The Observer has a snippet of Government spin:
Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, will use a lecture to the London School of Economics tomorrow to counter what he will describe as 'the myth' that Labour has assumed police state powers.Critics cite examples such as a new law forbidding demonstrations outside Parliament without prior police permission. Clarke is expected to argue that freedom is alive and kicking, with 157 demonstrations held there since last August.
No ! It is the number of peaceful demonstrations which have not been politically vetted by the Police and the State which is the evidence of freedom.
If freedom is not being curtailed, then why have these peaceful demonstrators been arrested, charged and convicted ?
Speaker: Charles Clarke
Date: Monday 24 April 2006
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: Old Theatre, Old Building
London School of Economics
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
Unless you have a ticket already you will probably not get in, but given the number journalism students and media in the audience, it may well be worth visiting the Three Tuns student bar next door.
It is ironic that Charles Clarke is lecturing the London School of Economics given the personal attacks he has made on their academic staff who dared to criticise his inept and authoritarian ID Card scheme in their well researched Identity Project report
Hello,
I am trying to contact different people involved in the human chain protest against SOCPA on May 1st. The reason?
I am a post-grad student journalist building a website on free speech and writing an article on the protest.
Unfortunately I cannot attend as I am up in Preston, Lancashire. So I would really like to hear about the event from people who attended.
Were there any clashes with police?
How far inside the exclusion zone did protesters go?
How many arrests were there?
How many people attended? (actual figures, not BBC ones)
etc.
Also - if any of you have any fab photos you are willing to let me use for the project (for assessment purposes only)
please pass them on.
Thanks,
Josie