A Statement from Bristol Anti-Repression Campaign in support of a defendant whose trial begins on Monday 31st January at Bristol Crown Court.

On the 21st March last year, Jasmine was brutally beaten by police at a demonstration against the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts (PCSC) Bill.

The Bill seeks to give more power to the state, police and prison system at a time when the police are only being further exposed for their institutional racism, misogyny and brutality.

In the backdrop of the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer, and the violent policing of the resulting vigils, thousands of Bristolians – including Jasmine – took to the streets of Bristol to protest against handing the police further powers through the PCSC bill.

The PCSC bill is an oppressive piece of legislation that persecutes marginalized communities and violates our hard-fought rights to protest. Some parts of the bill have been rejected by the house of lords, but the majority of its authoritarian measures are still being pushed through.

On 21 March, demonstrators like Jasmine faced repeated and excessive violence from police officers. Indeed, the horrific injuries received by Jasmine at the hands of police have been widely disseminated in the media.

Jasmine has now been charged with riot and arson, and she could face a custodial sentence.  We see this as an attempt by the state to intimidate and frighten those who dare to come together to resist against a system that brutalises and impoverishes us.

We stand beside Jasmine and all of the other protesters facing charges for taking a stand against police violence and repression. They have all of our love, respect and solidarity.

What is Bristol Anti-Repression Campaign

BARC (Bristol Anti-Repression Campaign) is an organisation that supports those that took to the streets to resist the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts (PCSC) bill. BARC is made up of a number of those arrested since 21st March, and their supporters.