MASS ACT OF DEFIANCE
For the Right to Protest
Assemble 12 noon, Sunday 7 August
Parliament Square
The new Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (April 2005) makes all unauthorised protests within a Designated Area, which can be up to 1km of Parliament, illegal after 1 August.
The first targets of the Act are likely to be Brian Haw's 4-year 24-7 peace vigil in Parliament Square and the weekly Anti-war Community Picket of the Global Women Strike (also in the Square), but the law will affect all activists and campaigners.
PLEASE JOIN US ON 7 AUGUST: Bring your banners, leaflets, placards and campaigns for peace, human rights, asylum rights, labour rights, animal rights, social justice, international solidarity, the environment etc... to this action to defy the new anti-protest legislation and defend the right to demonstrate near Parliament.
PLEASE NOTE:
[1] There is a risk of arrest at this action, since it is an unauthorised protest against a law which makes such protests illegal.
Please read the legal briefing below before deciding to attend.
[2] This is a peaceful protest: participants should not harm or dehumanise any human being at this event.
NVDA WORKSHOP & LEGAL BRIEFING
A nonviolent direct action (NVDA) training workshop and legal briefing for the Mass Act will take place on Sunday 31st July:
11.30am to 5pm,
St Martins Community Centre,
43 Carol Street, London NW1
(nearest tube Camden Town).
Please note that there is NO parking near the centre.
If you're planning to come on 7 Aug and have never been arrested before or if you're intrigued but feel you lack the confidence or knowledge to take things further then this is the workshop for you. All welcome!
Called by the Mass Act of Defiance Group.
For more info. e-mail massactofdefiance@fastmail.fm
THE SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME AND POLICE ACT
Under section 132 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act it is an offence to organise or take part in a demonstration in a public place within the "designated area" (up to 1 km around parliament) if
authorisation has not been given by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, to whom an application has to be made at least six days in advance, or if not "reasonably practicable", 24 hours in advance. The commissioner may impose conditions on the demonstration; , including where and when the protest may take place, how long it can last and how many people can attend, how much noise can be made and the number and size of banners or placards used. Additional conditions may be imposed during the demonstration by the senior police officer present. The new law also criminalises demonstrations by a single person - a section targeted at Brian Haw - and prohibits the use of loudspeakers.
Organisers of unauthorised demonstrations may be subject to imprisonment for up to 51 weeks, a fine (level 4: up to pound;2500), or both; participants may be subject to a fine (level 3 :up to pound;1000). Liberty have described these measures as restrictive and disproportionate, and the restrictions placed on place, time duration and noise as neutering protest. They are incompatible with Article 11 of the Human Rights Act (right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association), which requires any restrictions on this right be legitimate, reasonable and proportionate. The act - both in the determination by the Police Commissioner and the imposition of conditions - may also be seen as arbitrary, limiting the rights of some and not others to protest.
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