[IMC-UK-Features] SOCPA feature

[deano at aktivix.org]

Quoting Shiar <shiar at riseup.net>:

> 
> On Sat, April 19, 2008 5:20 am, minimouse wrote:
> > The news of her release was and is important - and this was just a
> > news item.
> > Surely background to this is something that would be explored if
> > there were to be a subsequent feature.
> 
> Yeah, i think it's worth a feature. We haven't had a SOCPA feat for a
> while. Anyone up for doing that?
> 
> -- 
> Shiar 
> 
> 
> Hello Indys,

Rikki is prob the best one to approach for a SOCPA feature, tho I think he's
generally v busy. He recently sent us this text for the London Offline which
could prob be useful:

SOCPA update - time for a tiny sip of champagne?

The Government announced a "public consultation" on governing protest around
Parliament and activists rallied to respond in various ways. The Campaign for
Free Assembly took to the streets in January and 200 people defied the law on
an impromptu walkabout of the SOCPA zone, ending with a Whitehall sit-in
eventually split up by some TSG henchmen, during which Brian Haw was badly
assaulted and then arrested. The consultation raised concerns that while SOCPA
would be repealed in a blaze of publicity, the following harmonisation of
public order laws would effectively make every protest in the country
notifiable - a sort of SOCPA by the back door. Whether this was their intention
or not, the  large campaign of negative responses have led to an announcement
in a constitutional white paper that the government proposes the repeal of
sections 132-138 0f SOCPA 2005. 

While this may be cause to celebrate, caution and vigilance should be exercised.
Almost at the same time as the announcement, Jack Straw was saying "we invite
the views of Parliament on whether additional provision is needed to keep open
the passages leading to Westminster and to ensure that ,for example, excessive
noise is not used to disrupt the workings of Parliament". This is more of an
admission that quite frankly SOCPA has not worked in its main aim to stop peace
protestors causing embarrassment in and around Parliament Square, and he is
desperately looking for new ideas.

In the meantime, the campaign of harassment continues against the Parliament
Square peace protestors. Brian Haw and co are in and out of courts every week,
both answering charges, and laying judicial reviews and appeals. Barbara Tucker
is spending two weeks at Holloway for missing one of many police bails. Brian
is pursuing the cop that injured him in January. SOCPA, despite announcements
is still being used as a means to arrest, and just last month, Barbara and two
others were held at Belgravia police station for nearly 20 hours on a SOCPA
arrest.

The Campaign for Free Assembly can be found at freedomofassembly.blogspot.com



Cheers,

Deano