Unauthorised Protests To Be banned!
Unauthorised Protests To Be banned!
Author
Discussion

groomi

Original Poster:

9,331 posts

272 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
Just been watching this on the BBC news.

The Government are to create an 'exclusion zone' in London encompassing the entire 'political district' to stop any protests which have not been autorised by the police.

The police will have the power to make restrictions such as no banners or no loudhailers or ofcourse, ban a protest completely and arrest anybody who does not obey.

This is going too far. It is taking away our right to peaceful protest.

What it will create is a nice comfort zone for all the politicians to go about their daily business of fg up OUR lives without ever having to see or experience OUR opinions on them!

This is an outrage. If this goes ahead then I think a mass protest is in order immediately to demonstrate that enough is enough.

WE CANNOT LET THIS COUNTRY TURN INTO A DICTATORSHIP.



Edited to ask a moderator to correct my rushed typing in the title and take out the first 'banned' please?

>> Edited by groomi on Wednesday 15th June 18:42

DONE

>> Edited by dazren on Wednesday 15th June 18:57

>> Edited by groomi on Wednesday 15th June 19:12

mosler

32 posts

261 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
Cant agree more! i dont believe that the government should make ANY important decisions like go to war or join/stay/leave the EU, that should be up to the public!

deckster

9,631 posts

284 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
Welcome to Blair's Britain, c.1984. ID cards, GPS tracking of all your car journeys, no right to silence, no right to trial by your peers, arbitrary law-making by local authorities, and now this. I used to like living in this country; over the last eight years the government appear to have been going all-out to make it the least pleasant, most authoritarian regime this side of North Korea.

c c

8,052 posts

268 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
All this on the very day Watt Tyler was killed.

scorp

8,783 posts

258 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
Interesting use of language there, orwellian-esque indeed. Since when did we need 'authorisation' to protest (as the topic implies).

Really i wouldn't get worked up about this, have faith in cause-and-effect. Eventually the apathetic electorate will be so p*****d off that they will vote our current regime into obscurity (like the Tories in '97).

>> Edited by scorp on Wednesday 15th June 19:28

groomi

Original Poster:

9,331 posts

272 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
scorp said:
Interesting use of language there, orwellian-esque indeed. Since when did we need 'authorisation' to protest (as the topic implies).


Since now!

According to the news report if you want to protest within the 'exclusion zone' then you will have to apply to the police for authorisation. They may or may not insist on some restrictions to your protest.

If you just pitch up with a banner without authorisation then you will be arrested.

Hence my anger...

neil.b

6,546 posts

276 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
Holy shit......Britian is starting to make China look like a liberal haven.

On the other hand, what are they going to do; arrest, say, 10,000 people?

groomi

Original Poster:

9,331 posts

272 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
scorp said:
Really i wouldn't get worked up about this, have faith in cause-and-effect. Eventually the apathetic electorate will be so p*****d off that they will vote our current regime into obscurity (like the Tories in '97).

>> Edited by scorp on Wednesday 15th June 19:28


I'd like to be as blinkered as you and the rest of the country appear to be (no offence). That is what happens with every piece of legislation which is slowy eroding any rights or freedom we have in this country. Democracy is what this country is supposed to be all about but it is being taken away from us piece by piece and we're letting them FFS!

It's time we stopped waiting for 'cause and effect' because the system doesn't allow for us to vote out the Government anymore... a mere 36% of the vote and they comfortably stayed in.

Nevin

2,999 posts

290 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
Aren't gatherings of more than X people illegal under the Criminal Justice Act 1993 already (the one they brought in to stop raves in fields)? Or does that not apply in these situations/has been overturned?

groomi

Original Poster:

9,331 posts

272 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
neil.b said:
Holy shit......Britian is starting to make China look like a liberal haven.

On the other hand, what are they going to do; arrest, say, 10,000 people?



A fair comparison Neil.




How to stop 10,000 people opposed to the powers that be....



Welcome to Parliament Square, 2010

>> Edited by groomi on Wednesday 15th June 19:52

simpo two

92,708 posts

294 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
And thus right wing and left wing are united. That's when upsets happen.

