'PRO-DEMOCRACY' DEMO TO DEFY BAN ON PROTEST NEAR PARLIAMENT
demonstrator | 16.09.2005 23:24
Press Release
17 September 2005
'PRO-DEMOCRACY' DEMONSTRATORS CONTINUE DEFIANCE OF BAN ON UNAUTHORISED PROTEST NEAR PARLIAMENT
Sunday 18 September 2005, 12 noon, Parliament Square: Campaigners against the new restrictions on demonstrating near Parliament will be converging again this Sunday in Parliament Square for a 'Pro-Democracy Demonstration'.
There have been a series of protests and events taking place every Sunday since the beginning of August, when the new legislation became enforceable. 12 people have so far been arrested under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act and it is expected that they will challenge the legality of the law in court [A]. Events have included a Mass Act of Defiance held on 7 August and a series of Sunday picnics and 'Peoples Commons'.
The 'Pro-Democracy Demonstration' will urge the Government to remember their own words championing democracy and free speech and to repeal the restrictions on protest that apply to a large area around Parliament. In April 2002, on his visit to the US, the Prime Minister said in a speech at the George Bush Senior Presidential Library, 'when I pass protestors every day at Downing Street, and believe me, you name it, they protest against it, I may not like what they call me, but I thank God they can. That's called freedom.'
In a parliamentary debate on the London bomb attacks, taking place at the same time as the new law came into force, Baroness Amos used the existence of Brian Haw's long-standing continuous protest to demonstrate the tradition of democracy in this country, despite the fact that the
law under discussion was partly designed to remove Mr Haw's protest. She said, "On the issue of democratic liberties … I cannot think of any other country in the world where the demonstration that is going on right outside Parliament this afternoon-right outside my window-would be
going on. We should take immense pride in that."[B]
Under the new law, anyone wishing to demonstrate in the so-called "designated area" - which includes Parliament Square, extends as far as the London Eye and includes all of Whitehall and a large part of Westminster - must apply to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner at least six days in advance or, if not "reasonably practicable", 24 hours in advance. Permission must be granted but the Commissioner can impose draconian conditions on the protest including: when and where it can take place; how long it can last; how many people can attend; how much noise can be made; and the number and size of banners and placards used
[C].
Contact: 07745 706480
For more information go to www.parliamentprotest.org.uk
[A] see
http://tinyurl.com/7z8pc
[B] see Hansard, 11 Jul 2005 http://tinyurl.com/bmbn3
[C] For more information on the SOCPA, see
www.parliament-square.org.uk/defend.htm and
www.parliamentprotest.org.uk/
17 September 2005
'PRO-DEMOCRACY' DEMONSTRATORS CONTINUE DEFIANCE OF BAN ON UNAUTHORISED PROTEST NEAR PARLIAMENT
Sunday 18 September 2005, 12 noon, Parliament Square: Campaigners against the new restrictions on demonstrating near Parliament will be converging again this Sunday in Parliament Square for a 'Pro-Democracy Demonstration'.
There have been a series of protests and events taking place every Sunday since the beginning of August, when the new legislation became enforceable. 12 people have so far been arrested under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act and it is expected that they will challenge the legality of the law in court [A]. Events have included a Mass Act of Defiance held on 7 August and a series of Sunday picnics and 'Peoples Commons'.
The 'Pro-Democracy Demonstration' will urge the Government to remember their own words championing democracy and free speech and to repeal the restrictions on protest that apply to a large area around Parliament. In April 2002, on his visit to the US, the Prime Minister said in a speech at the George Bush Senior Presidential Library, 'when I pass protestors every day at Downing Street, and believe me, you name it, they protest against it, I may not like what they call me, but I thank God they can. That's called freedom.'
In a parliamentary debate on the London bomb attacks, taking place at the same time as the new law came into force, Baroness Amos used the existence of Brian Haw's long-standing continuous protest to demonstrate the tradition of democracy in this country, despite the fact that the
law under discussion was partly designed to remove Mr Haw's protest. She said, "On the issue of democratic liberties … I cannot think of any other country in the world where the demonstration that is going on right outside Parliament this afternoon-right outside my window-would be
going on. We should take immense pride in that."[B]
Under the new law, anyone wishing to demonstrate in the so-called "designated area" - which includes Parliament Square, extends as far as the London Eye and includes all of Whitehall and a large part of Westminster - must apply to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner at least six days in advance or, if not "reasonably practicable", 24 hours in advance. Permission must be granted but the Commissioner can impose draconian conditions on the protest including: when and where it can take place; how long it can last; how many people can attend; how much noise can be made; and the number and size of banners and placards used
[C].
Contact: 07745 706480
For more information go to www.parliamentprotest.org.uk
[A] see
http://tinyurl.com/7z8pc [B] see Hansard, 11 Jul 2005
http://tinyurl.com/bmbn3 [C] For more information on the SOCPA, see
www.parliament-square.org.uk/defend.htm and
www.parliamentprotest.org.uk/
demonstrator