay was worked out at an hourly rate (or a daily rate during his three trips into the Happy Valley occupation).

One of the aspects of Paterson-Rouse’s information gathering was the automatic forwarding of all emails sent to him to Gavin Clark. Clark admitted to deleting all emails from Paterson-Rouse’s email account after the spying was exposed.

Clark also discussed the “monthly updates” which TCIL sends out to its clients, which were mentioned in a response to an Official Information Act request by Massey University, one of the recipients. Clark claimed the updates contained only information from “open sources”, which he defined as the internet and news media. This information would include news about protests and upcoming events organised by political activist groups, both in New Zealand and overseas.

Clark also acknowledged that he knew that the SHVC blockade of a coal train on April 29, 2007, was going to occur, and that he had travelled to Christchurch for it. He said he “may have” informed the police it was to occur, but did not confirm or deny when asked if he attended a police briefing on the protest at 8am, several hours before it began. The briefing had been revealed during the hearings of those convicted for the protest.

The bulk of what was in dispute between Morse and Mountier and TCIL in regard to Paterson-Rouse and Young was whether or not their work constituted employment by TCIL. In this, TCIL called private investigator and ex-Police officer Trevor Morley, who related his experience with both undercover agents and informants in both the Police and the private sector. They also submitted some case law from the Employment Court as to the difference between an employee and an independent contractor. Morse and Mountier argued that as both Paterson-Rouse and Young had been approached and offered regular payment to infiltrate and report information on specific political activist groups, had recieved instructions on what types of information to seek and had seemingly been paid hourly or daily rates, that the relationship between them and TCIL was indeed one of an employer and employee. They also made note that The Act makes no provision whatsoever for any difference between undercover agents and informants.

Decision reserved

After a day and a half in court, the Registrar reserved his decision. Morse and Mountier asked for the maximum penalty, which is the cancellation of TCIL’s private investigation licence.

An SHVC activist’s sketch of Gavin Clark, drawn during court.

More Raids, 3 More Arrests in Tuhoe

Another three people have been arrested as part of the police repression of the Tino Rangatiratanga movement. Two men aged 44 and 46 from Maketu are due to appear in the Tauranga District Court and a 24-year-old Ruatoki man will appear in the Whakatane District Court today on firearms charges related to the Urewera 16.

Valerie Morse, one of those arrested on October 15th, has also had her application for a stay of proceedings declined by the Solicitor-General David Collins.

Tamaki Makaurau / Auckland

Protest - Stop the raids! Saturday 23rd, 12noon, meet in Aotea Square

Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington

Protest - Saturday 23rd, 12noon, meet in Manners Mall

Otautahi / Christchurch

Protest - Stop The Raids! Saturday 23rd, 12noon, meet in Cathedral Square

Links: October 15th Solidarity | Te Mana Motuhake o Tuhoe | AoCafe | Civil Rights Defence Committee

UPDATES:

Tuesday 19th, 4pm: All three men have been granted bail. The two arrestees from Maketu have another hearing in one weeks time, at which point the Crown will attempt to have their hearings moved to Auckland with the 16 arrested on October 15th, 2007. Bail conditions include non-association orders with the other arrestees (with one exception for work for one arrestee), residing at specific addresses, surrendering passports and not possessing firearms.

6:09pm: The Ruatoki man has been given 9 charges under the arms act. The two Maketu men have 7 charges each.

11:34pm: The Ruatoki man was granted name supression at his hearing earlier today. He will appear next in the Auckland District Court (along with the 16 arrested on October 15th) on March 5th. The two Maketu men do not have name supression.

Wednesday 20th: Another person was questioned in the Whakatane Police Station today, but was not charged.

Benefit CD and T-Shirt for the October 15th arrestees

Tu Kotahi - Freedom Fighting Anthems is a new double benefit CD released on Waitangi Day (Feb 6th). Bands on it include Verse Two, Olmecha Supreme, Cornerstone Roots and Upper Hutt Posse.

There are also black T-Shirts with green and white print, reading “Freedom Fighters” and “Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou” (We will fight on).

The T-Shirts and CDs are $25 each and all the money raised will be split between organisations directly supporting those affected by the raids, and also working on consciousness raising around the issue. International shipping is available, for those of you reading this from outside NZ (check exchange rates here).

Waitangi Day protests across Aotearoa

A feature I just wrote for Aotearoa Indymedia:

Waitangi Day protests across Aotearoa

Waitangi Day saw protests in several places across Aotearoa, with Tangata Whenua and Tau Iwi standing together to demand Tino Rangatiratanga and Mana Motuhake.

In Waitangi itself, “thousands of tangata whenua, pakeha and tau iwi marched together in the hikoi to the treaty grounds with Tino Rangatiratanga and Mana Motuhake flags flying behind the Kotahitanga flag. A large contingent from Tuhoe was leading the hikoi, including some of the Urewera 17 activists. Key issues raised during this year’s Waitangi Day were the Resource Management Act, the Foreshore and Seabed legislation and the October 15 “anti-terror” raids.” [ Tau Iwi Report of Waitangi Day 08 + Photos ]

In Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland), members and supporters of the sovereignty group Te Ata Tino Toa gathered today to fly the largest known Tino Rangatiratanga flag above the Auckland Harbour Bridge. A slow procession of cars also went across the Bridge flying Tino Rangatiratanga and Te Mana Motuhake o Tuhoe flags, while a boat went underneath flying a flag. [ Te Ate Tino Toa (TATT) Transcends Tranzit New Zealand's Pettiness + Photos ]

