On Friday organisers were contacted by the venue, The Millin Centre on Ellsemere Rd, Benwell, to be told that their booking for the meeting had been cancelled on the decision of the management committee. Various reasons were given by a manager of the centre, including alleged complaints by local residents and the desire of the centre to maintain its good relationship with the police. Organisers were told that since the Chair of the Management Committee is now on holiday it would not be possible to appeal the decision until a week after the meeting.

One of the organisers said:

“We find this action by the Millen Centre and the denial of our right to appeal the decision totally unacceptable. The Millin Centre states as one of its objectives:

“‘To provide an opportunity for residents to raise issues of concern and take positive action.’

“By cancelling the room booking for this meeting the Millin Centre is actively opposing the efforts of local residents to raise issues of concern. In the last few months we have seen a big increase in police activity on the streets of the West End. Police propaganda is plastered around the West End justifying this as an effort to fight knife crime, but in reality it seems to amount to at times daily harassment of working class residents going about their lawful business. This meeting is about getting residents together so that we can hold the police to account.”

Speakers at the meeting will include:

Barbara Yousuf-Porter- speaking on her fight against police racism and their handling of her son's murder in South Shields in 2006

Mark Moncada-from the Monument 4- speaking on day to day police harassment of working class people and activists, which has included the recent prosecution of four activists for accepting donations at a political street meeting

Dave Douglas, former NUM official- speaking on the role of the police in the 1984/85 miners’ strike

Mako Oumakani- speaking on her experiences of an immigration dawn raid and detention

Nathan Allonby- speaking about ID Cards and their implications for democratic rights

Family and friends of Hayley Adamson, killed in May by a police car speeding without lights or sirens, who have been campaigning for justice for Hayley, have also been invited to attend.

An alternative venue has been booked close to the Millin Centre, and people will be directed there from the Millin Centre from 6.30pm. The new venue is not being publicised in advance to avoid anyone attempting to pressure them to also cancel the room booking.