Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

England Bans Palace Protests

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU
 
LeighAnn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-04-07 05:09 PM
Original message
England Bans Palace Protests
Source: Post Chronicle (AP)

A new law in England makes it a crime to protest in royal palaces and top government buildings.

The law was prompted by a protestor who crashed Prince William's 21st birthday party at Windsor Castle dressed as Osama bin Laden in 2003, The Independent reported.

<snip>

The law designates 16 "protected sites," including No. 10 Downing Street, The House of Commons and the Palace of Westminster. Protesting at any of the sites can be punished by up to six months in prison, the Independent reported.

Read more: http://www.postchronicle.com/news/breakingnews/article_21284574.shtml
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
dave_p Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-04-07 05:17 PM
Response to Original message
1. Wankers
There's no end of laws or ad hoc secutity procedures to intercept a perceived threat to any official function. We're talking a country without a written Constitution here (not necessarily a bad thing IMO). This is just more bullshit from a dying bullshit government and a legislature with too much time on its hands and ever less point to its existence as a nominally sovereign entity.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LeighAnn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-04-07 05:32 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Maybe we should invade them
Perhaps the US Armed Forces can bomb them into submission, effect regime change, let their national treasures be looted, teach 'em about Democracy the hard way.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
dave_p Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-04-07 05:38 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. Flip a coin for it
US or Europe.

Just get it over with. It's too gross.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
BikeWriter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-04-07 07:56 PM
Response to Original message
4. Why do they hate our freedoms?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
anitar1 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-04-07 08:13 PM
Response to Original message
5. Coming to a building near you one day. n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
maryallen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-04-07 08:31 PM
Response to Original message
6. Isn't that "quaint"?
The royals don't have to be bothered by the riff-raff ... just like here ... in the good 'ole USA.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LeftyMom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-04-07 09:10 PM
Response to Original message
7. Is this legit?
UPI is goofy, but even they know the difference between England and the UK.

I can't turn up anything like it on Google News.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LeighAnn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-04-07 09:42 PM
Response to Reply #7
8. Here it is from the UPI website
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
muriel_volestrangler Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-05-07 03:25 AM
Response to Reply #7
9. Yes, it's a real story
Here's the original in The Independent:

New criminal powers will make it an offence punishable by up to six months in prison to break through security cordons and mount protests inside a series of sensitive government buildings, and royal palaces including the Palace of Westminster.

The offence was created in response to a security breach by self-styled "comedy terrorist" Aaron Barschak, who gatecrashed Prince William's 21st birthday party at Windsor Castle dressed as Osama bin Laden in 2003. It followed a report into that breach of security by Commander Frank Armstrong of the City of London police.
...
The clampdown on protests inside the Houses of Parliament follows the demonstration staged by five pro-foxhunting protesters including Otis Ferry, the son of rock star Bryan Ferry while MPs debated the ban on hunting with dogs. It could be applied in future to the Fathers4Justice who climbed the roof of Westminster Hall to protest about lack of access to their children.
...
The restrictions will apply to Portcullis House, the recently-built extension to the Commons, where MPs have their private offices. It also extends to the headquarters of MI5, MI6, the Ministry of Defence, and the listening post at GCHQ Cheltenham. It will not ban protesters outside the security fences.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/article2611749.ece


I'd have thought there was something they could have been charged with anyway - the all-encompassing 'breach of the peace', or perhaps 'aggravated trespass':

A person commits aggravated trespass if he trespasses on land with the intention of disrupting, or intimidating those taking part in, lawful activity taking place on that or adjacent land.


which, for instance, would apply to the House of Commons protesters. Though the Wikipedia page for Aaron Barschak does say he was never charged for getting into Windsor Castle.

In fact, what this is doing is introducing the charge of 'criminal trespass' for these sites - a law that the US already has - see eg

Columnist and author Eric Alterman has been released after being arrested Sunday night inside the debate spin room. He was charged with criminal trespass after police say he refused repeated orders to leave.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/06/03/columnistauthor-arrested-in-spin-room/


What the law did, in 2005, was allow the government to specify areas in which trespass became criminal. So far, these have been military sites, nuclear sites, and now they've added various royal and government sites, with a few spying places, on the 1st June:

* 85 Albert Embankment, London;
* Buckingham Palace, London;
* Ministry of Defence Main Building, Whitehall, London;
* Old War Office Building, Whitehall, London;
* St James’s Palace, Cleveland Row, London;
* Thames House, 11 and 12 Millbank, London;
* The Chequers estate, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire;
* 10 – 12 Downing Street site as well as 70 Whitehall;
* Government Communication Headquarters, Harp Hill, Cheltenham;
* Government Communication Headquarters, Hubble Road, Cheltenham;
* Government Communication Headquarters, Racecourse Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire;
* Government Communication Headquarters, Woodford, Bude, Cornwall;
* Highgrove House, Doughton, Gloucestershire;
* Palace of Westminster and Portcullis House site, London;
* Sandringham House, Norfolk;
* Windsor Castle, Berkshire.

http://security.homeoffice.gov.uk/legislation/current-legislation/terrorism-act-2006/criminal-trespass-sites


Quite honestly, I wouldn't have expected to get into these sites without getting charged with something anyway. I can't see this as a significant diminution of my civil liberties.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LeighAnn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-05-07 07:43 PM
Response to Reply #9
14. Yikes! So it is true!
I've spent the last day or so thinking it must have been a mistake... wonder why nobody seems to care?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
muriel_volestrangler Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-06-07 03:31 AM
Response to Reply #14
16. Because they feel the same as me?
Here's something to think about: If you scaled the fence on the White House gardens, and then walked about inside the grounds with a protest sign

(a) What do you think the police or secret service would do?
(b) Do you think you'd be charged with anything?

I suspect the answer to (a) would be "arrest you at gunpoint". I suspect the answer to (b) would be "charge with criminal trespass", at least. The law in Britain has now been changed to allow them to do this. Do you think the law in the USA has been oppressive?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
saigon68 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-05-07 03:29 AM
Response to Original message
10. I don't plan to visit that screwed up place anytime soon.
England---Blah another name for a stopped up toilet bowl
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Mr Creosote Donating Member (640 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-05-07 05:15 AM
Response to Reply #10
11. Well that's good news anyway
Don't feel like I live in a stopped up toilet bowl.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LeftishBrit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-05-07 06:45 AM
Response to Reply #10
13. Easier to keep your prejudices if you don't actually bother to visit a place!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
LeighAnn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-05-07 07:55 PM
Response to Reply #10
15. I'd go anytime!
My only unfulfilled fantasy... a visit to the UK. I hadn't planned on doing any protesting there anyway, so this story doesn't change anything.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
T_i_B Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jun-05-07 06:26 AM
Response to Original message
12. Are the Fathers4Justice morans still about in some form?
They're the ones who like climbing up Buckingham palace in superhero outfits.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Sat May 04th 2024, 02:38 AM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Latest Breaking News Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC