Dave sez,
UK based Boing Boingers will be interested to know that the government has opened a public consultation about repealing the
anti-protest provisions of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act.I've read the consultation document, and have had my faith (slightly)
renewed in the democratic process by it – it is a well put together
piece of documentation that highlights the differences between the
Public Order Act 1986 and SOCPA 132-138 which covers protest in the
Parliamentary zone.The main thrust of the argument is that,
while there has always been a requirement for protest organisers to
inform the police (where possible) the wider public order law has
always allowed for the possibility of completely spontaneous protest,
which SOCPA specifically prohibits, by requiring 6 days notice where
possible and *no less* than 24 hours.In effect, this has 'chilled' the possibility of good old-fashioned
hot-blooded British protest, and has also disallowed, through
over-enthusiastic enforcement, the making of *any* spontaneous or
incidental political statement within the zoneThis is an all too rare (and as usual, under-publicised) opportunity to directly influence government policy in the UK. Download the consultation document and send in your thoughts, and make it clear that this government or any other does not have the right to restrict your right to protest.
(Thanks, Dave!)
