From: Praxis1871@aol.com
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 20:05:00 -0400 (EDT)
To: dockers@gn.apc.org (j.davies)
Fellow Workers,
Please find attached the text of a letter of protest sent to the Merseyside
Police regarding the incident in which fellow worker Steve Stanton was beaten
unconscious by one of them and hospitalized. A hard copy of the letter is
being forwarded by fax. For those receiving this
e-mail who would like to send additional protests the fax number for the
Merseyside Police is (+44) 151 777 8124
Address faxes to:
P. Johnson
Chief Inspector
Complaints and Discipline
Copies should go to the Merseyside
Dockers Shop Stewards Committee at (+44) 151 207 0696
Further information can be obtained regarding this incident and the
strike at the Liverpool dockers web site: http://www.labournet.org.uk
Same Enemy, Same Fight!
Bruce Allen
36 Sunnylea Dr.
St. Catharines, ON
Canada
L2M 5Z8
Mr. P. Johnson
Chief Inspector
Complaints and Discipline
Merseyside Police
UK
July 16, 1997
Dear Sir,
I am writing to express my deep concern about PC 7193's recent action in repeatedly banging the head of Merseyside dockworker Steve Stanton against the pavement until he was unconscious and needed to be rushed to hospital. This most reprehensible act of police brutality was all the more inexcusable insofar as it was part of a police action that took place after the picketers had withdrawn from the Alexandra Docks gate and it was not provoked by any act of violence by the strikers.
It is bad enough that this industrial dispute has dragged on for nearly two years because the employer will not do the right thing and rehire his employees. It is simply intolerable that these workers who have been wrongly sacked from their jobs and have endured this horrifically long dispute must also contend with such barbaric police brutality.
I strongly believe that the police constable responsible for this act of violence must be punished for what took place. I further believe that the Merseyside Police should publicly acknowledge that there was no excuse for his brutality and apologize to Mr. Stanton and his counterparts and offer him compensation that he will deem appropriate.
Most Sincerely,
Bruce Allen
Member of the Executive,
Canadian Autoworkers (CAW) Local 199
Chairperson of the CAW Local 199
Human Rights Committee
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 21:35:01 -0400
From: "Ed Gould" <caw199@computan.on.ca
Greetings To The Merseyside Police Department
I am writing this letter regarding the incident in which a fellow worker
Steve Stanton was beaten unconscious and then and hospitalized by a member
of the Merseyside Police Department. For those of you receiving department
letters of a job well done, think of what this might be like if it was one
of your family members that took this kind of beating. Shame on you and
your senior staff members for this kind of force. The whole world is watching
your department.
Ed Gould
President
St. Catharines & District Labour Council
15 King Street, 301A
St. Catharines, Ontario
905 641 1646
P. Johnson
Chief Inspector
Complaints and Discipline
Merseyside Police Department
fax (+44) 151 777 8124
Dear Chief Inspector,
It is with utter outrage that I send you this missive, after reading of
the
despicable behaviour of your officers in the beating of Steve Stanton, a
Liverpool docker, who whilst exercising his democratic right to protest,
was beaten unconscious by a baton wielding officer.
It is obvious to any observer, that the Merseyside police force have
undoubtedly succumbed to the pressure of the elite, and are not protecting
and defending the rights of all people to an equal right in society; your
actions epitomise that of a police state.
Information regarding this atrocity will be distributed widely in this
country and you can rest assured that we will be watching with great
interest the actions of the Merseyside Police Department regarding the
human rights issue of political freedom.
Colette Hooson
CAW Local 240, Vice President
1214 Ottawa St.
Windsor, ONT
CANADA
cc: Dockers Shop Stewards Committee
(+44) 151 207 0696
