- McLibel -

Fighting Ford

In Reply to: Stopping SLAPPs posted by David Beauvais on November 12, 1998 at 12:49:34:

I agree with everything you say. We are fighting a major UK car dealership attached to Ford. They have ripped us off for thousands we cannot afford to lose with being very ordinary people. In desperation after they told us quite bluntly to "get lost"(despite overwhelming proof) through our solicitors we can ill afford but are our only hope, we took to staging peaceful protests outside the company's premises and handing out leaflets which listed the two year catalogue of disaster since dealing with them. The leaflet heading was "For all your scrap metal requirements" and as a direct consequence we have now been officially branded "Public Nuisances", had an Injunction slapped on us, a Claim for damages from the very wealthy dealership and are facing an additional court case for libel. In trying to speak the truth over the questionable practises of the company in question(provable) and warn other members of the public they could risk losing all their money, we have faced intimidation, threats, curtailment of our right to peaceful assembly, distribution of the truth in our leaflets and freedom of speech. We can say and do nothing to either justify or defend ourselves.

We seriously risk bankrupcy whilst the "big boys" with their hot shot, expensive barristers rip us to peices in increasingly nasty attempts to silence us from speaking the truth. We have, through principle alone, got to continue despite facing losing everything we have worked all our lives for. I could never understand why so many unhappy ex customers had never challenged this huge U K dealership attached to Ford before. I have that full understanding now!!! We are being worn and ground down into an oppressive silence through their numerous court orders, but in the interests of justice and the rights and freedoms enshrined within the European Convention on Human Rights - we will continue. They will not win on their lies and deciet no matter how much financial backing and however big their name is. I appologise for the length of this message - Freedom of speech during oppression tastes sweet!!

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