Solidarity needed with Ibrahim Avcil, arrested and assaulted by the police for protesting against the Dalston army showroom

Solidarity needed with the army showroom protestors arrested and charged by the police. Further to last week's peaceful protestor's arrest, please read below the circumstances of Ibrahim's arrest in June:

Please find below a text that I have written explaining the circumstance of my arrest by the Police. We will be having a vigil on the day I return for my bail which is Wednesday the 05th of August at 10.30am. The vigil will be hold in front of the Stoke Newington Police station. It has happened to me today, it could be anyone else tomorrow, so I beleive we shall not stay silent, and get organised against the attacks on our right to protest and organise.

I am writing this e-mail to make you aware of my arrest and what happened.

On Monday the 8^th of June 2009 at around 15.35, I was walking through the shopping centre coming from the Natwest Bank, together with my brother in Law. As I passed Sainsbury, I was approached by a member of the security personal, who pushed me from the chest and told me “You cant enter this building” when I asked why he said that I was banned from the building, I made my way again towards the exit, the security personal hold on to my arm, I refused he hold me from the back and tried to put me on to the floor, whilst calling the police, by the time the police came I saved my self from the security personal and asked him to “please call his manager”. The police came without a single question put a handcuff on my arm (A cross handcuff) and 2 other officers came as well, and they drag me inside the shopping centre to the police booth in the Ridley Road Market. While dragging me officer PC 284 (Lewington) and officer PC 485 who refused to give me his details I had to write it down myself used words such as “Bend down you wanker”, You Fucking Bustard” and as we entered the police booth the officer PC485 intentionally hit my head on the edge of the glass door. When we went in side officer PC485 made racist comments about my looks, and clearly said “Fuck of back to your country”, I said I am a British citizen and he said “He does not give a Fuck”.

Before letting me go they said they want to take me to Stoke Newington Police station but because apparently there was no space there they released on Bail and on the bail paper they wrote down the offence as “Burglary”. The officer asked me to sign the bail paper with cuffs on my hand I refused he took them of. Although I told them 10 x that my hands were about to brake they were laughing. They released me on Bail told me I am not allowed into the shopping centre, they gave me nothing in writing to confirm this. As I left the office on bail Ali Aksoy chair of HRF was there to pick me up, while officer PC 485 was going past us all he clearly said “Come to Stoke Newington police Station we will show you”.

I went to the hospital straight after the release report has been given to me after x rays and state, That” He has minor head injuries, he has been examined and is being treated for biletaral soft tissue injuriesof the wrists and a possible fracture of the bone, he has been given a wrist sprint and we will review the x rays on 12 June2009”.

I am an active person within the community and the chair of a well respected organisation within the community. These acts of the police are unacceptable, I am not able to work now until the doctors agree that I am safe to work.

I demand an investigation in to this matter as soon as possible, and I will do all I can to make it as public as I can.

Ibrahim Avcil

RWCA- Refugee Workers' Cultural Association
GIK-DER- Gocmen Isciler Kultur Dernegi