Protesting is now ILLEGAL!
Discussion
What the ???
I was watching QT last night when this little gem slipped out. Apparently Billy Liar and his cronies have used the anti-terrorism legislation to quietly slap a ban on protesting or demonstration within 1KM of parliament. This includes Trafalgar Square.
Apparently it is in response to the guy who has been peacefully demonstrating outside parliament for the last few years about the Iraq war. His quiet signage is an embarrasment to the government.
Now this is a very worrying development for two reasons. Firstly it has been our democratic right to protest since time immemorial. Demonstration and protest is a way to maintain a system of checks and balances and keep government aware of it's responsibilities to the electorate. Secondly, I actually found myself agreeing with Tony Benn :yikes: as even he said it is the first step towards a police state.
Without the right to protest or demonstrate how does the government know when it has overstepped it's mandate? What will happen when an emotive issue brings people to the streets? Will TB use the military to quell public disapproval of his actions "to protect us"
How the hell did this slip quietly under the radar? I go on holiday for a week and look what happens :rage:
This is wrong on so many levels it's scary. I'm fucking fuming once more at the actions of this arrogant twat. No wonder he needs protection to walk from Downing Street to Parliament.
Is it me, or are we quietly putting everything in place for a repetition of Tianamen Square at some point in the future.
If there's a march on parliamant on this one, I for one will be at the head of the queue.
I was watching QT last night when this little gem slipped out. Apparently Billy Liar and his cronies have used the anti-terrorism legislation to quietly slap a ban on protesting or demonstration within 1KM of parliament. This includes Trafalgar Square.
Apparently it is in response to the guy who has been peacefully demonstrating outside parliament for the last few years about the Iraq war. His quiet signage is an embarrasment to the government.
Now this is a very worrying development for two reasons. Firstly it has been our democratic right to protest since time immemorial. Demonstration and protest is a way to maintain a system of checks and balances and keep government aware of it's responsibilities to the electorate. Secondly, I actually found myself agreeing with Tony Benn :yikes: as even he said it is the first step towards a police state.
Without the right to protest or demonstrate how does the government know when it has overstepped it's mandate? What will happen when an emotive issue brings people to the streets? Will TB use the military to quell public disapproval of his actions "to protect us"
How the hell did this slip quietly under the radar? I go on holiday for a week and look what happens :rage:
This is wrong on so many levels it's scary. I'm fucking fuming once more at the actions of this arrogant twat. No wonder he needs protection to walk from Downing Street to Parliament.
Is it me, or are we quietly putting everything in place for a repetition of Tianamen Square at some point in the future.
If there's a march on parliamant on this one, I for one will be at the head of the queue.
Einion Yrth said:
What I would realy like to know is why her majesties loyal opposition isn't hammering the Stalinist 2@s over this shit, it's yet another obvious point of attack, and they're doing absolutely nothing. We're being sold down the river by all sides.
Together with a decent amount of complicity from the media by not making any fuss about it either...
QT was quite odd last night, everyone seemed to be agreeing with each other on almost every subject. It was only when Benn and the hunting guy started to raise their voices that I realised that 'finally' a disagreement was on the cards.
Anyway, I am truely shocked and horrified that this EVER became law. The thin end of the wedge has long been inserted and we're now at the fat end with all our liberties stripped, not even able to complain about it.
I hate to agree with someone from the Liberal Democrates, but the MP last night made a very good point that we're now heading down the same path that Russia did just before it became the Soviet Union, this is scary stuff.
Anyway, I am truely shocked and horrified that this EVER became law. The thin end of the wedge has long been inserted and we're now at the fat end with all our liberties stripped, not even able to complain about it.
I hate to agree with someone from the Liberal Democrates, but the MP last night made a very good point that we're now heading down the same path that Russia did just before it became the Soviet Union, this is scary stuff.
This is utterly appalling and an abuse of the government's power.
On another note, it was amusing to see that Tony Benn was prepared to condemn Otis Ferry's protest on the basis that he has no right to act in such a way in protest at the actions of an elected government. So did you have the same attitude to the poll tax riots, Tony? We will always have to endure double standards form socialists.
On another note, it was amusing to see that Tony Benn was prepared to condemn Otis Ferry's protest on the basis that he has no right to act in such a way in protest at the actions of an elected government. So did you have the same attitude to the poll tax riots, Tony? We will always have to endure double standards form socialists.
I found myself agreeing with Tony Benn on some points which felt very uncomfortable indeed 
While he is a lefty of the highest order, he is his own man with his own opinions and is in no way one of Billy S
t wk br ae Liars lap dogs. At least he still stands up for what he believes, even if it is generally the opposite of my beliefs. I would imagine he makes Phony Tony very uncomfortable indeed.
If ever a protest outside the houses of parliament was needed, it's now.
While he is a lefty of the highest order, he is his own man with his own opinions and is in no way one of Billy St wk br ae Liars lap dogs. At least he still stands up for what he believes, even if it is generally the opposite of my beliefs. I would imagine he makes Phony Tony very uncomfortable indeed. If ever a protest outside the houses of parliament was needed, it's now.
imp123 said:
Its not like the country would grind to halt if all the MPs and Lords got wiped out anyway and very rarely are they all there together.
I agree but my reason is even if all the MP's and lords are there Tony will continue to do what he wants anyway. It seems to make no difference what anybody else says or does.
wanty1974 said:
Just to correct a small error in Rob's original post, Trafalgar Square is not included in the 1km exclusion zone as it was deemed to be a 'traditional protesting area'.
Obviously unlike Parliament Square, then.
I blame Question Time.... That bloody Dimbleby bloke is obviously feeding me duff information
They definitely said it on QT, but that's not important. If MP's are going against our wishes and it makes them uncomfortable then they should bloody well know about it!
yertis said:
There was a thread about this a week or so ago...
But I agree - we're having the rights we've held dear whipped away from us. I'm mad as hell about it.
Here it is.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=141&t=186718
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