Pictures of the No Borders protest at the French Embassy

One of NoBorders | 22.07.2009 00:48 | Migration

On Monday, 20th June, about 20 people gathered outside the French embassy in London to protest against the planned destruction of the Calais migrant camps, known as the 'jungle'. With banners, leaflets and a loud sound system, they stopped the embassy from doing business for over 1.5 hrs. Then police imposed Section 14 of the Public Order Act and tried to move protesters to a designated area (pen) across the road, which protesters refused to do and, instead, decided to end the demo. One protester, who was 'FIT-watching', was arrested for obstruction of a police officer.

the start of the demo

Libyan migrant speaking of migrants' suffering as a result of Home Office policy

a protester is allowed to hand a leaflet to the embassy

the French Home Affairs attaché looks worried

shot from across the road

official warning to the sound system as the embassy complains about the 'noise'

banner is moved away to join the other demonstrators

Territorial Support Group move in

Section 14 is imposed

a FIT Watcher in action

he is, of course, arrested for, well, annoying the FIT copper

momentary action as demonstrators are moved across the road

protesters refuse to go into the pen

a cop follows two masked-up protesters to a café down the road

More details of the arrest soon..

One of NoBorders

Comments

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Arrest update

22.07.2009 10:41

After spending four hours in police custody the guy doing fit watching was charged with breaking conditions imposed under section 14 of the pubic order act 1986 (thanks thatcher, die soon will ya) more specifically saying no when the senior police officer told him to get in the pen whilst fit watching. Suspiciously enough this act was enforced on this particular demonstrator a little while before it was imposed on everybody else.

At about 8pm he as bailed until early august when he must attend westminster magistrates court.

Pretty standard bullshit arrest here, hopefully the judge will be nice and be lenient, I'd dont think he's holding out for miracles though.

fit watcher

solidarity

22.07.2009 10:47

hey thatcher die soon fuking bitch ....the demo was small but nice ...thanx everybody ..no borders no nations no justice no peace

one of many

what exactly were the aims of the demo?

22.07.2009 12:27

not being contentious. but what was the point of the demo? to try and get the embassy staff to come over to our side? to try and reach out to the inhabitants of kensington? or to just have an (indy)media spectacle.... what do you get from demontrating outside an embassy. surely occupations are far better! (

@

22.07.2009 14:25

The aims of the demonstration were to show solidarity with the Calais migrants facing destruction of their temporary homes and potential deportation back to the war zones they left to try and find a better life in Blighty; to show the French authorities that we are watching them and will continue the on-going protests against the destructions of the Jungles; to try and reach out to the inhabitants of Kensington or at least those passing by and who took our leaflets or stopped to ask what was going on; but not to have an Indymedia spectacle - all post-demo posts were by regular Indymedia photographers not the demo organisers.

On your other point, I have been involved an embassy occupation and they are effective but it usually helps to not advertise it in advance on the newswires so the old bill are not there ready and waiting for you to turn up and the embassy has not already closed and locked the front door.

But then again I'm sure you know that as you seem to be such an expert.

joe bloggs

Covering up

22.07.2009 14:50

Great job people, wish i could have made it. Just one thing though. If you decide to cover your face which is fine, it makes absolutely no sense to only cover half your face and leave the top half completely open, you can still be identified! And, it also makes no sense to wear clothes which can be easily identified by police either. If you want to make it difficult for police to identify you then you need to be covered and dressed appropriately, otherwise this is just posing.

@narchist