UK anti-war activist faces asset seizure for refusing to pay taxes supporting Iraq war News
UK anti-war activist faces asset seizure for refusing to pay taxes supporting Iraq war

[JURIST] A British county court has given a UK anti-war activist until May 5 to pay £580 (about $1,017 USD) in back taxes he's withholding to protest the war in Iraq or face seizure of his property. Robin Brookes, a member of the Peace Tax Seven [advocacy website], told the court in a hearing earlier this week "I don't want to break the law, and I want to contribute to education and health, the law and the police force, but I cannot pay for a government's killing machine." Estimating that 10 percent of taxes funds the military, he began withholding the amount after the March 2003 invasion.

In October 2003 he appeared in court for the same issue [file report], and government officials later seized £550 (about $963 USD) in January 2004, telling him he could express his displeasure at the ballot box. Peace Tax Seven is awaiting a ruling about its members' legal entitlement to withhold taxes after arguing their case in the Court of Appeal earlier this month. The Independent has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

UN Security Council called for Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in Six Days' War

On November 22, 1967, the UN Security Council called for Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied during the Six Days' War, and for respect of the right of all States in the area to "live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries." Read Resolution 242, which remains a cornerstone of efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.

President Kennedy assassinated, VP Lyndon Johnson sworn inin

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Later that day, Vice-President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States. Earl Warren, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was later tasked with leading a commission to investigate the assassination. President Johnson received the final report of the Warren Commission on September 24, 1964. Read the Warren Commission Report.