London Indymedia

SOCPA - nelson mandela plea tomorrow 10.30am (wednesday)

rikki | 28.08.2007 11:48 | SOCPA | Repression | London

a call-out to people who care.
nelson mandela is visiting parliament square tomorrow. he may not be aware of the terrible civil rights violations that the 'serious organised crime and police act' has led to in this area. it is important that he is made aware - that this hypocrisy is unveiled.

it's difficult to find the info on the net, but the time of nelson mandela's visit is 11am tomorrow (wednesday), with the greater london authority recommending that people get there earlier at 10/10.30am

some people will no doubt be highlighting the hypocrisy of a mandela statue being placed in parliament square, the place where freedom of expression and freedom of assembly have been curtailed by the 'serious organised crime and police act 2005' which imposes restrictions on protest near parliament. this law has led to a harrasment campaign of mind-blowing proportions against the handful of protestors intent on bringing blair, brown and others to justice for their part in the decimation of iraq. (see previous indymedia reports especially relating to barbara tucker and of course, brian haw).

when gordon brown seized power he sent out a press release stating that he would 'review' the anti-protest laws in his first 100 days in office. he hasn't. the law still stands, it is still being used. one man, milan rai, is in jail currently for organising a protest in which he read out the names of the dead opposite downing street in october 2005 along with one other person, maya evans. his refusal to pay fines arising from that conviction has resulted in the one month imprisonment.

nelson mandela is a 20th century icon. he was a man who stood up to the power of the state, who believed in freedom and equal rights for all, and who was outlawed for many years both in his own state and by world leaders including our own prime minister, margaret thatcher, who branded him as a terrorist.

we have shown throughout history that yesterday's 'terrorists' and law-breakers often go on to become today's 'freedom fighters' and icons for justice. unfortunately, they sometimes then go on to become part of the very establishment they would have scorned in years gone by.

if nelson mandela is genuinely unaware of the grimey recent history of parliament square, and of our state's sordid determination to silence and disappear the criticism of it's sickeningly evil deeds in iraq and afghanistan, then it is important that at 11am tomorrow, he must be made aware!

i hope many many more people feel this way and will go to the square as individuals to shout out and make sure he hears. i already know many who will be there.

one person has officially notified the police of their demonstration (as required by the 'socpa' law). it will be a legitimate plea to mandela asking him to assist in the return of brian haw's property which was stolen on the 23rd may 2007 in what the high court has agreed was an unlawful seizure.

under the serious organised crime and police act, the police MUST authorise, so come along and be part of that if nothing else.

rikki
- Homepage: http://www.socpa-movie.blogspot.com

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

Just one small correction

28.08.2007 14:12

Milan Rai might be a trifle confused by your referring to her as a man.

Otherwise, thanks for spreading the message. See you there!

Amandla!!

Diligent Dan


do you feel a bit foolish

28.08.2007 16:00

Milan is a man.... get your facts straight before you act all high and mighty.

slightlymoredilligentthatdilligentdan


Ah.. Mandela!

28.08.2007 17:42

The man who put his country's arms industry before his country's AIDS epidemic! By the way, you do know the shells fired by British troops in Iraq come from South Africa? Good old Mandy! Him in his massive mansion and obscenely large pension, I'm sure his good old socialist heart bleeds for all the millions of South African woman and children living in hunger, disease and abject poverty in tin shacks with raw sewage flowing past their excuse for a door.... What a guy!

De Nel


@ slightlymoredilligentthatdilligentdan

28.08.2007 18:57

Yep, you're right. My bad - I was obviously thinking of Maya. Silly me. Thanks for correcting my error and apologies to Milan :-)

I do feel foolish


demo REFUSED by police

28.08.2007 23:08

the demo referred to has been refused by police. their dodgy grounds are that they required six days notice and that there is not enough excuse for a 24-hour notification. once again, the act shows up the fact that it is not sufficiently proscribed by law. the wording of the clause relating to notice is section 133 (b) which states (in relation to giving notice in time to the police):

"if that" (six days notice) "is not reasonably practicable, then as soon as it is, and in any event not less than 24 hours before the time the demonstration is to start."

the organiser claims that she did not know mandela was attending until bbc news reports at the weekend. this is backed up by dates on the bbc website and other internet searches. the police claim it was common knowledge and had she applied six days before they would have authorised, but unfortunately 24 hours (or infact around 36 hours) notice was not enough. this is (in my humble opinion) effing bullshit!

she was also warned that her presence in the square tomorrow would render her liable to arrest. no politics then!

please don't let this pass. come and make sure the great freedom fighter nelson mandela knows about the restrictions on freedom in parliament square where his statue is going to reside.

more things are afoot that i can't post here. more news later. please come!

rikki
- Homepage: http://www.socpa-movie.blogspot.com


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