Right to peaceful demonstration - help please
Discussion
Ph'ers
A quick question re the definition of "peaceful protest". When does a peaceful protest become something that the BiB can do something about?
The background is that Mrs CVP works for one of the large accounting firms. This firm is also the auditor of Huntingdon Life Sciences. As such it is now being targeted by the animal rights groups.
Whilst Mrs CVP has absolutely no connection with this client the protestors are targetting all of the staff as they enter and exit the staff entrance of the building. Being the brave souls that they are the protesters are taking on the easy target rather than the clients going in the front entrance.
Last night as Mrs CVP was leaving the protesters were verbally abusive and physically intimidating. On top of the stress she was under this just made her burst into tears on the way home and it took me a long time to comfort her. I heard what went on as she was on the phone to me at the time.
It makes my blood boil that people can do this to someone who they do not know and they have no knowledge of whether the person has any involvement with this client or not.
I'm all in favour of the right to demonstrate peacefully and make your point. Free speech is one of our more important rights, but surely verbal abuse and physical intimdation is not peaceful.
So the question is what can I do about this? I can't complain to the firm that they are not doing anything as Mrs CVP is int he running for a big promotion and I don't want to do anything to jepordise this. She is more than capable of handling her own battles at work, but this outside stuff is beyond her control.
Can I get the BiB involved, or do these cowards have to actually hit someone before I can do something?
Much as I'd like to take this up with them personally
uch:
I'm based out near Heathrow rather than in the centre of town.
Thanks
Chris
A quick question re the definition of "peaceful protest". When does a peaceful protest become something that the BiB can do something about?
The background is that Mrs CVP works for one of the large accounting firms. This firm is also the auditor of Huntingdon Life Sciences. As such it is now being targeted by the animal rights groups.
Whilst Mrs CVP has absolutely no connection with this client the protestors are targetting all of the staff as they enter and exit the staff entrance of the building. Being the brave souls that they are the protesters are taking on the easy target rather than the clients going in the front entrance.
Last night as Mrs CVP was leaving the protesters were verbally abusive and physically intimidating. On top of the stress she was under this just made her burst into tears on the way home and it took me a long time to comfort her. I heard what went on as she was on the phone to me at the time.
It makes my blood boil that people can do this to someone who they do not know and they have no knowledge of whether the person has any involvement with this client or not.
I'm all in favour of the right to demonstrate peacefully and make your point. Free speech is one of our more important rights, but surely verbal abuse and physical intimdation is not peaceful.
So the question is what can I do about this? I can't complain to the firm that they are not doing anything as Mrs CVP is int he running for a big promotion and I don't want to do anything to jepordise this. She is more than capable of handling her own battles at work, but this outside stuff is beyond her control.
Can I get the BiB involved, or do these cowards have to actually hit someone before I can do something?
Much as I'd like to take this up with them personally
uch: I'm based out near Heathrow rather than in the centre of town. Thanks
Chris
The BIB should become involved as what you have posted constitutes a Breach of the Peace.
Use of abusive language in a threatning manner (i.e if your good lady states to a Police Officer that she feels intimidated, threatened and scared for her safety) they should take action.
The company in question should provide some sort of Security for their employees, i have been doing some work for a similar client that was having the same problems (ill informed protestors) whose staff were being jostled, abused etc they soon fcuked off when we arrived
but I can see your point about the missus not wanting to rock the boat.
a call to the BIB wont hurt, alleging threatning behaviour etc - a point to consider is that someone spitting at you for example constitutes Common assault, to put someone in fear of their personal safety is an offence.
Madcop is probably the best person to advise you, keep a close eye out to see when he is logged on.
Use of abusive language in a threatning manner (i.e if your good lady states to a Police Officer that she feels intimidated, threatened and scared for her safety) they should take action.
The company in question should provide some sort of Security for their employees, i have been doing some work for a similar client that was having the same problems (ill informed protestors) whose staff were being jostled, abused etc they soon fcuked off when we arrived
but I can see your point about the missus not wanting to rock the boat. a call to the BIB wont hurt, alleging threatning behaviour etc - a point to consider is that someone spitting at you for example constitutes Common assault, to put someone in fear of their personal safety is an offence.
Madcop is probably the best person to advise you, keep a close eye out to see when he is logged on.
MM chers for that. I will wait for one of the BiB to comment on the legislation.
Company security - basically bollocks. All they did was shut the doors and try and stop these people getting in. No support for the staff trying to get in & out, just open the door for them and then close it behind them again. However, if it's the same bunch of guys on as when I worked there it's the cheapest set of guards you've ever seen. All they do is phone South Africa to talk to their mates!
I don't think there was been any physical contact or spitting, but when you're quite petite (as Mrs CVP is
) and a small group is leaning over you shouting all kinds of not so nice things through a megaphone within 2 feet of you and blowing whistles in your ears it's pretty intimidating stuff. I will have a word with some of my old colleagues to see if they can accompany her if they are leaving at the same time. As these lads are generally quite well built it should provide a bit more protection. Fortunately all of them are sensible enough not to start anything and give these people an excuse.
Chris
Company security - basically bollocks. All they did was shut the doors and try and stop these people getting in. No support for the staff trying to get in & out, just open the door for them and then close it behind them again. However, if it's the same bunch of guys on as when I worked there it's the cheapest set of guards you've ever seen. All they do is phone South Africa to talk to their mates!
I don't think there was been any physical contact or spitting, but when you're quite petite (as Mrs CVP is
) and a small group is leaning over you shouting all kinds of not so nice things through a megaphone within 2 feet of you and blowing whistles in your ears it's pretty intimidating stuff. I will have a word with some of my old colleagues to see if they can accompany her if they are leaving at the same time. As these lads are generally quite well built it should provide a bit more protection. Fortunately all of them are sensible enough not to start anything and give these people an excuse. Chris
The protesters she has hassling her are some of the most tenacious and dedicted bunch in the UK. They are not known to have given up ever and have caused enourmous greif to HLS and all their suppliers and clients etc for years. They remind me of the Terminator in that thet cannot be bargained with etc and will keep coming back untill HLS is shut down.
I would honestly advise her to tell her boss to do something or she is getting another job.
It must be horrible for her and for you too.
I would honestly advise her to tell her boss to do something or she is getting another job.
It must be horrible for her and for you too.
One of the ironies about these arseholes is that if they succeed in getting HLS shut down the only thing that will happen is the whole operation would be moved to china or somewhere like that. Don't think for one second the chinese don't have the kind of expertise to take over this kind of business. Once the business is in china the protesters won't be able to do jack sh*t about it.
Try protesting in china and they'll rapidly wish they hadn't bothered.
The animal testing will continue and the chinese will be laughing all the way to the bank.
This lot are scum though. They pesonally attacked the boss of HSL and actually tried to harm him.
I'm all for peacefull protest but this lot are well out of order.
Hopefully the cops can sort them out.
Hope things turn out well for Mrs CVP.
Andy
>> Edited by andytk on Tuesday 25th February 13:48
Try protesting in china and they'll rapidly wish they hadn't bothered.
The animal testing will continue and the chinese will be laughing all the way to the bank.
This lot are scum though. They pesonally attacked the boss of HSL and actually tried to harm him.
I'm all for peacefull protest but this lot are well out of order.
Hopefully the cops can sort them out.
Hope things turn out well for Mrs CVP.
Andy
>> Edited by andytk on Tuesday 25th February 13:48
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