At 8.30am on Friday 28 October a Civil Rights March made up of many concerned individuals and organisations from different political backgrounds will start from the Bandstand at Eaton Park.
It will process through every ward in Charles Clarke's Norwich South constituency, ending at his office on Castle Meadow at 1pm when an Open Letter of Concerns and Demands will be presented. At noon on Saturday 29 October outside Charles’ office on Castle Meadow there will be a follow-up Demonstration for Human Rights.
Councillor Adrian Ramsay, who (standing for the Green Party) challenged Charles Clarke at the general election earlier this year, will be at Eaton Park on Friday morning, at the start of the march. He said: "The erosion of basic human rights under this Government is of grave concern. Measures such as restricting the right to trial by jury, the shoot to kill policy and the proposed increase in the amount of time suspects can be held without a trial all undermine the basic principles of justice and of 'innocent until proven guilty'. Our ancestors fought hard for these rights. We should not give them up lightly.
"Recent attempts by Charles Clarke and the Government to deport suspects to countries where they could be tortured is particularly unacceptable.
"I am pleased that these concerns have now reached the very heart of Charles Clarke’s constituency, and so am delighted to be taking part in this protest."
Such demonstrations as will take place this Friday and Saturday mornings, with placards, music, loudspeakers and other traditional forms of protest, are now routinely outlawed by police outside Parliament and the Home Office. This is why grassroots Norwich human rights protesters have transferred such protests to the home ground of the Home Secretary. Throughout the month of November there will be leafleting in the streets to encourage debate on these serious issues, street theatre and public meetings.
Green Councillor Rupert Read will also be among Friday's marchers, and he said, "This is a march for civil rights. I know from personal experience how dangerous New Labour's new laws are for civil rights in Britain. Like Walter Wolfgang at the recent Labour Party Conference, I have been threatened with arrest under the Terrorism Act for such 'crimes' as standing with a banner on Whitehall, or with an upside-down American flag in front of Buckingham Palace, during President Bush's visit. The laws which Charles Clarke has brought in - and he is threatening to bring in even more repressive laws, as we speak -- are spelling the end of free speech and of democratic peaceful protest in this country. Mr Clarke has to be stopped - and that is the message from this march."
Green County Councillor Andrew Boswell and many other Green members and supporters will also be on the march: they will also be outside Mr Clarke's office for the culmination of the march, at around 1pm.
Councillor Adrian Ramsay, who (standing for the Green Party) challenged Charles Clarke at the general election earlier this year, will be at Eaton Park on Friday morning, at the start of the march. He said: "The erosion of basic human rights under this Government is of grave concern. Measures such as restricting the right to trial by jury, the shoot to kill policy and the proposed increase in the amount of time suspects can be held without a trial all undermine the basic principles of justice and of 'innocent until proven guilty'. Our ancestors fought hard for these rights. We should not give them up lightly.
"Recent attempts by Charles Clarke and the Government to deport suspects to countries where they could be tortured is particularly unacceptable.
"I am pleased that these concerns have now reached the very heart of Charles Clarke’s constituency, and so am delighted to be taking part in this protest."
Such demonstrations as will take place this Friday and Saturday mornings, with placards, music, loudspeakers and other traditional forms of protest, are now routinely outlawed by police outside Parliament and the Home Office. This is why grassroots Norwich human rights protesters have transferred such protests to the home ground of the Home Secretary. Throughout the month of November there will be leafleting in the streets to encourage debate on these serious issues, street theatre and public meetings.
Green Councillor Rupert Read will also be among Friday's marchers, and he said, "This is a march for civil rights. I know from personal experience how dangerous New Labour's new laws are for civil rights in Britain. Like Walter Wolfgang at the recent Labour Party Conference, I have been threatened with arrest under the Terrorism Act for such 'crimes' as standing with a banner on Whitehall, or with an upside-down American flag in front of Buckingham Palace, during President Bush's visit. The laws which Charles Clarke has brought in - and he is threatening to bring in even more repressive laws, as we speak -- are spelling the end of free speech and of democratic peaceful protest in this country. Mr Clarke has to be stopped - and that is the message from this march."
Green County Councillor Andrew Boswell and many other Green members and supporters will also be on the march: they will also be outside Mr Clarke's office for the culmination of the march, at around 1pm.
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Hide the following 7 comments
Greens support themselves and noone else
26.10.2005 22:52
Don't be confused - anyone who asks for your vote thinks they know better than you and so is unworthy of power, unworthy of your support. The Greens are just environmentally-minded Nazis. Thats why you never see Greens protesting the Iraq war, it doesn't profit them personally. The best of them only care for their own personal agrandissement. Thats why the Green Party candidate stood aganist Rose Gentle in the last election while even right-wing candiadates stood aside- they don't care about Iraq as much as they care for themselves. Iraqi genocide isn't a Green issue after all.
To hell with the reds, to hell with the Greens. Black is the only freedom.
Danny
Quick clarification
27.10.2005 11:20
Leam
ridiculous exaggeration
27.10.2005 12:57
There are examples of right-wing enviromentalists but I have to say I've never met them. The Greens that I have come into contact with (here in Cambridge and elsewhere) are socially progressive, left-leaning, anti-war, etc...fundamentally decent human beings who just happen to believe that an electoral approach is valid. I disagree with them, but this does not make them Nazis.
Having said all that, this posting doesn't really belong on indymedia as it basically just there to promote the green party...which is a breach of the editorial guidelines. As such, as a member of the editorial collective of Cambridge IMC, I've written to the Norwich Greens asking them to keep the press releases off the newswire.
poon
complicity
27.10.2005 13:16
I'm seen various posts here by socialists complaining that their posts are removed simply for being reprints of party press releases, and that's fair enough in my opinion. However, the Green party seems to suffer no such censorship and I wonder why what applies to one party doesn't apply to them all. I assume it is because most people believe the Green spiel about being 'parliamentary activists', rather thean the parasites on society that they are. I even know people who see no contradiction in calling themselves anarchist while belonging to that political party. Companies are often criticised for 'green-washing', but Green parties are simply green-washing capitalism on a larger scale.
When your own government is using your taxes to commit genocide then I think you have a duty to oppose that everyday anyway that you can, and I don't see the Greens doing that. Learn, climate change and peak oil aren't going to affect any of the millions of Iraqis that your taxes have already murdered and buying police forces bicycles sums the party up in a nutshell.
Danny
The ban on political parties only applies to Respect
27.10.2005 13:21
type
To Poon this time
27.10.2005 14:13
"A man who puts his hand on my shoulder to control me is a usurper and I will strike him down."
Me, I don't want to strike anyone down, but I do shout, swear, threaten, exaggerate and generally act like a spoiled child at anyone who would govern me. If politicians play any positive contributary role in society, which I doubt, then the worst people to be trust with power over others are those who volunteer for the role and we should choose such officials randomly like jury members, preferably just from the female side of our species.
I'd stand by the violentally psychopathic remark though. All political power is enforced through violence and if you aren't a psychopath for wishing such power then you will soon be corrupted by it. I'm no psychologist but I've read that the exact same qualities that are found in successful male politicians and successful male businessmen are also typical of psychopaths. The very desire for political power over others, even in its milder forms, is the root cause of all war and oppression. Individual Greens doubtless are sweet as spice, but power corrupts and their desire for power over others makes me lump them with every other party.
Danny
Greens?
28.10.2005 10:17
Memory-Hole-Catchers-Mitt