LIBERTY Slams Use of Anti Terrorism Act to Suppress Peace Protests - Did the Home Secretary Lie to Parliament?
dave ( uploaded by ian ) | 17.07.2003 13:41 | Anti-militarism | Iraq | Repression | Terror War | London | Oxford
LIBERTY, the human rights group, has released a 13 page report focusing on the policing of anti-war demonstrators around USAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, during the concentrated bombing of Iraq earlier this year. The damning report details fundamental breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights in the extensive use of anti-terrorism laws to prevent citizens taking part in legitimate protest and to harrass them (by mid-april the campaign group Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors alone had recorded 89 stop and searches under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 carried out against just 26 people!), as well as the excessive use of various other public order legislation. At its most extreme an anti-terrorist order was served on an 11-year-old girl (her father is now seeking legal redress) and 3 coach loads of demonstrators were "kidnapped" by police (see indymedia feature), also the subject of a legal action (also see Fairford Coach Action).
Download full Liberty report: (pdf)
Corporate Media Coverage of Liberty report
War on Freedom and Democracy (10 page Statewatch pdf, Sept 02)
Download full Liberty report: (pdf)
Corporate Media Coverage of Liberty report
War on Freedom and Democracy (10 page Statewatch pdf, Sept 02)
Importantly the report also accuses the Home Secretary of misleading Parliament, when he denied that the Terrorism Act 2000 was being used to prevent protests at Fairford despite evidence that dozens of protesters had been stopped and searched under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act. Liberty are now calling for a House of Commons Select Committee on Home Affairs to investigate why powers under the Terrorism Act were used against peaceful protesters. In particular it would like to know the extent to which policing policies were dictated by Cabinet, the Home Secretary and the US armed forces.
Indymedia reports also detailed Section 44 of the Terrorism Act being used at other military bases, as well as in central London against peace activists (see reports (1),(2)) and even at a theatrical Friends of The Earth protest against BP!
Download full Liberty report: Casualty of War - 8 weeks of counter-terrorism in rural England (pdf)
Corporate Media Coverage of Liberty report
See also: Can you spot the difference? 3 personal accounts of British citizens protesting under Britain's terror laws (Liberty pdf)
Liberty Terrorism Issues page
Fairford Coach Action Website How 120+ People were "Coach-napped" on their way from London to Fairford (inc pics, video, audio and reports)
Civil Liberties Suspended at Northwood Military HQ (Indymedia Feature April 03 scroll)
War on Freedom and Democracy (10 page pdf essay from Statewatch, Sept 02)
Indymedia reports also detailed Section 44 of the Terrorism Act being used at other military bases, as well as in central London against peace activists (see reports (1),(2)) and even at a theatrical Friends of The Earth protest against BP!
Download full Liberty report: Casualty of War - 8 weeks of counter-terrorism in rural England (pdf)
Corporate Media Coverage of Liberty report
See also: Can you spot the difference? 3 personal accounts of British citizens protesting under Britain's terror laws (Liberty pdf)
Liberty Terrorism Issues page
Fairford Coach Action Website How 120+ People were "Coach-napped" on their way from London to Fairford (inc pics, video, audio and reports)
Civil Liberties Suspended at Northwood Military HQ (Indymedia Feature April 03 scroll)
War on Freedom and Democracy (10 page pdf essay from Statewatch, Sept 02)
dave ( uploaded by ian )
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