The Socialist Party has had a stall in Church Street at that spot for
years. On Saturday 30 August, a police van drew up and ordered us to
move. Tony Aitman refused and they arrested him, put him in the van and
charged him with wilful obstruction. They confiscated our table and
material and told us we could collect them after 5pm that day. They then
let Tony leave the van and told him he would be summonsed.
years. On Saturday 30 August, a police van drew up and ordered us to
move. Tony Aitman refused and they arrested him, put him in the van and
charged him with wilful obstruction. They confiscated our table and
material and told us we could collect them after 5pm that day. They then
let Tony leave the van and told him he would be summonsed.
Tony will be well known to many on the left in Liverpool; he has been
active in the movement for over 45 years, is a Unison shop steward, and
was expelled from the Labour Party for his support for Militant.
There are obviously various legal issues we will pursue, but the main
point now is to assert our right to have political stalls and to stand
up to police harassment. If we allow them to get away with this, then
all stalls and public protests will be under threat. There was a great
turn out last time this happened, and we must do it again. We would
therefore request that all groups, as before, meet in Church Street next
Saturday.
active in the movement for over 45 years, is a Unison shop steward, and
was expelled from the Labour Party for his support for Militant.
There are obviously various legal issues we will pursue, but the main
point now is to assert our right to have political stalls and to stand
up to police harassment. If we allow them to get away with this, then
all stalls and public protests will be under threat. There was a great
turn out last time this happened, and we must do it again. We would
therefore request that all groups, as before, meet in Church Street next
Saturday.