Ed Woolard on his 18th birthday
Edward Woollard’s family and friends have today launched a website, Support 4 Ed Woollard after receiving an “overwhelming” number of messages of support for the 18-year-old student serving a “disproportionate” 32-month sentence for violent disorder.
“We hope that by setting up this website we can keep everyone up-to-date with how Ed is doing, provide a space for people to leave a message of support and a way of contacting him,” said Tania Garwood, Edward’s mum.
Friends of Edward, Chris Rawlinson and Lee Chisman organised the first Facebook event to support him, attracting hundreds of supporting signatures, and a separate Facebook group Edward Woollard’s continued education, aimed at helping Ed to continue his studies in prison has been set up by someone who did not know the family.
The new website Support4EdWoollard will link to these and enable people not on Facebook to contact Edward too, and to add their name to the i petition.
Tania added: “The letters of support for Edward and offers of help to ensure that his education can continue through his sentence have been overwhelming and are really helping to keep Edward’s, and our spirits up.
“I would like to take this opportunity, on Edward’s behalf, to thank the very many people who have offered support and offers of help.
“Edward has always said that what he did was a dangerous and awful thing, and he massively regrets what was a split-second moment of madness, and we are all thankful that no-one was hurt.
“His actions were completely out of character and he has always been regarded as a hard-working and kind lad, and someone who looks out for other people.”
Chris Rawlinson, Edward’s friend and campaigner said: “We know that Edward is not the only young person to be given an unduly long sentence following an incident during a protest, and by building a support network for Edward we hope to be able to offer support for others too.”
I would like to wish Ed Woolard all the very best. I hope he gets an early release. SOLIDARITY
I am incensed that Ed’s sentence was for ‘just in case he could have killed someone’ according to all the radio phone ins I listened to at the time. The judge must be crazy because, AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT – all the drunken drivers are not jailed ‘just in case they kill someone’! Careless and drunken drivers who do commit proper crimes get off with virtually nothing and they do kill people all the time. I speak from experience of losing someone to a drunken driver who only got a small fine! The law has gone mad! This young man did not deserve such a travesty of a punishment.
If Ed had killed someone with the extinguisher it would have probably have damaged the cause a great deal
for that he deserves a heavy sentence.
No crazyness or madness, or surprise here, in the sentence passed down on ED. It is entirely political. So called ‘neutral’ British justice has been like this for hundreds of years. Nothing bloody frightens the corrupt establishment more than a direct protest/violent challenge to their authority. Even when it is out of character and of ‘the moment’. They are used to reserving that kind of violence for themselves and calling it ‘Law and Order’. Literally getting away with murder. Blair Peach. Ian Tomlinson to name a few.
If any further picture is needed just watch the utterly brilliant Python/John Cleese/ Peter Cook satires of judges way back in the 70s. Specially at the Amnesty concerts. Brilliant and timeless.
Or indeed the ‘Wind in the Willows’ – The judge in sentencing Toad…… ‘and another 20 years in prison because you are green’
I am thinking ‘red’ will soon be a mandatory life sentence.
Solidarity Ed. Who knows what we may do one day faced with such a sick criminal system.
Why do you neglect to mention the fire extinguisher at all in the article? That was an incredibly thick thing to do. I agree with Jeanette that you can’t justify the sentence on those grounds, given the high double standards, but of course people involved in rallies will face harsher sentences. It’s not just people they’re endangering after all, it’s the government!
Yes it was an incredibly ‘thick’ and indeed very dangerous thing to do. Ed has admitted that. Also probably very out of character. Who knows however what any of us could do, carried away in the white heat of protest against this violent ‘Kray’s’ Coalition. They themselves are hitting vulnerable people over the head daily. It is about to get a lot worse.
As for any potential death from Ed’s act ‘damaging our cause. Yes we need discipline. But never forget, even if we do not commit the crime, the likes of the Met and right wing press rags are not above fabricating one and pinning it on us. Evidence abounds now of how both undercover officers nationwide, and private security hacks, have acted as agent provocateur’s, trying to push people to violence and illegality. I am half surprised the Met did not come up with a police corpse from under the fire extinguisher anyway, for the front page of The Sun, secretly retiring some officer early out of the way. As I say. They reserve the right to violence for themselves knowing they get away with it. Unlike us.
As for calling this shower of joined up sxxx ‘the Government’. Maybe I prefer ‘The Management’ – but even the bloody Kray’s had more of a mandate. Cameron and Clegg have none whatsover for even a fraction of what they are doing.
If such a monster emerged in Iran they would call it illegal.
Given the Outrage of the Shameless MP’S Expenses
Scandal and what Happened to Ian Tomlinson it is too
Severe his Sentence and as for Violence the Invasion
of Iraq and the Oppression of the People of Afghanistan is That