Begin forwarded message:
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: June 10, 2008 5:34:57 PM PDT
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [British] Anti-war protesters banned from demonstrating
against Bush [in London]
[British] Anti-war protesters banned from demonstrating against Bush
[in London]
http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/themole,,ant-war-protesters-banned-from-demonstrating-against-bush,30888
London police have announced a ban on anti-war campaigners hoping to
protest against President George Bush's visit to Downing Street this
Sunday. The Whitehall ban has been immediately condemned as a
"totalitarian act" by the playwright Harold Pinter, while Stop the
War organisers are urging people to defy it and to demonstrate
nearby in Parliament Square.
"In what is supposed to be a free country the Stop the War Coalition
has every right to express its views peacefully and openly. This ban
is outrageous and makes the term 'democracy' laughable," Pinter said
today.
Lindsey German, a leader of the Stop the War Coalition, said: "It
seems that when George W Bush visits this country traditional rights
of assembly are to be removed from the people. We are calling on
those who care for our democratic rights to come to Parliament
Square at 5pm on Sunday 15 June. Some of those who signed statements
accusing Bush of war crimes will be leading this protest.
"George Bush has been dictating British foreign policy for many
years. Now it appears his security services are determining our
rights of protest. This is a disgrace and we will challenge the ban."
The anti-nuclear campaign CND said it believed the British
government was allowing security operations to be directed by White
House officials. Previous demonstrations have been allowed along
Whitehall, but Bush's presence in Downing Street -- he is due to
have dinner with Gordon Brown -- means protesters are to be banned
from a police 'exclusion zone'.
Kate Hudson, CND chair, warned that protesters might ignore the
police. She said: "Previous attempts to deprive us of our rights to
protest have come to nothing. In February 2003 we were told we
couldn't go on the grass in Hyde Park and what happened? Two million
people joined us in Hyde Park to oppose the war on Iraq.
"Last October we were told we couldn't protest in Parliament Square
to demand the withdrawal of British troops. What happened then? The
morning of the protest we were given the go-ahead. We have a proud
record of peaceful democratic protest and we mean to continue --
lift the ban now."
FIRST POSTED JUNE 10, 2008
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