[Free-sklyarov-uk] Dmitry Released on Bail

[Julian T. J. Midgley]

On Wed, 8 Aug 2001, Jason Clifford wrote:

> On Wed, 8 Aug 2001, Dan Ackroyd wrote:
>
> > Also, from the main Free Dmitry mailing list, here is a link to a good
> > description
> > of why encrypting books is Bad: http://www.visi.com/~tneu/pro-book.html
>
> This document is basically what I was intending to write however it is US
> centric.

> I think I'll ask the author if I can use some of his work in mine. That
> will make it a lot easier to produce something of value.

http://www.xenoclast.org/freesklyarov/whatsallthisabout.html

has some nice points as well, although it too is very US centric - I've
added a paragraph about the EUCD at the end, but it needs a little more
revision before can use it as an effective flyer (a PDF version is also
available from the flyer section of the website).  It might make a good
template for a UK flyer though.

> I think we need to maintain the momentum of the protests if they are to
> grow. As Dmitry is no longer actually in prison I think switching the
> primary focus to exposing the dangers in the EUCD would be a good idea.

> That certainly does not mean dropping support for Dmitry's case - we
> should continue to highlight it both as a serious miscarriage of justice
> and as an example of how dangerous such legislation is.
>
> My feeling is that regular protests and leafleting is important. For
> location we should, IMHO, concentrate on building some public support for
> now as MPs wont listen to us unless there is more widespread awareness and
> support.

Agreed absolutely. Our message should be 'beware the EUCD, lest Dmitry's
case be repeated over here'.  I think at least some of the flyers should
concentrate on Dmitry's case specifically- not least because there are
plenty of American tourists around at this time of year.

> Perhaps something in Piccadilly Circus as there are several big stores
> there specialising in copyright works and outside the larger bookstores
> which I guess means Charing Cross.

This makes sense.  How about congregating in Piccadilly Circus,
leafletting aggresively there for a while, then marching with banners
unfurled, flags flying, signs waving and chants shouting to Charing Cross
to repeat the leafletting exercise there.

Saturday is probably the best day - more people shopping, and no problems
with people getting away from work (nor any danger that the shops will be
shut ;-) ).

> Also we should consider a protest / leafleting event outside the British
> Library to highlight the danger to public libraries.

Yes.

Now might be a good time to publish a calendar of protests.  (Every
Wednesday and Saturday, for example).  We should probably choose different
locations each time (or at least rotate them), and ideally hold a variety
of different events.

In addition, there are enough people on the mailing list now (77, as of
earlier today), that we could probably hold small protests/leafletting
events in cities other than London.  We can certainly get 5-10 people
together in Cambridge (which is enough to park one at each of the
entrances of the major bookshops in the centre of town, for example).  It
would be particularly good to hold simultaneous protests in several major
towns/cities (as much as anything so that we can legitimately announce a
nationwide campaign to the press).

That said, if people think it reasonable to go ahead on Saturday, I think
that there should be the one event in London (and Edinburgh) for all those
that can make it, and we leave the nationwide protests until next week.

Julian

-- 
Julian T. J. Midgley                    http://www.xenoclast.org
Cambridge, England.                       PGP Key ID: 0xBCC7863F
UK Free Dmitry Protest:              http://uk.freesklyarov.org/