at about 1.15 this afternoon, barbara tucker was campaigning outside the gates of parliament. she was using her megaphone to highlight the plight of the palestinian children in gaza (more than 300 dead and 1400 injured in the past few days under the zionist onslaught).

barbara was also displaying a banner with photos of the 2006 'beit hanoun' israeli massacre of civilians including 12 children, showing that recent events are simply a continuation and escalation of a pattern of war crimes.

suddenly, a mainstream film crew appeared in the courtyard behind the gates, and liberal mp lembit opek started prancing about on some electric upright bicycle machine. without any warning, two parliamentary police came and grabbed barbara, taking her inside to the parliament police office. they didn't offer her any formal caution, and didn't explain either that she was being arrested, or what she was being arrested for. there had been no attempt from either mr opek, or the police to ask barbara to stop, or to warn her she may face arrest. they were also joined by an out of town cop (from manchester) who took the opportunity (after rear-stack handcuffing barbara) to push her down to the ground against a wall. he also broke his own spectacles in the move, but the other cops removed him from the incident and there was no hint of any charges being pressed.

next she was driven to the police station and left in the back of a van for another hour or so, then detained in the cells. her solicitor arrived and was told that her detention had been 'authorised while they prepared to interview her'. of course this turned out to be bullshit and she was never interviewed. inspector tucker (most certainly no relation!!) told barbara that he could hold her for 6 hours before a detention review.

finally around 6pm, the police charged and bailed her for a 'section 5' public order offence. barbara asked what was alleged to have been said to upset mr opek, but they said they didn't have any witness statement. when pressed for some evidence or reasonable cause for a section 5 arrest, the very best they could come up with was that "mr lembit had ordered the arrest because he had said she was making it utterly impossible for him to be filmed in a public place'. we know the labour government has had a frenzied approach to law-making during its tenure (one for almost every day it's been in power!), but as of yet, i don't think there's one for "making it utterly impossible to be filmed in public".

it's ironic that on the 12th november last year, barbara tucker was arrested in parliament square for trying to intervene when police unlawfully stopped a group of film students from filming her in public ( http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/11/412849.html)

barbara is planning to sue lembit opek in the high court over the incident after describing his actions as reprehensible. she will give any financial award to help the children of gaza who are dying under the war crimes of israel while lembit opek prats about on his machine for the cameras.


ALSO NOT ON THE NEWS AT THE MOMENT!
maria gallestegui is starting her fourth day of hunger strike in parliament square for peace in gaza
 http://www.vigilforgaza.net/
she has received SOCPA 'authorisation' for anyone to join her continuous 24-hour peace vigil in the square, so please go along to support her (free of any SOCPA requirement - all peaceful people welcome)