S4C in court - campaigners

Two language campaigners who took part in a direct action protest to save S4C will go on trial at the start of July (2pm, 7th July 2011), Cardiff magistrates confirmed today.It's alleged that the two campaigners - Jamie Bevan (35 yrs old, Merthyr Tudful) and Heledd Melangell Williams (21 yrs old, Nant Peris) - broke into Cardiff North MP Jonathan Evans' office and sprayed a slogan on the wall of the building against the changes to S4C.The Government is trying to change the law so they can cut Welsh TV station S4C's grant by ninety-four percent and fund the channel mainly through the BBC in future.Bethan Williams, chair of Welsh language campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said:"It's time for the people who have benefited most from S4C existence to realise the sacrifice of the people who risked their freedom for the language over the years. Over the decades, hundreds of people like Heledd and Jamie have put their freedom, livelihoods, and in one case their life on the line for the Welsh language. Without them, our language would be much weaker today."Complaining about the Welsh language service of the Crown Prosecution Service, Ms Williams added:"After eight weeks, the prosecution still hasn't presented all the evidence to the defendants because Jamies and Heledd want their case heard in Welsh. It shouldn'tr be so difficult to secure a Welsh language service over 40 years since the state promised bilingual court services."