- The Guardian,
- Tuesday October 2, 2007
- Article history
Last month, the peace campaigner Milan Rai served four days in prison for refusing to pay a fine imposed after conviction for peaceful protest near parliament. His fellow activist, Maya Anne Evans (Letters, September 27), now faces a sentence for the same offence. Maya and Milan were convicted under section 132 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, which makes it a crime to protest, however, peacefully, within 1km of parliament. This applies even to wearing a political badge or T-shirt. People have been arrested for crimes such as eating a cake with the word peace on it.
Now, in a worrying new development, the Stop the War Coalition has said the police have been ordered to ban their march from Trafalgar Square to parliament on October 8. Apparently no demonstrations can now be held while parliament is in session - the protest has been timed with the return of MPs to parliament and a speech by Gordon Brown on the Iraq war.
That attending this demonstration may now be treated as a crime shows the hypocrisy behind Gordon Brown's vocal defence of protesters in Burma. Even Condoleezza Rice has said that if a citizen can walk into their town square and say what they believe without fear of arrest, then they are living in a free country. So by her own standards, Britain is no longer a truly free country.
Gordon Brown announced in June he would repeal the parts of the Socpa relating to peaceful protest near parliament within his first 100 days as prime minister. As we write, it is now the 97th day. Should we hold our breath?
No! Get off the net, hit the streets UK General Strike. Spread the WORD.
