GEORGE CLARK APPEAL SIR,—The issues raised by the sentence of
eighteen . months on Mr. George Clark at the London Sessions on September 10, affect the personal liberty of us all, Mr. Clark was convicted of 'inciting' people to 'commit a nuisance by unlawfully obstructing the highway' during the demonstration at the time of the visit of the King and Queen of Greece. The penalty for obstruction, if Mr. Clark were proved to have incited people to it, would have been £2; the penalty for 'incitement' is 'at large', that is, it can be any terms of weeks, months or years imprison- ment that the court decides to inflict. On the basis of this sentence anyone who leads or takes a promi- nent part in any demonstration is liable to an indefinitely long sentence of imprisonment.
The CND is not the only organisation which has an interest in maintaining the immemorial riabt of public demonstration and street corner meeting. The signatories of this letter therefore believe that many who are not supporters of the CND will also wish to be associated with Mr. Clark's appeal. Any money sent to help defray the expenses connected with this appeal should be sent to Mr. Laurie. Kershaw, c/o Christian Action, 2 Amen Court, EC4. If the contri- butions exceed the costs of the appeal any surplus will be used to further the causes of civil liberty and disarmament.
L. JOHN COLLINS KINGSLEY MARTIN ARTHUR GOSS MICHAEL MITCHEL HOWARD ANTHONY GREENWOOD MALCOLM PURIM JACQUETTA HAWKES JEREMY THORPE LAURIE KERSHAW
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