26-05-2008 11:19
Approaching two hundred protesters, many from the Sudan, gathered opposite Downing Street yesterday (Sun 25 May, 2008) for a noisy protest before marching to a rally held adjoining the Sudanese Embassy opposite St James's Palace in London.
Pictures (C) 2008, Peter Marshall, all rights reserved.
Read more >>
23-05-2008 12:06
Aim gun at foot. Pull trigger. Repeat until out of feet.
Read more >>22-05-2008 07:45
University of Sussex Student Union has backed the five Sussex students that have been denied legal aid by Brighton magistrates court. The five, part of a group of seven on trial, were denied legal aid on the basis that as students they are "intelligent enough to represent themselves".
Read more >>20-05-2008 20:05
Over 100 campaigners, mostly Burmese took part in a protest at the French and US Embassies and the British Foreign Office in London, for the May 17th Global Day of Action for Burma Cyclone Victims. More than 30 events took place worldwide, including in UK, USA, France, Spain, Hong Kong, Thailand, Chile, Australia, Canada, Belgium and Czech Republic. The official death toll has exceeded 140,000 with aid agencies saying 2.5 million people are at further risk.
Read more >>
20-05-2008 18:49
19-05-2008 22:34
SUNDAY 29th JUNE -LONDON & MANCHESTER
Calling all individuals, clowns, groups, journalists, first aiders, legal support, cameras & filmmakers: come along and show your disgust at 'celebrating' a nation built on war, terror and ethnic cleansing. Let's see the thousands who supported the people of Tibet also show their solidarity with the people of Palestine. End all occupations!
Read more >>16-05-2008 15:12
| 1 addition
On 2 May about 60 people gathered outside city hall to await the London election results and protest against the lack of choice generally and the BNP specifically.
Read more >>
16-05-2008 10:56
| 3 additions
15-05-2008 13:14
The government wants your help (well, mainly the police and MPs, but it looks better this way) to restrict freedom to protest in new soundbite friendly ways, in particular to "prevent permanent demonstrations in Parliament Square":
"JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE DRAFT CONSTITUTIONAL RENEWAL BILL
CALL FOR EVIDENCE
The two Houses of Parliament have established a Joint Committee to examine and
report on the Government’s Draft Constitutional Renewal Bill (Cm 7342) published
on 25 March 2008. The committee has been ordered to report by 18 July.
At its first meeting on 7 May the Committee elected Michael Jabez Foster MP as
Chairman.
Members’ declared interests are available on the Committee’s website:
www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/jcdcrb.cfm
The Committee expects to take oral evidence up to mid-June."
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/Cfe080509.pdf
Read more >>15-05-2008 11:51
What do Archbishop Desmond Tutu and rock legend Roger Water of Pink Floyd have in common?
Read more >>13-05-2008 23:51
| 2 additions
On May 10th, 10 protesters dressed in black in mourning formed a mobile protest around various London landmarks. They were protesting against the Burma junta's refusal to allow aid experts into Burma for Cyclone relief and also at the junta's disgraceful preoccupation with continuing the rigged referendum [1] on the military biased constitution on May 10th, rather than cyclone relief. See below for Global Day of Action for Cyclone Nargis victims.
Read more >>
13-05-2008 13:02
Redbridge No2ID campaign are showing 'Taking Liberties' in Ilford, on Tuesday 19h May, 7.30pm. Free entry. Please come and support - the more the merrier. Pass it on...
Read more >>12-05-2008 20:09
| 1 addition
Did anyone witness the arrest of the Fitwatch arrests at the police march? Did you witness the arrests at City Hall on 2nd May? Do you have any footage?
Read more >>12-05-2008 14:51
Saturday 10th May saw worldwide protests against the Church of Scientology, a multi-million dollar cult infamous for its abuse of its members and harassment of its critics. This time, the police did their job for them.
Read more >>12-05-2008 07:37
DEMONSTRATE against the
Counter-Terrorism Bill
Monday 12 May 2008
5-7pm 10 Downing Street
Whitehall, SW1 (tube: Westminster or Charing Cross)
No to Punishment without Trial!
No to Secret Inquests!
Join the struggle against injustice! All welcome!
Read more >>10-05-2008 21:29
Lawyers acting on behalf of Binyam Mohamed, a British resident in Guantánamo, who was rendered to torture in Morocco and in a CIA prison in Afghanistan, have sued the British government for refusing to provide evidence that may assist in his defence at Guantánamo. Andy Worthington, author of “The Guantánamo Files,” reports.
