SOCPA - report and a few pics from 'no more fallujahs' demo today
rikki | 29.10.2006 23:51 | SOCPA | Anti-militarism | Repression | London
although police have been made aware of the plans for today's action, they were not officially notified and so they mingled with the crowd of roughly a hundred protesters, handing out leaflets warning them about the legislation and telling them they were liable to arrest.
at about half past twelve, in a burst of activity, the activists pitched all the tents they had brought, and before the police could react, there were more than twenty erected. the police made a couple more sorties through the crowd and gave out leaflets under the gaze of the 'forward intelligence team' cameras.
police were heard planning to wait until after the national union of students march had passed, and indeed, the parliament square protesters were allowed to run workshops and plays until mid-afternoon.
so at around 3pm a small group of police moved on three women who had been holding the 'let's not forget fallujah' banner at the front of the square near brian haw. they warned each woman that they were being reported for possible summons under socpa legislation for organising or participating in an unauthorised demonstration. they were ordered to give their names and addresses in order to report, and were warned they would be arrested if they did not give their details.
the first woman agreed to give her details, but the second refused, and she became the first person to be arrested and was put in a police van. brian haw (whose own demo is currently allowed under strict police-imposed conditions) pointed out that she was part of his demo, and he harangued inspector robinson who was in charge of the operation. after some time, the woman was de-arrested, and it was thought this may have been due to brian's intervention, but she had in fact decided to give her details after some time to ponder and gained release on that basis.
the police went through the same process a few more times, with apparently random targetting, and some folk gave their details and a few refused. in all, another five people were dragged off, including a member of campaigning group 'justice not vengeance', gabriel carlyle.
after these few sorties, the police took to observing once more. brian haw had a visit from inspector robinson who tried to ascertain who brian was claiming was currently part of his demonstration. the inspector didn't get too far with this. the protesters sang, played games, held workshops and discussions, and also arranged the tents into a circle. there were now twenty six tents in the protest, with one more that had been erected last night for one of brian's supporters.
at charing cross, all but one of the protesters has now been released, the one remaining is thought to be continuing to refuse to give details and may face court in the morning. one of those freed was told that that they may or may not be reported depending on the outcome of various test cases in court. they were not charged and no dna or fingerprint was taken. surprisingly, they weren't even stopped from returning to the square, and have rejoined the other protesters who are in an optimistic mood for the night's stay.
it is very difficult to judge what will happen overnight. on the one hand it seems unlikely that the authorities will allow morning traffic and members of parliament to be confronted by the peaceful tent city. on the other, it really won't look good if they wade in to remove the peaceful protesters in what would likely be a very difficult and costly police operation.
rikki
e-mail:
rikki@googlemail.com
Additions
12.30am monday morning - all quiet
30.10.2006 00:33
rikki
It wouldn't look good either
30.10.2006 06:21

Doug.
9am update
30.10.2006 09:25
after a strategy meeting this morning, some of the demonstrators started leafletting people at the tube station and up and down whitehall, to make them aware of the camp and its purpose. meanwhile, milan and maya have begun their rerun of the original 'naming of the dead' protest outside downing street. this is just over a year on from their historic arrest.
police have been hadning out the usual designated zone warning notices, and they also approached brian haw again to try and ascertain who was part of his demonstration. under police-imposed conditions, he is allowed another 19 with him, and must identify them to a police officer who inquires.
about ten minutes into their ceremony, milan and maya were warned that they would face arrest if they carried on, and were given ten minutes to leave the area. about thirty minutes have passed and they are still continuing.
rikki
e-mail:
rikkiindymedia@googlemail.com
10.30am update
30.10.2006 10:33
although police have been hovering nearby with arrest froms, they are clearly reticent to use them, and the ten minute warning from earlier this morning has not been followed through.
rikki
Midday update
30.10.2006 13:20
The tents were packed up at midday and the signs naming the 150 who have died in police custody are still in place.
Doug.
Comments
Hide the following 8 comments
Street crime
30.10.2006 11:05
This insanity is made ridiculous by the fact this is an offence under laws dealing with Serious Organised Crime
Any sane reasonable balanced person knows who the real 20th Century criminals are
They are called Blair and Bush and they should be tried at the War Crimes Tribunal
That is not a minority crackpot view it is the considered view of millions of people around the globe
Brian,Maya and Milan and the brave people who are actually standing with them in London may be relatively small in number but they represent a massive public opinion which increases every day as more and more innocent people lose their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan
mike d
e-mail:
solidaritypark@hotmail.com
Homepage:
http://www.myspace.com/solidaritypark
History
30.10.2006 12:14
James
20th and 21st
30.10.2006 13:29
you're putting words in peoples' mouths(again?)
Bush and Blair have carried on and are expanding on Hitler's opus. Old Hit didn't get round to 'extraordinary rendition', although I'm sure he'd have loved it. He didn't put armed paramilitary police on the streets of London to gun down innocents, although I'm sure he'd have loved to do just that. He didnt squeeze child porn onto people's computers when they weren't looking. And so on. Times have moved on and changed. The (H)holocaust(recently capitalized) is not the be-all and end-all for everyone. Your agenda maybe - not mine Jim.
regards John.
John
maths lesson
30.10.2006 13:50
mike d
Photos of Sunday Camp
30.10.2006 16:43
We demonstrate against the killing of children...
They photograph us like criminals
Ho Ho Ho...he just noticed what someone wrote!!
The chalking around the policeman's feet was the work of one enthusiatic chalker who repeatedly made slogns and arrows pointed to the stading around plod.
On being asked what he thought of what the police were doing, the pictured copper was heard to complain that 'it sucks' and that he didnt want to be doing it...i think he had had a sudden realisation that it was a crap job...arresting peace protestors for 'illegal' protesting...
Pola Negra
Monday pics.
30.10.2006 17:02
Doug
Video of Sunday event.
31.10.2006 04:10
See
I hope to publish the video of Monday's event today, Wednesday, if the server will let me.
Doug
Naming the Dead
31.10.2006 17:42
Doug