Noël Martin
Encyclopedia
Noël Martin is a prominent Neo-Nazi victim who was attacked by German Neo-Nazis in 1996. He lives in Birmingham
, England
. At the time he was attacked he was one of the many British and Irish
construction workers working in Germany
.
On 16 June 1996 in Brandenburg
, the former East Germany, he was attacked because of his dark skin by Neo-Nazis. A block of concrete was thrown through the windshield of his car and Martin's car veered off the road and struck a tree.
Martin became a quadriplegic as a result of the attack, and requires 24-hour care. Having outlived his wife, he has announced his intention to seek assisted suicide
, to take place in Berlin, as a result. His first announcement, in 2006, set 23 June 2007 as the date of his suicide. As of December 2007 he had made arrangements with a doctor through the Swiss
organization Dignitas
.
A documentary film
, The Finishing Line,
about Martin, directed and produced by Estephan Wagner, was due to be shown on Channel 4
in August 2009. However, Martin objected to the inclusion of two scenes (referred to in court as the "hoisting" and "song" scenes), and sought an injunction
against Channel 4 preventing them from broadcasting it. In November 2009, Mr Justice Eady rejected Martin's application.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. At the time he was attacked he was one of the many British and Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
construction workers working in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
On 16 June 1996 in Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
, the former East Germany, he was attacked because of his dark skin by Neo-Nazis. A block of concrete was thrown through the windshield of his car and Martin's car veered off the road and struck a tree.
Martin became a quadriplegic as a result of the attack, and requires 24-hour care. Having outlived his wife, he has announced his intention to seek assisted suicide
Assisted suicide
Assisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily bring about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends...
, to take place in Berlin, as a result. His first announcement, in 2006, set 23 June 2007 as the date of his suicide. As of December 2007 he had made arrangements with a doctor through the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
organization Dignitas
Dignitas (euthanasia group)
Dignitas is a Swiss assisted dying group that helps those with terminal illness and severe physical and mental illnesses to die assisted by qualified doctors and nurses...
.
A documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, The Finishing Line,
about Martin, directed and produced by Estephan Wagner, was due to be shown on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in August 2009. However, Martin objected to the inclusion of two scenes (referred to in court as the "hoisting" and "song" scenes), and sought an injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
against Channel 4 preventing them from broadcasting it. In November 2009, Mr Justice Eady rejected Martin's application.