Wednesday 2nd April
Struggling on the streets and in the courts: The G20 Defence Campaign
7pm Newtown Neighbourhood Centre

Thirteen people arrested and charged with riot following the G20 protest in Melbourne in
2006 have resolved to fight the charges. Desperate to get convictions, and try to divide
the defence campaign, the Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions had offered a deal to
all 23 people charged with riot - to plead guilty in return for a guarentee that there would
be no custodial sentence.

In a shock decision Akin Sari, one of the protestors, has been sentenced to two years and
four months jail (with a non-parole period of 14 months) after pleading guilty to 9 charges
including assault and riot.

Solidarity is hosting a discussion Wed 3rd April about how the courts are being used to curtail civil rights,
and how ‘drop the charges’ campaigns have been used by previous movements to defend
the right to protest.