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Justice for Mark Barnsley Campaign Bulletin - January 2003 It‚s been a while since our last bulletin and many of you may be wondering what‚s been happening with the campaign and Mark since his release from prison last June. Here's a brief rundown of what we've been up to over the past few months. Whilst on the legal front the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) are still investigating Mark's case, we've been trying to build a better public profile for the case/campaign. In some ways this task is made easier now that Mark is no longer in prison. In other ways it seems more difficult to attract lasting support for the same reason. Back in August last year we held our first big campaign meeting/social to celebrate Mark's release from prison and to discuss the future of the campaign. Whether it was due to the holidays, short notice etc.. we were disappointed with the turnout, which could have been much better. Thanks to those who did attend from around the country, one of the ideas we discussed was a country-wide speaking tour in which Mark could talk about his case, the campaign, prison struggles and the need for effective prisoner support. Unfortunately since Mark is confined to the U.K. he won't be able to take up requests to speak abroad for the time being. Since his release from prison, Mark has already given talks at several meetings around the country with a good response so far and this has resulted in the setting up of several new prisoner support initiatives, which is certainly encouraging. Places he's spoken at so far include: The anarchist Bookfair in London, Brighton, South Yorkshire and several venues in Leeds. These talks have either been alone, accompanied by a campaign stall or as part of larger events with several speakers. Anyone who's read Mark‚s articles or listened to him speaking will know that he does it with confidence and clarity. After spending 8 years of unjust imprisonment it‚s not surprising he knows his subject inside out. Unfortunately, in November last year, Mark broke his leg badly, making travel almost impossible. We are therefore hoping that the speaking tour can go ahead in May/June this year. For it to be successful though we need you to help organise events in towns and cities around the country. It needn't require too much work but at least a suitable venue, publicity (so that people know the talk is taking place) and possibly help with travel costs. If you'd like to organise such an event, then please contact the campaign or Mark directly as soon as possible. We will keep you all informed about any speaking dates coming up in due course. Mark will hopefully be speaking at the upcoming Campaign Against Prison Slavery conference on Saturday 1st of February in Leeds (see below for details). As well as speaking at events, Mark has attended several campaign socials so that he can meet supporters. A free punk magazine called Reasons To Believe‚ also interviewed Mark just after one such social in Leeds. Anyone wanting a copy of the interview should contact the campaign. Whilst fund raising efforts have been patchy recently, the campaign provided the Workers Beer Company with volunteer servers at last years Glastonbury and Leeds festivals. We aim to continue this fund raising work in the coming year. At Leeds Festival, Mark had a nice surprise when he met up with a group of campaign supporters on holiday from Malta. Later in the year we raised funds by doing bar work at A-Spire; a temporary squatted social/activist centre in Leeds. As well as Mark's talk at the anarchist Bookfair in London, the campaign ran a busy stall all day with help from supporters in London and around the country. At a later date, supporters in Reading held a stall in the town centre and handed out leaflets to passers-by. The campaign has often shown active solidarity with other efforts against injustice. In September last year when we heard of 4 prisoners at Frankland Prison taking a dignified stand against the inhuman conditions and unjustified use of isolation there, we helped organise support which culminated in a noise demo outside the prison and the authorities backing down. It just goes to show that solidarity is our best defence and not just a nice slogan. Upcoming Events 2003 Saturday 1st February - Campaign Against Prison Slavery Conference 12 noon - Carpe Diem Pub, Calverley Street, Leeds (opposite Millennium Square) For more info. tel: 07944 522001 or e-mail: againstprisonslavery@mail.com May/June - Mark Barnsley Speaking Tour - Contact the campaign to help and organise an event in your town/city. And from Mark.... It's now six months since the gates of Whitemoor Prison opened and spat me back out onto the streets again. Six months that in many ways have not been easy. Having succeeded in making me homeless even prior to my release, the harassment I have received from the State has been relentless. After I eventually found somewhere to live in Sheffield, the Police again intervened to make me homeless once more. At one stage I was literally living out of a rucksack, with the constant threat of re-imprisonment hanging over my head. I was eventually forced to abandon my plans to live