On 24 Apr, 02:23, wrote:
In article ,



(asdf) wrote:
On Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:37:36 +0100, Paul Corfield wrote:

Also, isn't it still illegal to protest outside Parliament? (Not that
I agree with that law, but I'm surprised not to have seen it mentioned
at all in media reports, or in these Usenet threads. The police
certainly used to be very active in enforcing it.)

Didn't the chap who has been there for years appeal against an order
that was issued for his removal and didn't the judges find that the law
contravened the Human Rights Act (or something similar)? In other words
the legislation cannot be applied. * [I may be 100% wrong here!]

I thought that he won the case on the grounds that his protest had
started before the law was enacted, so he couldn't be prosecuted
because it would be a retrospective application of the law.

If you are referring to Brian Haw then that is correct. The Serious
Organised Crime Act included the ban on demos in Parliament Square
(obviously, given its title!). Its main effect seems to have been to
encourage more of them.

That part of the Act has been under review and this repressive,
criminalising legislation ought to be repealed by government ASAP.

http://www.publications.parliament.u...s/47/4702..htm

"ADVANCE NOTIFICATION OF PROTESTS

128. One of the innovations of SOCPA was the requirement for protests
to be notified in advance to the police, so that they could then be
authorised. A consequence of this approach has been the
criminalisation of peaceful protestors, such as Ms Evans and Mr Rai,
and the outlawing of spontaneous protest.[233] Elsewhere in this
Report we set out the advantages of protestors and police engaging in
dialogue, to ensure that protests run smoothly and safely. These
benefits apply equally to protest around Parliament but we are not
persuaded that a legal requirement to notify protests in advance is
necessary or proportionate to maintain access to Parliament or to
achieve any other legitimate aim. Advance notification of protest
around Parliament should be encouraged by the Metropolitan Police, in
order to facilitate safe protest, but should not be a legal
requirement and no sanction should apply to those who choose not to
notify the police of their intention to protest solely by reason of
that choice."

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UK Radical Campaigns
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One man's democracy is another man's regime.