Prisoners

Robert Thaxton

Rob Thaxton is a prisoner who recently received a sentence of seven years and four months for his part in the riot that took place on June 18th in Eugene, USA. Rob is an active anarchist and over the years has been involved with various Earth First! groups, anarchist info- shops and gatherings, low impact living projects, as well as helping with, and writing for, the magazines 'Anarchy- A Journal of Desire Armed' and 'Alternative Press Review.'

Police and persecutors in Eugene wanted a scapegoat for June 18th. Rob was not a local. The authorities believed he was a transient. Add to this that Rob is a Chicano, and that one of his arresting officers had been heard making threats against Chicanos, and Rob begins to look like the perfect scapegoat. After being beaten to the ground, his nose broken, his eye blackened, his brain concussed, he found himself facing charges of rioting, first- degree assault and second degree assault, for which he has now been sentenced.

As a benefit for his defence campaign, a cool little 18 page A5 pamphlet entitled 'Rob the Rich' has been produced. It includes a piece of personal writing about Rob, the J18 riot and the movement which he is a part of, written by a close friend of his, as well as some rants and articles by Rob himself.

The Brighton-based Wildfire Collective have reprinted this pamphlet and copied are available for £1 (well hidden cash only) from: Wildfire Collective, PO Box 3249, Brighton, BN1 4SN, UK. All money after printing costs will go straight to help with Rob's defence.

Donations directly to Rob's legal defence fund (cheques payable to John Zerzan) can be sent to: Anti-Authoritarians Anonymous, PO Box 11331, Eugene, OR 97440, USA. You can write to Rob at Robert Lee Thaxton #12112716, O.S.P, 2605 Salem Street, Salem, OR 97310, USA. All mail must have a return address, and letters should be written in ordinary ball point pen (no felt tips etc can be used). Photocopied collages etc are allowed and v. welcome.

Greg Minns

Greg Minns is an activist from the North East who has been involved in left-wing politics since his teens. He has been actively interested in prisoner support and miscarriages of justice.

In 1998 he was arrested for Breach of the Peace. After being assaulted at a police station, denied access to a solicitor and not informed of his rights, he was sectioned and taken to Winterton Hospital in Sedgefield (Blair's Constituency.) He had sleep deprivation treatment which left him confused and disorientated.

The justification for this treatment was that he was a 'paranoid schizophrenic' who had had a 'psychotic episode', although MRI and CT scans consistently showed no evidence of mental dysfunction. Staff admitted he showed none of the usual signs of a person with acute mental problems.

Greg was transferred to the Pierremont Unit of Darlington Memorial Hospital on Winterton's closure. At both institutions he saw evidence of sexual abuse of patients by staff. Greg is now at a hostel called Millerbank, under 24 hour supervision. He has had his belongings taken from him and his privileges denied. Greg Minns has clearly been arrested and detained because of his beliefs and activities, and his medical diagnosis and treatment are a further attempt to discredit or silence him. Contact: Gregg himself at Millerbank, 27 Carlton Rd, Burnley Lancs. BB11 4JE. His doctor Dr A. Launer at Lamont Clinic Burley General Hospital Casterton Ave, Burnley BB10 2PQ. The Mental Health Review Tribunal 249 St. Mary's Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 ONF.

Cases like this show yet another way in which activists can be silenced or made inactive by the state. Radical views are classified as irrational and the activist is diagnosed as acutely mentally ill. 'Treatment' is used to soften the victim and incarceration in mental hospital is a handy alternative to prison. Another activist has told us of a similar experience. Objection to his treatment is seen as a 'symptom' of his illness - again paranoid schizophrenia. As with Greg, the authorities don't even need to take him to court...Under proposed new legislation, anyone suffering from a 'personality disorder' - a wider, even more vague term than mental illness - can be detained indefinitely. Activists beware.

Other Prisoners

Ceejay McBride DC8504. Bittern Unit HMYOI Feltham, Bedfont Rd, Feltham, M'sex TW13 4ND. Offence relating to J18. Andrew Warley EC6735. HMP Birmingham, Winson Green Rd, Birmingham, B18 4AS. Bill Dale EC6733. HMP Birmingham. Guy Rees EC6734. HMP Birmingham. Adam Marshall ER4790. WOI&RC Brinsford, New Rd, Featherstone, Wolverhampton WV10 7PY. The above 4 were all sentenced for violent disorder at Hellgrove.