Reinstate our right to march past the Tory Conference
Who's Streets?! | 03.09.2010 11:20 | Public sector cuts | Repression | Workers' Movements | Birmingham
On Tuesday 24th August a delegation from the Right To Work campaign met with West
Midlands police and a representative of Birmingham City Council to discuss the route
of the protest march outside the Tory party conference on Sunday 3rd October.
West Midlands police stated that they were happy for RtW to march past the
conference centre and confirmed that centenary square, the square directly in front
of the conference centre, would not be a “sterile zone”. A route was suggested by
Birmingham City Council and West Midlands police and the delegation accepted the
offer to walk the route being proposed.
The Police have now reneged on the proposed route citing security reasons. They are
denying us the right to march past the conference centre.
Midlands police and a representative of Birmingham City Council to discuss the route
of the protest march outside the Tory party conference on Sunday 3rd October.
West Midlands police stated that they were happy for RtW to march past the
conference centre and confirmed that centenary square, the square directly in front
of the conference centre, would not be a “sterile zone”. A route was suggested by
Birmingham City Council and West Midlands police and the delegation accepted the
offer to walk the route being proposed.
The Police have now reneged on the proposed route citing security reasons. They are
denying us the right to march past the conference centre.
We are asking everybody to sign the following statement:
“We are alarmed to be informed that, despite earlier agreements with the Police and
Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police are attempting to stop the trade
union demonstration against public service cuts from marching past the Conservative
Party conference at the ICC on Sunday 3rd October
The march has been initiated by the Right to Work Campaign and is backed by three
national trade unions (the PCS, NUJ and UCU), the Labour Representation Committee
and a number of local trade union and campaigning organisations.
We feel that this is a violation of the right to freedom of speech and our rights to
protest peacefully against the Government. Peaceful protest is a vital part of a
democratic society and people have taken their opposition to Government actions to
their conferences for decades. The decision of the West Midlands Police takes that
right away. We note that Centenary Square will not be a “sterile zone” and that
people will be able to access the area freely. By not allowing the Right to Work
campaign to march past the International Convention Centre we are concerned that
West Midlands Police is attempting to make political decisions about how visible
protests against the cuts can be and are denying a basic democratic right to freedom
of assembly and freedom of speech.
We believe that West Midlands Police should permit the demonstrators to march past
the Conservative Party conference on Sunday 3rd October.”
Add your name here Reinstate our right to march
http://www.righttowork.org.uk
“We are alarmed to be informed that, despite earlier agreements with the Police and
Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police are attempting to stop the trade
union demonstration against public service cuts from marching past the Conservative
Party conference at the ICC on Sunday 3rd October
The march has been initiated by the Right to Work Campaign and is backed by three
national trade unions (the PCS, NUJ and UCU), the Labour Representation Committee
and a number of local trade union and campaigning organisations.
We feel that this is a violation of the right to freedom of speech and our rights to
protest peacefully against the Government. Peaceful protest is a vital part of a
democratic society and people have taken their opposition to Government actions to
their conferences for decades. The decision of the West Midlands Police takes that
right away. We note that Centenary Square will not be a “sterile zone” and that
people will be able to access the area freely. By not allowing the Right to Work
campaign to march past the International Convention Centre we are concerned that
West Midlands Police is attempting to make political decisions about how visible
protests against the cuts can be and are denying a basic democratic right to freedom
of assembly and freedom of speech.
We believe that West Midlands Police should permit the demonstrators to march past
the Conservative Party conference on Sunday 3rd October.”
Add your name here Reinstate our right to march
http://www.righttowork.org.uk
Who's Streets?!
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