Parliament Protest

The Freedom to Protest Conference

Sunday October 23rd 2005

11am- 5pm

Venue: The Resource Centre,

356 Holloway Road, London, N7 6PA

Tube:

"Take the Piccadilly line to Holloway Road station. On leaving the station turn left and walk under the railway bridge for 5 minutes. The Resource Centre is on the opposite side of the road and can be reached by using the pedestrian crossing"

Buses: 4, 17, 29, 43, 153, 253, 259, 271, 279 and X43

admission free

"The conference aims:

- to share experiences, and promote mutual aid & co-ordination between protestors threatened by repressive laws
- to develop effective strategies for standing up for our freedom to protest against injustice and oppression"

Conference Programme

Website: www.freedomtoprotest.org.uk

Email: conference@freedomtoprotest.org.uk

Posted by Peaceful Demonstrator at 5:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Next Sunday 9th October there will be a
Public Meeting to discuss future strategies in peacefully resisting the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act Designated Area restrictions on our freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

Time: 3.45-6pm

Date: Sunday 9th October 2005

Location:

Indian YMCA
41 Fitzroy Square,
London W1T 6AQ,

Nearest tubes: Goodge Street, Warren Street, Great Portland Street.

Posted by Peaceful Demonstrator at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reminder: a Non-Violent Direct Action Training Workshop and Legal Briefing will be held this Sunday 31st July 2005.

11.30am to 5pm,

St Martins Community Centre,
43 Carol Street, London NW1

Nearest Tube Station: Camden Town

Please note that there is no parking near the centre.

The workshop will cover strategies for creating empowering and effective non-violent actions and so will be useful for anyone taking part in the protests around Parliament.

It will be particularly useful if you have never been arrested before or if you're intrigued but feel you lack the confidence or knowledge to take things further.

All welcome!

Called by the Mass Act of Defiance Group.

For more info. e-mail massactofdefiance@fastmail.fm

Update: Bloggerheads seem to have printed 250 A3 posters for the Monday 1st August demonstration

Posted by Peaceful Demonstrator at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Calendar of forthcoming events regarding the curtailment of your rights to demonstrate in the Designated Area around Parliament Square in London, in addition to Brian Haw's continuous peace protest:

• Wednesday 20th July 2005
  Transport and General Workers Union picket of the Houses of Parliament - 170 cleaning staff are on strike. This picket is exempt from the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 restrictions.

• Wednesday 20th July
  Anti-war Community Picket organised by the Global Women's Strike will take place as always from 5.30 to 7pm in Parliament Square.

  Join the picket and show solidarity.

  www.globalwomenstrike.net

• Thursday 22nd July
  
  Parliament starts its Summer Recess until October 9th.

• Tuesday 26th July
  [update 23rd July]
  Brian Haw's , test case in the Royal Courts of Justice, whether his demonstration is exempt from the requirement for priior application for permission, since it has already started before 1st August 2005.

• Wednesday 27th July
  Anti-war Community Picket organised by the Global Women's Strike will take place as always from 5.30 to 7pm in Parliament Square.

  www.globalwomenstrike.net

• Sunday 31st July
  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

• Sunday 31st July
  Deadline for the PledgeBank pledge:

  "I will apply for authorisation to demonstrate in the vicinity of Parliament every day for a month from 1st August 2005 but only if 50 other responsible citizens will too."

  www.pledgebank.com/ParliamentSquare or send a mobile phone SMS text message "pledge parliamentsquare" to 60022 (normal SMS text message charges apply)

• Monday 1st August
  The full provisions of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 sections 132 to 138 come into full force.

• Monday 1st August
  Stop the War have called a demonstration at 2pm on Monday 1st August in Parliament Square against the new protest exclusion zone.

  www.stopwar.org.uk/ExclusionZone.htm

• Tuesday 2nd August
  Solidarity with Brian Haw's eviction / arrest. All the indications are that 2nd August will be the day that the police will try and evict Brian and stop his 4 year continuous protest for peace and justice. Gather in Parliament Square as early as you can to show he is not alone.

  www.parliament-square.org.uk

• Wednesday 3rd August
  Anti-war Community Picket organised by the Global Women's Strike will take place as always from 5.30 to 7pm in Parliament Square.

  www.globalwomenstrike.net

  This will be their first such regular protest event after the new restrictions on "Loudspeakers in designated area"
  have come into force.

• Sunday 7th August
  MASS ACT OF DEFIANCE For the Right to Protest
  Assemble 12 noon, Sunday 7 August, Parliament Square
  This law will affect all activists and campaigners. Everyone should bring their own 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.

  Called by the Mass Act of Defiance Group. For more info.
  e-mail massactofdefiance@fastmail.fm

Please let us know about any other demonstrations and protests or meetings.

Posted by Peaceful Demonstrator at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Another open public meeting to discuss and plan peaceful resistance
to the restriction on demonstrations, lobbying of Members of Parliament (even by a single individual), without prior written permission and with arbitrary conditions imposed etc. "in the vicinity of Parliament", will be held next week:

"Organising Opposition to New Restrictions on Protest around Parliament

Public meeting,

7pm to 9.30pm, Wednesday 13th July,

Diorama Arts Centre (room D4), 3-7 Euston Centre, Regents Place, , just near the Euston Tower.

Nearest tubes: Warren Street, Euston Square.

Directions:
http://www.diorama-arts.org.uk/findus.htm

The meeting will discuss practical ways to oppose the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act which came into force on 1 July and to prevent the eviction of peace protestor Brian Haw who can be arrested under the new legislation from 2 August.

All welcome.

Thursday's terrible events in London are likely to have an impact on what we do so this new context will also be discussed.

For more info on the SOCP Act see http://www.parliamentprotest.org.uk/

Posted by Peaceful Demonstrator at 2:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)