From house arrest and imprisonment without trial to banning the right to protest, the government is trying to roll back rights established over centuries. The Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill will criminalise peaceful protest in and around Parliament Square.

Anti-war protest is its first target. Brian Haw’s extraordinary and visually impressive three-and-a-half-year, 24-hour-a-day, peace camp. And the two-year weekly Community Speakout of the Global Women’s Strike which has given a voice to many who refuse to be killers or condone killing, in Iraq or elsewhere. The government wants to deny Mr Haw’s precedent-setting court victory under the Human Rights Act (Mr Justice Gray’s judgement, 4 October 2002), which established everyone’s right to protest.

There is enormous opposition to these measures. Legal Action for Women’s 18 Jan briefing in the Commons was packed. The Community Speakout, jointly with Brian Haw and 30 organisations, called for a demonstration on 7 February while the Bill was in the Commons. A number of MPs from all parties raised serious concerns -- 86 voted against the Bill.

Despite the government’s guillotine of discussion on this contentious bill, protesters and MPs feel that the ban can and must be defeated.

Among many horrendous measures the Bill says:

· It’s an offence to organise or take part in a demonstration without authorisation in or around Parliament Square, even if you are on your own.

· The “designated area” is one kilometre around Parliament: it includes Downing St and Trafalgar Square. Airports, government buildings etc. could also be “designated”.

· Authorisation must be got from the Commissioner of Police at least six days beforehand. He can impose conditions (and change them at will) on a demonstration, dictating place, start and end times, number of people, number and size of banners, and noise levels. Loudspeakers are forbidden under pain of a £5000 fine.

· A “disruption to the life of the community” or “a security risk” can be an excuse to impose conditions.

· People are prohibited from “pursuing a course of conduct which involves harassment of two or more persons”, in order to persuade them “not to do something that they are entitled or required to do”. Giving out leaflets could be considered harassment.

We can stop this bill. If we can stir up enough opposition in the Lords the government will run out of time and the Bill will fall before the election

· Ask your MP to sign EDM 299. See:  http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/motion.html/ref=299

· Ask the Lords to raise questions, demand full discussion, and vote to keep the right to protest in Parliament Square. To contact MPs, sympathetic Lords see:  http://www.parliament-square.org.uk/lobby.htm

· Tell people to join the demo on 14 March in Parliament Square. For more info see:  http://www.globalwomenstrike.net/index.html#Defend

· Send letters to your local press, national daily papers and radio programmes. For media contacts see:  http://www.globalwomenstrike.net/English2005/key_media_contact_details.htm

· Ask any trade union you belong to or know about to pass a motion condemning this legislation.

· Publicise it to your Church, Mosque, Synagogue, Temple, community group, school, college, workplace, etc.