Can't wait

scorp

8,783 posts

258 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
groomi said:

scorp said:
Really i wouldn't get worked up about this, have faith in cause-and-effect. Eventually the apathetic electorate will be so p*****d off that they will vote our current regime into obscurity (like the Tories in '97).

>> Edited by scorp on Wednesday 15th June 19:28



I'd like to be as blinkered as you and the rest of the country appear to be (no offence). That is what happens with every piece of legislation which is slowy eroding any rights or freedom we have in this country. Democracy is what this country is supposed to be all about but it is being taken away from us piece by piece and we're letting them FFS!

It's time we stopped waiting for 'cause and effect' because the system doesn't allow for us to vote out the Government anymore... a mere 36% of the vote and they comfortably stayed in.


I disagree, no government no matter how tyranical can stay in power without popular support. Once the armed forces lose confidence, your screwed. Ultimately, cause and effect (the will of the people) wins. This argument breaks down of course, for military dictatorships but thats a different ball game.

You may think im blinkered, but i really don't care, there is no immediate 'threat' to my well being and i can just about tolerate some of the mindless crap our government throws at us. If i start getting raided by some new labour gestapo then maybe i'd be more inclined to be as militant as you want me to be.

Anyway, dont flap, no one is taking away our democracy from under our feet. Do you really think all our people are really that blinkered ?


tallbloke

10,376 posts

312 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
Nevin said:
Aren't gatherings of more than X people illegal under the Criminal Justice Act 1993?


I think the Public Order Act 1984 already gives them sufficient powers of arrest. More than 6 people gathered with common purpose...

twit

2,908 posts

293 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
Who gives a stuff about 'authorisation'? Just do it anyway. I have been on plenty of protests and was alwasy quite happy to get arrested - if it a cause I believe in I don't care I'll protest whatever...

GKP

15,099 posts

270 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
We should do something about this.

Let's have a demonstration.


dirkgently

2,160 posts

260 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
scorp said:


I disagree, no government no matter how tyranical can stay in power without popular support. Once the armed forces lose confidence, your screwed. Ultimately, cause and effect (the will of the people) wins. This argument breaks down of course, for military dictatorships but thats a different ball game.

You may think im blinkered, but i really don't care, there is no immediate 'threat' to my well being and i can just about tolerate some of the mindless crap our government throws at us. If i start getting raided by some new labour gestapo then maybe i'd be more inclined to be as militant as you want me to be.

Anyway, dont flap, no one is taking away our democracy from under our feet. Do you really think all our people are really that blinkered ?



Your names not Tony is it?

MilnerR

8,273 posts

287 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
How does this new proposal square with this particular oath?

"I [SAY YOUR NAME] do solemnly and sincerely declare and affirm that I will well and truly serve the Queen in the Office of Constable, with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, upholding fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all people; and that I will, to the best of my power, cause the peace to be kept and preserved and prevent all offences against people and property; and that while I continue to hold the said office I will to the best of my skill and knowledge discharge all the duties thereof faithfully according to the law."

I realise it says according to the law, but if the law becomes injust does the oath to serve with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, upholding fundamental human rights take priority?

Are the police service there to serve the wills of the front bench or to serve the people?

hustlebabe

790 posts

255 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
GKP said:
We should do something about this.

Let's have a demonstration.



Then we will find out

scorp

8,783 posts

258 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
dirkgently said:

scorp said:


I disagree, no government no matter how tyranical can stay in power without popular support. Once the armed forces lose confidence, your screwed. Ultimately, cause and effect (the will of the people) wins. This argument breaks down of course, for military dictatorships but thats a different ball game.

You may think im blinkered, but i really don't care, there is no immediate 'threat' to my well being and i can just about tolerate some of the mindless crap our government throws at us. If i start getting raided by some new labour gestapo then maybe i'd be more inclined to be as militant as you want me to be.

Anyway, dont flap, no one is taking away our democracy from under our feet. Do you really think all our people are really that blinkered ?




Your names not Tony is it?


No and for the record, im not a labour voter or a socialist either.

Mrs Trackside

9,299 posts

262 months

Wednesday 15th June 2005
quotequote all
George Orwell really was psychic. The only thing he got wrong was the year.