The Hunger Strikers Picnic



The Hunger Strikers Picnic 25 November 2003
It was lunchtime and Nottingham's UK Reactor crew held a hunger-strike-picnic in support of the Thessaloniki 7, they arrived masked up (using paper plates with eyeholes cut out)

There was no food on the plates but they had a smashing time anyway.
Passers-by joined in the smash to help raise local awareness of an international injustice.

Then the police arrived and spoiled the fun.

But where did that green rucksack come from?

Background information
 
The Thessaloniki Seven were all arrested in June 2003 protesting outside the EU summit in Thessaloniki, Greece. They have been denied bail and charged with identical offences, including making petrol bombs, arson, rioting and insurrection, which carry sentences of up to 25 years in jail.
Evidence strongly suggests they are all innocent.
Video and photo evidence exists clearly showing that Simon was 'stitched-up' by the Greek police.
Television footage from the Greek state news channel, shows his blue bag replaced by three black ones, which contained molotovs and hammers. New video evidence presented to court from a private TV channel shows the police filling identical black bags with molotov petrol bombs at the demonstration.
With the judge refusing to either look at the evidence or grant bail, five of the prisoners went on hunger strike
Days on hunger strike (26/11/03) Kastro Dakduk   65 DAYS Carlos Martinez 53 DAYS Fernando Perrez 53 DAYS Simon Chapman 53 DAYS Spyros Tsitsas, 50 DAYS

They were released 26 November 03 following massive public pressure, occupying of buildings, demonstrations and actions informing the public.

13/2/04 Latest update from indymedia.org.uk Simon Chapman and another 12 people charged in connection to their participation to the June demos in Thessaloniki are having ALL their CHARGES DROPPED, according to the decision of the Court of Thessaloniki, an hour ago. Another 6 of the (29 in total) are only charged with misdemeanours; for all the rest the court asked the investigation to continue, due to the gaps and contradictions in the evidence against them! The decision of the Court of Thessaloniki regarding the events of June in Thessaloniki was published today. The Court, comprising of three judges, accepted most of the defendants' claims and has dropped the charges for thirteen of them, including Simon Chapman. Another six defendants, including the Spanish ex-hunger striker Carlos, are going to be charged with misdemeanours. For the other 8 defendants the court ordered the investigation to continue, as it spotted many gaps and contradictions in the statements of policemen and a lack of other evidence. This is a justification for the hunger strikers' struggle and for all of those who were claiming the charges were set up by the authorities.
www.freesimonchapman.org