Edd Bauer, vice-president for education at Birmingham Guild of Students and well-known anti-cuts activist, was arrested on 16 September for suspending a banner protesting against university fees and education cuts above a public highway during the Lib Dem party conference. He was refused bail and has been held in Winson Green prison since last Monday. His detention for a minor act of civil disobedience represents yet another attempt to criminalise peaceful protest and to dissuade other young people from taking part in movements to defend education, services and jobs. At a time when prison governors are complaining that they cannot cope with the huge increase in custodial sentences after the disturbances of the summer, what purpose is served by locking up Edd Bauer?

If the objective is to frighten others, Edd's detention has enraged and mobilised a new layer of young protesters. If the plan is to "take out" key individuals to disrupt protest movements, the result has been to give a new set of activists a crash-course in campaigning against injustice. Edd Bauer will appear in Birmingham magistrate's court on 26 September at 3pm. We call for his release – and the right to hang our banners in peaceful protest whenever and wherever we choose.



Prof Gargi Bhattacharyya UCU NEC

Clare Short

John Smith General secretary, Musicians Union

Michael Rosen

Paul McNab Public Interest Lawyers

Mark Thomas

Michael Chessum NUS NEC and NCACF

Prof Bill Bowring

Dr Sue Blackwell Birmingham UCU

Zita Holbourne Co-chair BARAC

Daniel Guedalla Birnberg Peirce

Leslie Manasseh Deputy general secretary, Connect

Prof Alex Miller

Manuela da Costa-Fernandes NUJ Black Members Council

Prof Avtar Brah

Lorna Campbell PCS

Prof John Gabriel

Wilf Sullivan TUC

Bethany Shiner Stop Kettling Our Kids

Dr David Bailey Birmingham UCU

Dotun Alade-Odumosu GMB

Dr Sarah Amsler Campaign to Defend the Public University

Mohammad Taj Unite

Prof Les Back

Freddie Brown Prospect

Winston Phillips Bectu