Te Whanganui A Tara (Wellington) saw around 30 people take a “Tour Of Oppression” around various sites in the central city. [ Tour of Oppression: Waitangi Day procession in Wellington + Photos ]

On the other side of the world, the New Zealand embassy in Berlin, Germany, was spraypainted with “Tino Rangatiratanga” and “Drop the Urewera charges”. [ NZ embassy in Berlin Spraypainted ]

Waitangi Day also saw the launch of Tu Kotahi - Freedom Fighting Anthems, a double benefit CD. All the money raised will be split between organisations directly supporting those affected by the raids, and also working on consciousness raising around the issue. [ Tu Kotahi - Freedom Fighting Anthems ]

Links: AoCafe | Maori Independence Site | Te Mana Motuhake o Tuhoe | Conscious Collaborations | October 15th Solidarity | Tu Kotahi - Freedom Fighting Anthems

Graffiti, boot camps and the hatred of youth

The bogeyman for the 2008 general election seems to have been decided - “wayward” youth. Those who have dared to have the gall to have not grown past age 18 yet can expect to be the recipient of constant attacks from politicians and the media for the rest of the year. Like immigrants and solo mothers before them, youth (some of whom no doubt fit into the other two categories as well) are a seemingly easy target for the rich, white and powerful, as they seek to increase their power and influence across New Zealand society.

In the last two days, first opposition leader John Key, and later Prime Minister Helen Clark have both laid out their own attacks on youth. Key went first, with plans including lowering the minimum age for offenders to appear before the Youth Court, compulsory army (and possibly private contractor) run boot camps for under 16 year olds convicted in the Youth Court, and electronic movement monitoring ankle bracelets for youth “offenders”. It is the boot camps that have attracted the most attention. Dubbed Fresh Start, they would last for a year and include 3 months of residential detention. It is, in effect, a return to compulsory military training for some youth, and could, once established, conceivably lead to a return to compulsory military training for all New Zealand youth, a policy which has been mentioned several times in different quarters over the past few years (most notably from the NZ First Party). Along with the attacks on youth, Key’s plans also include attacks on parents, with the Youth Court able to force parents of youth who go through the court system to attend parenting classes. Lastly, Key announced that under a National Government, youth who left school at 16 or 17 and did not enter another registered education provider or find work would be unable to receive any form of benefit.

Prime Minister Helen Clark’s plans, less heavy on detail thus far, include raising the minimum school leaving age to 18. John Key’s speech seemed to rest on making the streets safe for “people like you and me”. Given that Key is New Zealand’s richest MP, somehow I don’t think the “you” referred to anyone I know. Press commentator Colin Espiner also noticed this, pointing out:

Key also blew some not-so-subtle dog whistles to the mostly over-50, white, middle-class New Zealanders sitting in the audience, worried about their personal safety, with his reference to people being randomly beaten to a pulp as they walked home.

Those in the audience did not actually look like they walked anywhere…

Meanwhile, the complaints about street art in general, and tagging in particular, reached a new level in recent days with the stabbing murder of 15 year old Pihema Cameron in Manurewa by 50 year old businessman Bruce Emery. Cameron was apparently about to tag on Emery’s fence, when Emery burst out, chased him with a knife and stabbed him to death. Since the murder, discussion in the media and talkback radio has revolved around the supposed evilness of tagging and understanding (and even some support!) for Emery’s actions. Christchurch City Councillor, Barry Corbett, was quoted in today’s Press as saying “If I was on the jury, I would let him get away with it”. Jo critiques the liberal response to the murder on National Radio on her blog Stanselen, which is well worth a read.

It could be a very tough year for under 18s, and, regardless of who ends up winning the election, it looks like some serious new anti-youth policies will be enacted. Lastly, one simple lesson to remember:

THIS IS ART.

THIS IS A TARGET FOR YOUR ANGER.

“Urewera 16″ Arrestee Launches Book In Christchurch

“Urewera 16″ Arrestee Launches Book In Christchurch
PRESS RELEASE: Katipo BooksFOR IMMEDIATE USE

Anarchist, author and “Urewera 16″ arrestee Valerie Morse will be in Christchurch on Friday 18th January to launch her book, Against Freedom: The war on terrorism in everyday NZ life , an in depth examination of the legislation and climate created by the Labour Government in the name of the “war on terrorism”. The launch will take place at 7:30pm on Friday 18th at The Green Room, 16 Bedford Row.

Against Freedom, published by Rebel Press [1], was released in 2007, before Morse and 15 others arrest in supposed “anti-terror raids” and contains predictions that eerily parallel what has occured since the raids of October 15th.”It is clear that political dissent is now more perilous and more treacherous than before September 11th. Given the new counter-terrorism laws, the possibility of being not only labelled a terrorist in the media, but prosecuted as one, is a reality. By casting political dissent as terrorism, the government, its agencies, the media, and other vested interests assault our freedom of expression” [2]

The book launch is presented by Katipo Books [3], a Christchurch based workers co-operative online distributor and publisher of radical political books. Katipo is proud to be able to bring Morse to Christchurch, where people can hear about her book, and her experiences during the raids, court hearings and her month in prison directly from her mouth. Katipo Books will also have copies of Can’t Hear Me Scream, a 14 page zine written by Morse while she was in prison, available for sale.

Notes

1: Rebel Press was set up in response to the dearth of local radical literature and the overabundence of, particularly, American literature. In an effort to begin talking about issues and conditions unique to Aotearoa and the wider South Pacific they have started encouraging the writing of local content, and publishing it as cheaply as possible. www.rebelpress.org.nz

2: Against Freedom: The war on terrorism in everyday NZ life, page 82

3: Katipo Books: www.katipo.net.nz