Mark Barnsley CPS Action

On 19th December 2000, 20 people entered the Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) offices in Sheffield in protest at the continued imprisonment of Sheffield anarchist prisoner Mark Barnsley, and the withholding of vital evidence from his defence.

Entrance was gained easily by some smartly dressed people, and then everyone else ran inside and up stairs to the upper offices. The invasion and occupation caused a major disturbance and CPS workers were left with no uncertainty about the strength of feeling about this miscarriage of justice. Leaflets were given to all the staff stating: "The CPS have framed Mark Barnsley... they would like to think that he doesn't exist, but we won't forget... if they won’t release the evidence then we will just go look for it ourselves". Unfortunately the police station is next door to the CPS building, and the police arrived very quickly and people were ejected from the building.

A banner proclaiming "Free Mark Barnsley" was hung from trees right outside the building so passers-by knew what was going on. Local press were in attendance.

In total 16 people were arrested, as some managed to get away. They were held for up to 10 hours and all charged with "conspiracy to burgle, with intent". They have been bailed to appear at Hull Magistrates (they cannot be prosecuted by Sheffield CPS!) on 9th January for what could be an interesting court case where all the CPS dirty laundry about all the evidence they have been withholding could be aired in public!

Mark Barnsley has been framed for a crime he did not commit, and has been wrongly sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. He was framed because he was a well known working class anarchist activist.

Info : www.appleonline.net/markbamsley/rnark.html, barnsleycampaign@hotmail.com

An excellent pamphlet about his case, "Beaten Up, Fitted Up, Locked Up", is available for £3 from PO Box 381, Huddersfield, HD1 3XX.