Read more >>
10-05-2008 02:25
Appalled yet hardly surprised at the junta's callous indifference to the deaths of up to 100,000 citizens and 1.5 million more destitute, the Burmese community protested passionately at their embassy on May 9th for aid experts and aid to be allowed into Burma. Whilst getting away as always with giving the international community the run-around, this time playing games over frustrating aid shipments - the brutal junta has been more preoccupied with rigging its military biased constitution referendum for May 10th.
Read more >>
09-05-2008 12:07
Key quotes:
"The MPS believes that it should be a matter for Parliament to decide if there are any geographical areas where protest should not be allowed [...] such as the footway immediately adjacent to the Palace of Westminster, might also impact so adversely on access to the Palace of Westminster and therefore on the smooth running of Government that Parliament may wish to decide that it should be ruled out as a site for protest in the amended legislation."
"The use of the undefined term ‘demonstration’ in the SOCPA provisions has caused difficulties. The MPS believes that prior notification for assemblies in the defined area above should rely upon the current definition of assembly under the POA and should only apply when two or more people intend to assemble."
"The concept of ‘authorisation’ for any protest should be removed. [...] However, given recent challenges that the MPS has faced in dealing with SOCPA, it believes that the legislation must make it clear that the onus is on those protesting to show that they have complied with the notification requirements."
"The MPS believes that the POA should be amended so that the flexibility that currently applies to conditions on processions also applies to assemblies."
"the MPS believes that the Public Order Act should be amended to allow appropriate and proportionate conditions to be imposed on any procession or assembly taking place anywhere on the grounds of security."
"Sessional Orders, which are orders passed by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, place a duty on the Commissioner to ensure that access to Parliament is kept free of obstruction. However, these orders do not create any additional police powers [...] The powers available under this Act are very limited, are increasingly being challenged by protestors and do not provide any statutory framework to place conditions on processions and assemblies."
"Parliament Square is a World Heritage Site. [...] This area also attracts large numbers of protestors who hold very strong views and beliefs and some of their activities and behaviour may not be compatible with this vision [...] Government needs to define in the amended legislation any activities or behaviours they see as being unacceptable in this area."
"the MPS is increasingly having to deal with those who choose to protest in the SOCPA area in situations where a power of arrest does not exist [...] The MPS believes that a power to arrest should exist to prevent individuals continuing to commit an offence after they have been formally reported for it. This could be achieved by an amendment to s24(5) PACE."
"the MPS believes [...] it should also have the power to apply conditions on those protests comprising of only one person. [...] There is no obvious reason why this power, to impose conditions on a lone demonstrator, should be limited to the new designated area."
"the MPS believes that the POA should be amended to allow conditions to be placed on any procession or assembly or lone protestor to prevent a security risk wherever it takes place in the country."
Next Campaign for Free Assembly public meeting:
Sunday 11th May 2-4pm
London School of Economics Connaught House
Room H101
Map:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/mapsAndDirections/
Read more >>08-05-2008 15:11
Key quotes:
"there have been three public gatherings on Parliament Square Garden with approval from the GLA since the introduction of SOCPA from 1 August 2005 until 30 November 2007."
"It may be appropriate to develop criteria to distinguish between assemblies and marches to focus on timing, scale, size, and information on organisers requesting permissions, for example."
"The impact on the Authority’s ability to manage the permanent protests and camping around Parliament Square has required a significant resource investment to prevent low level disorder issues"
"Trafalgar Square has a long and established historical tradition as a place to protest as opposed to Parliament Square, which does not have the same historical or symbolic character."
"if a protest takes place it will inevitably limit the public uses of the square, and the protests should be limited in duration."
Next Campaign for Free Assembly public meeting:
11th May 2-4pm
London School of Economics Connaught House
Room H101
Map:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/mapsAndDirections/
Read more >>08-05-2008 10:05
Key quotes:
"The City Council would propose that consideration be given to prohibiting the use of loudspeakers in Parliament Square and excluding the local authority’s power to grant consent."
"The City Council would propose that the police should consult the City Council before granting consent for a demonstration and for them to be required to have regard to any representations made."
"Parliament Square is one of the most prestigious, visited and photographed squares in the world and is a place the City Council is rightly proud of. The City Council recognises all individuals’ right to peaceful protect, but the extent and manner of such protest can often have a disproportionate detrimental effect on amenity. The south side of Parliament Square is often an eyesore; a blot on the landscape."
Next Campaign for Free Assembly public meeting:
11th May 2-4pm
London School of Economics Connaught House
Room H101
Map:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/mapsAndDirections/
Read more >>
