Anti-war protesters banned from demonstrating against Bush

[Truth2Tell]

Source: The First Post

London police have announced a ban on anti-war campaigners hoping to protest against President George Bush's visit to Downing Street this Sunday. The Whitehall ban has been immediately condemned as a "totalitarian act" by the playwright Harold Pinter, while Stop the War organisers are urging people to defy it and to demonstrate nearby in Parliament Square.

"In what is supposed to be a free country the Stop the War Coalition has every right to express its views peacefully and openly. This ban is outrageous and makes the term 'democracy' laughable," Pinter said today.

Lindsey German, a leader of the Stop the War Coalition, said: "It seems that when George W Bush visits this country traditional rights of assembly are to be removed from the people. We are calling on those who care for our democratic rights to come to Parliament Square at 5pm on Sunday 15 June. Some of those who signed statements accusing Bush of war crimes will be leading this protest.

"George Bush has been dictating British foreign policy for many years. Now it appears his security services are determining our rights of protest. This is a disgrace and we will challenge the ban."



Read more: http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/themole,,ant-war-protesters-banned-from-demonstrating-against-bush,30888

[phusion]

1. shame...

"It seems that when George W Bush visits this country traditional rights of assembly are to be removed from the people."

BINGO!

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Well, they're right. They shouldn't demonstrate against Bush at Whitehall

They should fucking arrest the bastard.

[superconnected]

5. rofl! And, absolutely true!

[countmyvote4real]

3. I support and challenge the UK to shame US in their defiance.

I am not advocating any violence. I'm only supporting the sheer numbers of peopled that will stand up for other people to control their rightful natural resources.

[thecrow]

8. The violence would come from the police, I imagine

Maybe they'll try out the shitinator cannon a little early. I imagine Smirky has it packed on his plane.

[Truth2Tell]

9. I hope the Brits show no fear. nt

[villager]

4. Wish American "protest" groups had that kind of gumption

"Please sir? Where's our 'free speech' zone?," etc...

[skyounkin]

7. We are there-

unfortunately, not being covered anywhere on the news it looks like there are no protesters.

[primavera]

20. Well, and often being physically restrained...

... from coming anywhere near the event being protested. I remember marching in the 2000 anti-inaugural protest in DC and, even though we had a lawfully issued permit granting us the right to march along a certain route to a certain point along the procession grounds, cordons of police repeatedly obstructed protestors from marching along the authorized protest route. They simply blocked off the street, refused to answer any questions, and clubbed to the ground anyone who attempted to proceed along the designated route. I think that was when I first realized that fascism had arrived in America.

[EFerrari]

22. The L.A. Times just reported our numbers on that day as 1/3

of what they were. There were SWAT teams all over the place. Not exactly a conducive environment for peaceful protest but, we were there even if the paper tried to disappear us.

[Imagevision]

6. This is a first for the Brit's - last time stupid was in London he cut his trip short by a day

because of protestors

[gratuitous]

10. We're at war, you lot!

Can't be exercising "traditional" rights (Don't you wish you had a constitution with enumerated rights? Well, it's not much better over here, either.) while we're at war.

I wonder if things will be nice and peaceful on Sunday?

[Ilsa]

11. I hope they give the First Bastard a Fathers Day to remember. nt

[Dulcinea]

12. I hope there's a huge demonstration!

I'm not familiar with the laws in the UK, but don't citizens have the right to peaceably assemble, or similar? Can a peaceful demonstration be banned outright?

[dipsydoodle]

17. Protest ban zone 'goes too far' 15 June, 2005

Please note the date 2005.

A ban on noisy protests outside Parliament will cover a half-mile zone as far out as the London Eye, the Home Office has confirmed.

The new law is aimed at unauthorised protests in Westminster, such as Brian Haw's 4-year anti-war vigil which MPs have complained is an eyesore.

But it will also cover St James's Park, much of the South Bank and Charing Cross to Lambeth Bridge from 1 August.

Critics say the zone goes much further than was originally intended.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4096194.stm



However - Bill Posters Will Be Band : http://www.billposterswillbeband.co.uk/ ....lol.

[paparush]

13. Bush - Insulated from Reality at all costs. Has never been held accountable for anything

in his entire miserable life he's been given a free pass.

[Amonester]

14. I urge the anti-war campaigners to enlarge these pictures and stick them

on their banners:




Go for it, dear friends for Democracy & Justice must prevail over fear-mongering & right-wing fascism!

[alfredo]

15. No sanctuary for war criminals.

[dipsydoodle]

16. Demonstrations at the entrance to Dung Street

invariably do get banned. It is however a cul de sac. A protest at Parliament Sq. will effectively block one end of Whitehall so if they block the feeder roads at the other end Litle Boots won't even get there. Incase you didn't know, technically, motorists still have to yield right of way to pedestrians over here.

The whole area has been protected since the lads had a pop at it back in 1991 :
I.R.A. Attacks 10 Downing Street With Mortar Fire as Cabinet Meets.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9d0ce7da123bf93ba35751c0a967958260

edit to add : was also affected by a change in the law : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4096194.stm

Whatever happens I'm sure he'll get the general message - fuck off and don't come back you four letter word 2nd letter U.

[clevbot]

18. un-fucking-believable

[dipsydoodle]

19. I finally found another news link

In Quatar would you believe. Its marked AFP and due to issues elsewhere at present it's probably best if you just read it.
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=world_news&subsection=United+Kingdom+%26+Europe&month=June2008&file=World_News2008061152741.xml

It's not even on the BBC News site which I guess means its being suppressed presumably at the instructions of Bumlicker Brown.

[xxqqqzme]

21. Wonder if anyone has shown him a video

of the 2nd flooding disaster to occur during his reign?

[Doctor_J]

23. Speaking of free speech zones, Obama should pledge to restore the

1st amendment to all of America, not just cages.

[New Dawn]

24. Quisling regimes, like the UK, usually are quite authoritarian.