As Sid says, this Thursday’s picket of M&S saw a new offensive, not by the Zionists who
have become the standard problem, but by the police, who showed their true
colours.

In addition to the usual Marylebone police guard, we had some from the
Scotland Yard Public Order Division, in particular officer CO 2558 – quote
‘we are not here to discuss the legalities of public order, we are here to
enforce it’. He or they were accompanied by a camera man. While
Marylebone’s youngest officer (DM 161) and others in the same vein did the
‘nicey’ side of things – ‘excuse me sir, what kind of accent is that? You
don’t sound like you are from London?’

In short, the police were in ‘Mayday mode’ – so-called nice cop takes
leaflets, strikes up conversation, collects info. Meanwhile ‘nasty cop’
(Sgt DM61) hands out notice under section 14 of the 1986 Public Order Act.

We have been arguing about S14 orders for several weeks now. The standard
format that we get is headed ‘Metropolitain [sic] police’ and lists various
things we are not supposed to do. We have pointed out ad nauseam that s14
permits the police to impose conditions on a static demonstration which
restrict the demonstration’s duration, location and number of participants.
That is all. They do not have licence to put other restrictions on, for
example how loud our megaphone is, whether we collect money or not.
Obviously there may be other laws on these things but they do not come under
s14.

So tonight we were served with a s14 notice banning the use of megaphones
altogether, and when we challenged this were told that the 1986 Act was
updated by further legislation. Given the tenure of the present government
this seemed highly likely, but we wanted to know what it was and we were
still not convinced it gave the police the right to stop us using a
megaphone.

Between 6 and 6.30 we argued with the police, spoke to our lawyers on the
telephone and ensured that the picket chanted loudly without the megaphone.
We then got all the picketers together to have a collective (though
obviously not private) discussion about what we should do. We explained
that we were convinced that we were legally right but were waiting for
absolute legal confirmation and were worried that the police were in a mood
to arrest us whatever the lawyers said. We said that even if the new law
they were referring to did give them a power to impose whatever condition
they wanted, this would still only be if the officer on the scene thought
that we posed a threat to public order. So even if the parameters were
lawful, the exercise of discretion might not be.

The picket discussed the situation collectively but was split on what to
actually do and whether to challenge the police by using the megaphone or
not. While the discussion was taking place, the solicitors phoned back with
confirmation that the new law did exist but did not support the police’s
case. We therefore decided that we had every right to use the megaphone,
informed the police we would be doing so and went ahead.

The new law is the Public Assembly and Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003. The
relevant section is section 57. It came into force on 24 January 2004 and
reduces the number of people who need to be present for section 14
conditions to be implemented from 20 to 2! Nonetheless it does not add
extra conditions on to the 1986 Act, so the senior officer on the scene can
still only impose restrictions of number, location and duration.
Furthermore, in order to do so, he or she needs to be satisfied that the
demonstration poses a serious threat of public disorder, or to the life of
the community or is designed for the purpose of intimidating someone. We
stressed, both to the police via our stewards, and, using the megaphone (!)
to the assembled picketers, that of course our aim was nothing of the sort.
Our aim was to protest peacefully against Zionism and M&S’ support for it.

Ironically, of course, we won the Zionist Betar picket’s right to use the
megaphone for it too. They then used their megaphone to slag us off!

The unity forged by discussing what to do in this situation was very good
for the picket. The tactics of the police are worrying, not in their
attempt to lie about the law, but in the employment of the
intelligence-gathering ‘nice-cop, nasty-cop’ routine. We therefore used the
opportunity to reinforce the rules of our picket about not entering into
discussions with the police. Everyone who comes to the VTI events needs to
understand that they should not give the police personal information about
themselves or anyone else.

Very interesting and well written article. Have you thought about staging your protests at random times so as to throw off the zionists. If they did then show up it would suggest them to be directly linked to M&S.

It is funny how ony a tiny handful of people are ever at your picket, far less than the Zionists get at their picket, despite advertising your picket on radical websites for years. Obviously then even amongst the radical movement support for the Palestinians is very low. Could this be something to do with them using suicide bombings and rejecting peace deals? In the year 2000 the Palestinians were offered a generous peace deal which would have given them their own state, they flately refused it out of hand instead vowing to fight on to capture the whole of the ancient region of Palestine. People seem to have become fed up with the Palestinians and their attempts to destroy Israel - a democracy.

Actually, Solo, that's not correct. At the time the Zionists started coming to counter-demo against us, our numbers were 25-35. The Betar demo was around 6-10. We then mobilised to make sure we were always there in strength and had around 60-80 most weeks through September-October. This then levelled off, as things do, back to the regular figure. About a month back, Betar began mobilising in earnest and bringing out about 50 people each week, while we remained at about 30. So, yes there are currently fewer of us on most weeks, but we do not bus in whole youth groups, telling them they are coming to confront a bunch of holocaust deniers (recounted to us by one new attendee on counter picket). And the balance has only latterly swung against us.

Could get into a political row with you about your contribution but can't be bothered as you wouldn't be convinced. So just wanted to straighten you out about the claim that we have never outnumbered Betar.

M just made an anti-semitic comment, "we dont bus in entire youth groups telling them they are about to confront a bunch of holocaust deniers". Just because jews come to a demo does not mean its concerned with the holocaust. You socialists should know better.

That's not an anti-semitic comment. The person who mentioned holocaust denial was someone who had come over from your picket. I didn't mention his ethnic origin. Or mine for that matter.

You are bringing kids to your picket by telling them they are confronting the BNP (a lie). You are a hypocrit M

it is almost laughable , the people on the betar demo are mostly old, or religeous jews or christians who have grouped together to oppose this disgusting anti semetic rant in the middle of london each week, i have been a few times and i see two groups, i see the jews in their skull caps who chat with passers by and fly a british flag(is this a crime) and then i see the other side who give out pure lies in their papers, they say the jews have the BNP with them have you ever heard such nonsense, whatever the BNP think of muslims they hate zionists more then anyone, its a pathetic attempt to get people to support the VTI.
The fact is i have heard the chant 'palestine will be free from the river to the sea' this means one thing the total destruction of israel and death of the jews.
I have heard the arab on the megaphone saying 'jews are christ killers'
victory to the intifada in itself means kill jews and defend the palestinians with any means possible.
Please tell us why people there wear red armbands and have pictures of che guvara? what has that to do with israel, i thought communists did not stand for nationlisam.
Why do you not admit you hate jews its nothing to do with marks and spencer it is pure and simple nazi hatred of a tiny country no bigger then wales, also unless you want to face legal action you should retract the statements about betar being with the BNP.
Really you need to study the history of israel judia and samaria is holy land the holiest part of israel arabs have no right to this land you call the 'west bank'.
You support the disgusting men like the one on tv the other day the brit who went to tel aviv and blew himself up, how oppressed was he ,he had hatred in his eyes.
shame on all of you sid arthur you are a very evil man and you will answer to god .

Tony is so right. Those socialists are the imperialists. How dare they get involved in Palestinian politics. There is hardly any socialist movements in the Palestinian areas but yet they want to enforce socialist rule in a future Palestinian state (G-d willing this will never happen). They want to uproot the Jewish institutions in Israel and ethnically cleanse the Middle East of Jews (unless they are socialists in which case they can do the manual labour). In reality you bloody communists are no friends of the Palestinians. Most Palestinians want a healthy and norml life and not conflict. Yet they scream on a picket "victory to the intifada"