Update: E* sentenced in Norway to 45 days in jail

This mail has been sent to us:

“Heya,

Here is an update from Norway, E from Cistem Failure has been sentenced to 45 days in jail for throwing a pie.

The Situation

On Saturday, the 25th of June, E from Cistem Failure was arrested at the Pride Parade in Oslo, for allegedly throwing a pie in the face of the Norwegian Minister for Equality, who was marching at the front of the parade. The Norwegian police and media called it an attack on democracy. They were held over the weekend until court the following Monday, at which the state asked (and the judge granted) for them to be held on remand in custody until their hearing.

Continue ReadingUpdate: E* sentenced in Norway to 45 days in jail

Appeal hearing: abatement of action!

DIY or dieAachen, July 01, 2016 – The case against Basti has been set today after several hours of hearing. He renounced compensation for having served innocently a custody of about a month and is now free without conditions.
Numerous supportive listeners were present, however, the involvement of the police and state security in the court was far more numerous. Two security gates together with identity checks caused delays in the start of the trial. There were no incidents.
The hearing took place similar to the first day of the first trial. There were two invited witnesses, both then working for RWE as security agents. Both witnesses had seen something, but could not confirm whether it in fact was Basti who struck the security guard, which led to the first instance sentencing. Both pretended that they heard this from the other one. Ultimately, the second witness testified to have seen that a stick had been raised. He later learned that his colleague allegedly was beaten and then guessed, that was what he claims to have seen. “A knallzeuge”, the judge, prosecutor and defender evaluated unanimously in the final talk. In legal terminology a knallzeuge (bang witness) is somebody who e.g. only heard the bang and then believes to be an eye witness.
The first witness (who had stated to have been injured) had seen Basti with a stick in front of him. However, he then got (from the other side) pepper spray in his eyes, after which he had to close them for several minutes. In this time he got the blow, he testified. The inquiring prosecutor noticed, that he impossibly could make any observation whatsoever.
There were numerous other inconsistencies that were more than clear already on the first day. It probably will remain a secret of that judge, why the trial at first instance ended in a conviction. Final word of the second witness: “In fact nothing happened at all, nobody was hurt, except for the pepper spray I do not understand why they made such a big thing out of it.” Almost nothing more is to to add. With his incident, however, started a long series of repressions against activists of the Hambach Forest. For Basti 20 months of repression in this matter are over now.

Continue ReadingAppeal hearing: abatement of action!

Call for Solidarity from Norway

We received this mail from Norway!

E. from the Band Cistem Failure is sitting since last weekend in Norway in jail, accused of an attack on democracy (ie a cake in the face of the minister for gender equality) The court hearing will be on Thursday

If you like to, please write to:
E, c/o Oslo ABC, E, Postbox 6689, 0129 Oslo, Norway
Then they will forward it to E.
More: ABC Rhineland

Last weekend, E from Cistem Failure got arrested during the gay pride in Oslo.

Unexpectedly, the cops are making a big deal out of the whole thing. E was held in the police station over the weekend before being brought to court today. The judge decided today not to release E, so they are currently being held on remand in custody until their hearing, which must happen in the next 28 days.

At the hearing it will be decided if they are guilty or not and what their possible sentence will be (their lawyer expects between 20 and 40 days in prison). However, the time they spend in prison on remand will be subtracted from their final sentence. So if for example they wait 20 days until their hearing, and then get a sentence of 20 days, then they will have already served their time.

They have been charged under Straffenloven § 128, for hindering a state official from carrying out their work. They are accused of throwing a pie in the face of Solveig Horne, an asshole, sexist, racist politician from the right-wing Progress Party, who had the cheek to march in the front row of the Pride parade. She is the Norwegian Minister for Equality, Children and Social Inclusion. She is known for her victim blaming, and has in the past said has made homophobic remarks such as “Is it okay that kindergartens read gay fairy-tales for young children?”. The Progress Party are a known racist party that gives zero fucks about refugees.

Anyway, we think it is strange that in general politicians are leading Pride, have they forgotten about Stonewall? People can have Pride as long as it means assimilating into capitalism and shit. I mean, why be homophobic when queers also have voting rights and have money to buy things with? The gay pride in Oslo gave the equality price this year to the police…

Anyway. They are gonna be in jail for a bit and it would be cool if peeps would send letters, talk about the case, play our music, do a soliparty, write a song. If you want to know more or get updated, or do something or just have chat you can email this address.

You can send letters (until we have a better address) here:

Oslo ABC,
Postboks 6689 St.Olavs plass
0129 Oslo
Norway

Until then, none are free until all are free.

Continue ReadingCall for Solidarity from Norway