WELSH LANGUAGE ACTIVIST TO FACE COURT ACTION

Tuesday 24. November 2009

A Welsh language activist is to appear in court on Wednesday after refusing to pay a fine imposed on him for a direct action campaign against high street stores.

Osian Jones, a full-time organiser with the radical pressure group Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg Welsh Language Society), will return to court to answer a summons to imprison him for a month as a result of a graffiti campaign targeting Boots and Superdrug.

The society is calling for a broad-reaching Welsh language Act which would make it a requirement for stores to adopt bilingual signage.

Mr Jones attended a similar hearing a fortnight ago in Pwllheli, expecting to start his sentence then, but proceedings were adjourned as magistrates feared uproar in the packed court.

When the members of the bench left the room, a sit-in and "peoples' court" were held at which the government and crown were found guilty of ignoring the rights of the people of Wales.

Tomorrow's hearing has been moved to a brand new high-security court building at Caernarfon.

The status of Welsh has risen from being a language with no legal status to being prominent on road signs and with government departments and public bodies providing bilingual services.

But there are still no rights to use Welsh with big businesses, mobile phone companies and privatised utilities.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith administration officer Dafydd Lewis said: "Osian was fined around £1,000 but is refusing to pay.

"His actions have been part of our long-standing campaign calling for Welsh language measures to give Welsh language speakers equal rights in Wales.

"At the moment, the government is preparing a legislative competence order regarding the Welsh language but we do not believe it goes far enough."

Report by Paddy McGruffin

(First published n the Morning Star 24.11.09)