close to my children in South Yorkshire, and moved to Leeds. Even after I had again found somewhere to live, the Probation Services took nearly 2 months to approve‚ the address. It was only recently that I spent my first night in over eight years in my own bed. My homelessness has meant that I have not been able to do any sort of work, on my case or otherwise. I have not had access to my legal papers or to my few possessions. I have not even been able to answer mail sent to me prior to my release, and of course it has been very stressful. Inevitably, 8 years in high security prisons, 2 years in solitary, beatings, bad food, and brutalisation, has caused me health problems, and I have not yet managed to regain the fitness I once took for granted. Most seriously a proration problem caused by 8 years of walking on hard flat prison exercise yards recently caused my tibia to snap in two. This meant a week in hospital, an operation to insert a steel rod inside my shin, and it has left me on crutches and house bound. For an ex-prisoner it is a cruelly ironic situation. I am unable to decorate my new flat, unable to get to see my children, and I still spend much of my time alone and locked behind my door. Hopefully this explains why many of you have not heard from me recently, for which I apologise sincerely. I'm afraid I was not even able to get out to buy Xmas cards. Of course, despite the State harassment and the ongoing effects of 8 years wrongful imprisonment I have still had some great times in the past 6 months. I have really enjoyed meeting some of the people who wrote to me and supported me while I was locked away, and many have become close personal friends. Countless times I have been unable to stop myself grinning like a Cheshire Cat at the thought of how much better than prison even the most ordinary‚ situations are, just to be close to my friends and comrades, and not to have some turn-key telling me to get behind my door every hour or so (at best). Even the most simple things give me so much pleasure. I had hoped to speak at more meetings around the country, in addition to those I've already spoken at. My current disability prevents a speaking tour, but I hope that in the Spring, supporters around the country will do their best to organise campaign meetings. I am also happy to speak on any prison-related issue. There is still no word from the Criminal Cases Review Commission, but as I've previously said, it‚s important to keep the campaign alive, to keep pressure on the establishment and on the media, so that what's happened to me cannot simply be swept under the carpet. We still need funds to pay for legal reports and expenses, and we still need the sort of profile the media simply can't ignore. Unfortunately, there seems to have already been a tailing-off of interest in my case now that I'm no longer incarcerated. It may be the case that I'm no longer in prison, but I still have the threat of re-imprisonment hanging over me, my movements are restricted, and I'm still facing harassment. I won't be the last person that gets fitted-up, so I hope it's important to some people that the State aren't simply allowed to get away with what they've done to me. If you want to help, there's plenty to be done. When I can walk again, I hope to continue meeting as many of you as possible, and continue to be a thorn in the side of the powerful. Thanks to those who have gone out of their way to introduce themselves to me, who have continued to write and take an interest, and to those whose acts of kindness and friendship have helped to make my post-prison life easier than it might have been. The struggle continues! With love and respect to you all. Mark Just to clarify things.... In a recent issue of the paper Class War‚, an editorial refers to the 1 in 12 Club‚ in Bradford charging the Justice for Mark Barnsley campaign £30 for the use of a room at the club. This claim is completely incorrect. A Justice for Mark Barnsley meeting and social was held at the 1 in 12 Club, but no charge was made for it, and we are grateful to the club for offering us space at short notice, and to the bar staff who helped out on the day. We have been assured that a correction will be made in the next issue of Class War. Thank you to both the 1 in 12 and Class War for their ongoing support of the campaign. Prison Survival - Prisoner Support This is a new 32 page booklet written by a broad range of political activists in Britain. It has two chapters: Experiences of Imprisonment‚ and Prisoner Solidarity‚. Drawn from recent personal experience, the articles are packed full of useful practical advice from both sides of the prison walls. The pamphlet also contains a list of useful contacts/prisoner support groups. A must read for anyone involved in practical radical politics but also very useful to anyone else interested in supporting prisoners or facing imprisonment. Any profits‚ from this pamphlet go to the Justice for Mark Barnsley campaign. The pamphlet costs £1 ordered from JfMB (see address below) (cheques/postal orders payable to Justice for Mark Barnsley‚). For more information about the campaign... Contact Mark At: Mark Barnsley c/o JfMB PO Box 381 Huddersfield HD1 3XX England Tel. 07944 522001 |