Fools Paradise Parade Towards London Exclusion Zone: One other of my previous posts on My London Diary that I’ll capitalise appropriately and make minor corrections is on the Fools Paradise Parade Towards London Exclusion Zone which marched from beside the London Eye to Parliament Sq. on 1st April 2006. In addition to the few photos I’ll submit right here there are lots of extra on My London Diary. And I’ll finish with a dramatic illustration of our shift in direction of a police state as we have now moved over my lifetime fromthe welfare state to a warfare state.
April Fools Day was a very good day to display in opposition to the Critical Organised Crime And Police Act 2005 exclusion zone, which bans democratic protests inside a kilometre of the the Homes of Parliament until they’ve earlier permission, in addition to tremendously proscribing what protesters can do. It’s a peculiarly silly piece of laws, rushed by way of to try to tidy up Parliament Sq. and defend the federal government from the embarrassment of seeing Brian Haw and different peace protesters on their patch of grass in Parliament Sq..
Much more silly in that, no less than up to now, it hasn’t labored, though the authorities have appealed in opposition to Brian’s authorized victory to be allowed to stay.
April Fools had been those that caught their head within the sand and ignored the Calendar Change in 1752, which was accompanied by a shift within the New 12 months from March twenty fifth (the Feast of the Assumption) to Jan 1st (the Feast of the Circumcision, latterly renamed the Solemnity of St Mary, Mom of Jesus.) The Inland Income nonetheless celebrates the previous date (augmented by the 11 misplaced days of the Calendar Change and one other that received misplaced in 1900) by beginning the brand new tax yr on April sixth.
The Fools Paradise Parade began on the Victoria Embankment subsequent to the London Eye, with police taking solely a pleasant curiosity, however an argument with safety males who advised us we had been on personal property. Good to know that its one more little bit of London that somebody has flogged off, however it’s public proper of approach, and we weren’t doing something that might legally be objected to.
The principle drawback that they had gave the impression to be that individuals had been photographing them, which demonstrated their lack of coaching of their job, as did their angle to the members of the general public.
Ultimately the parade made its approach alongside the riverside path and throughout Westminster Bridge to Parliament Sq., the place there was a little bit of a celebration, with a pinata full of presents being attacked and destroyed by the youngsters.
In Parliament Sq. the parade was greeted by Brian Haw, nonetheless persevering with his protest regardless of SOCPA. April 1st additionally marked the beginning of our very personal FBI, the Critical Organised Crime Company which appears probably for use in opposition to political opposition in addition to severe crime.
Parliament’s incompetence in drafting the legislation so it didn’t ban Brian Haw was corrected in a slightly regarding court docket attraction determination the place principally the judgement stated that it didn’t matter what the legislation stated because it was clear what parliament had meant.
However the provisions on protests within the space round parliament had been later repealed and changed by the Police Reform and Social Duty Act 2011, which as a substitute “restricts sure “prohibited actions” in Parliament Sq. backyard and the adjoining footways. The police have used these powers to confiscate pizza containers, tarpaulin and umbrellas from protesters in Parliament Sq..” It was slightly a case of 1 step ahead, two steps again and nearly killed Barbara Tucker who had by then taken over from Brian Haw.
Since 2006 we have now seen many additional restrictions on our proper to protest and draconian jail sentences given to peaceable protesters. Among the restrictions have been introduced in by the Tories prompted by the success of protests by grass roots unions in opposition to firms significantly in London paying poverty wages and badly treating employees whereas others replicate the success of protests in selling public consciousness of points together with local weather change and Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Extra photos on My London Diary
The transfer in direction of a police state we at the moment are witnessing was dramatically illustrated final week when when on twenty seventh March greater than 20 uniformed police, some geared up with tasers, compelled their approach into the Quaker Westminster Assembly Home, searched the whole constructing and arrested six younger ladies holding a gathering over considerations for the local weather and Gaza.
Because the Quakers state:
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 have criminalised many types of protest and permit police to halt actions deemed too disruptive.
In the meantime, modifications in judicial procedures restrict protesters’ potential to defend their actions in court docket. All which means that there are fewer and fewer methods to talk fact to energy.
Their assertion concluds:
“Freedom of speech, meeting, and honest trials are an important a part of free public debate which underpins democracy.”
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Tags: 2006, All Fools Day, April 1st, April 2006, April Fools, Brian Haw, Charlie X, local weather change, CND placard, Fools Paradise Parade, Israeli genocide, London, march, Not Aloud, peter Marshall, police, police raid, police state, protest, Quaker Assembly Home, proper to protest, SOCA, SOCPA, the queen, Tony Blair, Victoria Embankment, Westminster Assembly Home
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