Parliament Protest

Long term peace protester Brian Haw, has won his latest legal case regarding the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 Designated Area restrictions around Parliament Square and beyond - a welcome surprise.

The BBC reports:

Parliament protester's legal win
Last Updated: Monday, 22 January 2007, 14:29 GMT

Anti-war protester Brian Haw has won his latest legal battle to maintain his demonstration in Parliament Square.

Police claimed Mr Haw, 57, from Redditch, Worcestershire, posed a threat as terrorists could hide bombs under his many banners and placards.

But District Judge Quentin Purdy said he had not breached conditions imposed on him by the Metropolitan Police (Met) as they were unclear and invalid.

Continue reading "Brian Haw wins in Court regarding Conditions imposed under SOCPA Designated Area around Parliament Square law" »

Posted by Peaceful Demonstrator at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

[via Parliament-Square.org.uk]:

IMPORTANT SOCPA APPEAL IN THE HIGH COURT

Thursday 16th and Friday 17th November 2006, Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand, London, WC2A 2LL, 10am

Demonstration of support outside the court from 9.30am - please bring banners.

Four people convicted under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 for demonstrating without authorisation in the protest exclusion zone around Parliament will be appealing in the High Court. Maya Evans, Steve Blum, Aquil Shaer and Milan Rai will be appealing against their convictions on points of law including the compatibility of the ban on unauthorised protests with the Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

This is the first court hearing at which the SOCPA law itself will come under significant scrutiny. Please come along and show your support for the SOCPA convicts.

According to the The Daily Cause List, these appeals will be held in Court Number 1:

Continue reading "4 appeals against SOCPA designated Area law - Thu 16th - Fri 17th November 2006" »

Posted by Peaceful Demonstrator at 1:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

According to the Associated Press, and this via The Guardian:

Will Brian Haw be evicted from his peace camp in Parliament Square, or will he eventually be forced to apply for prior written permission and be subject to arbitrary restrictions on his protest ?

Why is the Government persecuting inividuals in this way , simply for peacefully expressing their opionons and beliefs and peacefully assembling in a traditional place of public protest ?

It does not matter wether you agree or disagree with Brian Haw's views on the Iraq war etc., everybody is having their freedom to protest or demonstrate peacefully crushed by the Labour government and the Home Office and Metropolitan Police bureaucracies,

It is an affront to our democracy, and is something which will be cheered by our enemies.

Posted by Peaceful Demonstrator at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It is expected that the Appeal lodged by the Home Office and the metropolitan Police (why not just the Home Office ?) against the Judicial Review which currently allows long term peace protestor Brian Haw will reach a jufgement today.

Brian Haw's demonstration is currentlly the only one which is exempt from the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 section 132 Designated Area, as it was judged to have started before the SOCPA legislation was brought into force.

We await news of the results of this Appeal.at the High Court currently being heard , in the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand..

UPDATE: Associated Press are reporting that the Government has won its appeal against Brian Haw 8-(

More details below:
.

Continue reading "Appeal by the Home Office and the Met Police against the Brian Haw case is due today - Government wins 8-(" »

Posted by Peaceful Demonstrator at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Maria Gallastegui seems to have won a victory against the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 section 132 Designated Area law.

Victory for Maria 6 April 06:

Maria's retrial for taking part in an unauthorised demo was today thrown out of court!

Maria is one of Brian Haw's most stalwart supporters and was with Brian at his site as the 1 August demo against SOCPA was taking place on the adjacent green.

She was arrested when she went to advise someone at the demo with a megaphone that they would be arrested.

At the original trial the magistrate paid no regard to the fact that Maria was not part of the unauthorised demo and she was convicted but decided to appeal.

At the retrial at Southwark Crown Court the judges ruled there was no case to answer after the CPS had put forward its case, with very little evidence.

This case highlights what a thankless and impossible task the Metropolitan Police have in fairly and equally enforcing this stupid law.

Given the almost random way in which people are being arrested by the Police who only need "reasonable grounds for suspecting that an offence has been committed", something which is entirely at the whim of an individual Police Officer, it is not clear that this case will have any effect on the behavioir of the Metropolitan Police.

It may give the Crown Prosecution Service some pause for thought when they decide whether or not to prosecute an arrestee.

Posted by Peaceful Demonstrator at 11:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The first appeal against a conviction under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 section 132 is scheduled for Thursday 6th April 2006 starting at 10 am.

Maria Gallastegui, one of Brian Haw's most committed supporters, is appealing against her conviction for demonstrating without authorisation and obstructing arrest at Southwark Crown Court, 1 English Grounds, London SE1 2HU, (by HMS Belfast) starting at 10 am.

Location Map

Posted by Peaceful Demonstrator at 11:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)