PRESS RELEASE
15 August 2005
ACTIVISTS IN COURT OVER NEW ANTI-PROTEST EXCLUSION ZONE AROUND PARLIAMENT
Bow Street Magistrates Court, 9.30am, Tuesday 16 August: Ten people arrested earlier this month during unauthorised demonstrations in the new anti-protest "exclusion zone" around Parliament will appear in court on Tuesday morning to plead "not guilty" to charges of participating in an unauthorised protest in the zone "without lawful authority or reasonable excuse." Among other things the ten - who will be outside the court at 9.30am with a banner reading "Defending the Right to Protest" - are expected to challenge the legality of the zone, which effectively removes the right to meaningful protest within 1km of the House of Commons.
Five of the defendants were arrested during a 1 August protest in Parliament Square organised by the Stop the War Coalition [A]. The remainder were arrested during a 'Mass Act of Defiance' in the Square on 7 August [B]
Under the new Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (April 2005) anyone wishing to demonstrate in the "designated area" around Parliament - which includes the Square, extends as far as the London Eye and includes all of Whitehall and a large part of Westminster - must apply to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner at least 6 days in advance or, if not "reasonably practicable", 24 hours in advance. Permission must be granted but the Commissioner can impose draconian conditions on the protest including: when and where it can take place; how long it can last; how many people can attend; how much noise can be made; and the number and size of banners and placards used [A].
One of the defendants, Emma Sangster said: "The new Act allows the police to make political decisions as to who may protest - and how - near Parliament, something clearly unacceptable in a free society. Protest and dissent are the source of many of the rights and freedoms we enjoy today and have played a crucial role in helping to end injustices such as Apartheid. We intend to challenge the legality of this zone and to expose just how unjust and draconian it is."
PRESS CONTACTS
Prasanth Visweswaran 07838 101491, Emma Sangster 07791 486484NOTES
[A] See http://politics.guardian.co.uk/commons/story/0,9061,1540521,00.html
[B] See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4742589.stm
[C] For more information on the Act see
www.parliament-square.org.uk/defend.htm and www.parliamentprotest.org.uk
From 2pm on Monday 1st August around 200 people assembled in Parliament
Square. Shortly after 3pm the police moved in and arrested 5 people for
taking part in an authorised demonstration.
Link to pictures from Monday 1st: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/08/320174.html
From noon on Sunday 7th August around 150 people gathered in Parliament
Square. Shortly after 1pm the police moved in and arrested another 5 people.
Link to pictures from Sunday 7th:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/08/320625.html