August 19 activist acquitted
By Sue Bull
CANBERRA — Martin Iltis was acquitted of assaulting police in the Magistrate's Court on April 24. The charge arose from the demonstrations at Parliament House on August 19.
Police claimed Iltis became argumentative when asked to leave the foyer of Parliament House. He allegedly elbowed a police officer in the chest and continued to struggle after his arrest. Iltis denied the police version of events, pointing out that he had been grabbed from the crowd during a police charge and had not resisted.
Photographic evidence presented by the defence and a police video of Iltis being formally charged contradicted police descriptions of the clothing and hairstyle of Iltis at the time of his arrest.
Iltis told Green Left Weekly that despite the ineptitude of the prosecution case, he could still have been convicted because he was denied legal aid due to state and federal funding cuts.
"I am lucky that extremely competent legal representatives like Craig Everson and Grant Brady offered their services. If I'd had to defend myself against the legal resources of the state I think that the outcome would not have been in my favour. There is something terribly wrong with a system that does not guarantee citizens access to legal aid and allows police to make unsubstantiated accusations."
Val Edwards, National Challenge candidate for the position of joint national secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, said she was delighted at Iltis' acquittal.
"If trade union leaders like Jennie George and Wendy Caird had any spine, then a defence fund would have been set up coming out of August 19, and all arrested activists would have been defended instead of being left to cope on their own. Martin's case shows that the idea of solidarity no longer exists for many trade union leaders", she said.