AN ANTI-APARTHEID PROTESTOR FROM KILBURN HAS WON H

AN ANTI-APARTHEID PROTESTOR FROM KILBURN HAS WON HIS APPEAL

AGAINST CONVICTION FOR USING THREATENING WORDS LIKELY TO CAUSE A

BREACH OF THE PEACE – AND BEEN AWARDED #400 COSTS AGAINST THE

POLICE.

STEPHEN COLEMAN, 21, OF SALUSBURY ROAD, WAS ARRESTED OUTSIDE

SOUTH AFRICA HOUSE WHERE A NON-STOP PICKET IS BEING STAGED FOR THE

RELEASE OF JAILED BLACK SOUTH AFRICAN LEADER NELSON MANDELA.

COLEMAN, WHO WAS DEMONSTRATING INTO THE NIGHT ON JUNE 14 THIS

YEAR, WAS ARRESTED BY PC TONY MICALEFF WHEN HE WAS HEARD CHANTING AND

DANCING.

HE WAS ALLEGED TO HAVE SAID: ‘GET THE BASTARDS OUT,’ BUT MR

TERRY MUNYARD, DEFENDING, SAID THE WORD WAS ‘FASCIST’ AND NOT

‘BASTARD’ – AND WAS PART OF A SONG REGULARLY SUNG IN TRAFALGAR

SQUARE.

IT WAS ALLEGED THAT A 17-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN WOMAN HAD

OBJECTED THAT THE WORD WAS ‘NOT RIGHT’, AND HE WAS ARRESTED.

COLEMAN WAS TAKEN TO CANNON ROW POLICE STATION AND CHARGED

WITH USING THREATENING WORDS LIKELY TO CAUSE A BREACH OF THE PEACE.

BUT JUDGE DEREK COLEMAN, SITTING AT SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT

COMMENTED: ‘IT IS NOT YET A CRIMINAL OFFENCE TO PROVOKE AN ARGUMENT,

AND WHEN THAT DAY COMES THE SHUTTERS REALLY WILL COME DOWN.

‘
COLEMAN APPEARED AT BOW STREET MAGISTRATES COURT ON JULY 29

WHERE HE FOUND GUILTY, GIVEN A CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE FOR 6 MONTHS

AND ORDERED TO PAY #20 COSTS.

BUT AT THE CROWN COURT ON TUESDAY COLEMAN’S APPEAL WAS UPHELD

WHEN THE JUDGE, SITTING WITH A MAGISTRATE, DECIDED THERE WAS

‘INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE FOR A CONVICTION.

‘
HE SAID THERE WAS ‘ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT’ THAT NO OFFENCE HAD

TAKEN PLACE, AND AWARDED #400 COSTS AGAINST THE POLICE.

BUT HE ADDED:

‘THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE TO GO BACK TO TRAFALGAR SQUARE TO TEST THE

POLICE.

‘
HE EMPHASISED THE ‘DIFFICULT TASK THE POLICE FACE THERE.

‘
MR MUNYARD HAD TOLD THE COURT COLEMAN HAD ‘A RIGHT TO BE AT

THE DEMONSTRATION.

‘

ENDS