Day 001 - 28 Jun 94 - Page 29


     
     1
 
     2   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes.
 
     3   MR. RAMPTON:  May I give your Lordship some other reference?
              Without wading through the material, there is a very large
     4        number of recent documents to similar effect mainly
              emanating or have been published at the instigation and
     5        with the co-operation of the defendants.  My Lord, those
              references in pink bundle 1B are 122, 132, 155, 159, 171,
     6        175, 178 and 179, the second page, where there is an
              odious comparison by the defendants between McDonald's and
     7        the late Mr. Robert Maxwell.
 
     8        My Lord, there is one document in this bundle which
              I should wish to draw to your Lordship's attention.  I can
     9        do that before the adjournment.  It is at tab 95 of pink
              bundle 1B.
    10
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes.
    11
         MR. RAMPTON:  This is a document headed:  "Greenpeace (London)
    12        5 Caledonian London" and so on.  Somebody has helpfully
              dated it September 1991.  "Dear friends".  Your Lordship
    13        will remember, I told your Lordship earlier, the other
              three defendants to the original writ had shown the white
    14        flag and settled by January 1991.  In fact, settlement was
              on 2nd December 1990, so by this date in September 1991
    15        there are only two defendants left, that is, the two
              defendants who are here in court.
    16
              "Dear friends", it reads, "enclosed are a number of
    17        leaflets including one about the McLibel Support Campaign
              set up to support the two people who are being taken to
    18        court by McDonald's for alleged libel". Your Lordship sees
              there the reference to the two people:  "On 16th October
    19        it is the Annual World Day  of Action against McDonald's.
              We are calling on all groups to organise a picket or
    20        demonstration on or around that date outside their local
              McDonald's.  It is vital that as many groups as possible
    21        do this to support the McLibel Two and to show McDonald's
              that the World Wide Campaign against them will continue
    22        despite their efforts to stifle free speech. The next
              hearing in the McLibel case is on November 6th.  This is
    23        an important procedural hearing.  The actual case will not
              be heard for at least a year."
    24
              One might smile wryly at that when one looks at the date
    25        now.  "In the meantime, the two people being sued have the
              case hanging over them.  The McLibel Support Campaign has 
    26        organised a march through London on November 9th to demand 
              that McDonald's drop the case and stop this intimidation. 
    27        We call on everyone to attend the march and bring all your
              friends to show support to the multinational companies and
    28        others. Stop using oppressive laws against people who
              expose their dirty business and to fight for free speech
    29        and of course to oppose McDonald's.
 
    30        Also enclosed is a leaflet about McDonald's which we will
              be handing out outside their head office on October 16th"

Prev Next Index