London Indymedia

UKUncut Legal Aid Roadblock in Cambridge

Cameraboy | 06.10.2013 17:46 | Public sector cuts | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements | Cambridge | London

Yesterday (Saturday 05/10/2013) UKUncut created a disruption to the usual flow of weekend consumerist reality in Cambridge by setting up a roadblock on East Road.

They Shall Not Pass!
They Shall Not Pass!

Arsey motorists... perhaps they don't want legal recourse?
Arsey motorists... perhaps they don't want legal recourse?

Turning back the tide...
Turning back the tide...

Justice For All!
Justice For All!

Reform..? Repealment more like.
Reform..? Repealment more like.

Low key police presence. Note the CCTV camera facing in opposite direction.
Low key police presence. Note the CCTV camera facing in opposite direction.


This was done to draw attention to cuts in the Legal Aid budget for certain civil cases, the likes of which include divorce and welfare/employment cases, among many others.

For more detailed summaries:
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11741289

...And here:
 http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/jun/21/legal-aid-justice-cuts

It was a very polite and good natured action, although effective in its aim of disrupting the traffic on a main thoroughfare in the middle of the city. The police had a low key presence (about half a dozen officers in attendance) and didn't appear to be too perturbed by what was happening.

I noticed that a nearby CCTV camera seemed to be turned away from the action for the whole time we were there (see picture), even though it was clear that at times Obstructing the Highway was taking place.

Make of this what you will.

Some motorists seemed more intent on having a face off with the activists by driving right up to them rather than supporting their own right to legal representation, whereas many others honked their horns in solidarity.

As someone who has recently been sanctioned it is crystal clear that what we are witnessing is a government attempting to reduce us all back to a level of Feudal servitude (Zero Hours Contracts, workfare, internships etc) with little or no recourse to a legal defence, except for those who can afford it.

We need to continue to defend the civil rights our own ancestors sacrificed so much to ensure we'd have, because these Lords of Misrule are doing their darndest to destroy them all again.

WE ARE NOT YOUR SERFS!!

Cameraboy

Comments

Hide the following 13 comments

So why blockade average Joe?

07.10.2013 06:22

What kind of support or sympathy is likely to be generated by blockading traffic generally not related to legal aid cuts?
Maybe the police left you to it while you shot each others feet for a while?

A?


PC Troll In Da House...

08.10.2013 00:29

Wassup PC Troll - get out from your Armchair much?

Perhaps if you actually DID something more constructive with your time people might take you more seriously.

I dunno, there's Bedroom Tax, Legal Aid cuts, Tuition Fees, Workfare, 1 Million under 25s on the dole, ATOS killing the disabled, hundreds dying every day in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq and all you can do is sit there and gripe about some people blocking a road for a few minutes on a Saturday afternoon because they believe in the right to legal representation.

It would be laughable if it weren't so pathetic.

No Trolls Here.


Genuine Question

23.10.2013 12:23


What do you mean when you say you have recently been 'sanctioned'? Could you explain please?

Random


Lords of Misrule

23.10.2013 16:28



Sorry, but you obviously don't know who the Lords of Misrule were or where the term comes from.

anon


Genuine Question

26.10.2013 12:49

Someone was recently santioned because they developed an obsession with an activist woman. It concluded with them being arrested for sexual offences and possession of potentially illegal pornography.
If that's you Cameraboy don't play the victim.

unbiased bystander


personal privacy

02.11.2013 15:53

might be nice to have less personal stuff being talked about.

anyone


Ho Hum, usual nonsense...

04.11.2013 19:22

Well, I've only just checked in on this these comments BECAUSE I HAVE A LIFE and no, whoever the troll is making inferences about me, I am not the person you are referring to regards the sexual misdemeanours, although the story does seem somewhat implausible in the first place (like playground telltales), but there you go.

For the more innocent questioner, this seems to give the best answer to your query:
 http://content.durham.gov.uk/PDFRepository/WR32-Benefit-Sanctions.pdf

...However, be also aware that this is happening:
 http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/apr/01/jobcentres-tricking-people-benefit-sanctions

I have good reason to believe they pulled this stunt on me (and a few other locals), but of course it is our word against theirs.

No further follow-ups, as the debate has already moved onto other issues, unless of course PC Troll decides to waste more of our valuable time by throwing non-stick mud at people who do things because they believe in them.

Cameraboy


Cameraboy

05.11.2013 14:46

Thank you very much for that. Much appreciated.

Genuine question


Not a Troll.

05.11.2013 16:43

Someone was aressted earlier this year for sexual assault and rape and he was a pkotographer.
And there was something about pornography. Thats factual.

another anon


Cameraboy

05.11.2013 17:04

If sexual offences have been committed it is important to take them seriously. There are a lot of women who suffer sexual abuse and are too frightened to speak out because they fear they will not be believed. If you haven't committed any offences you should be more than happy to take this seriously rather than belittling the issue.

concerned activist


Cameraboy

05.11.2013 17:20

Thank you for the article. But I find your attitude towards sexual offences disturbing.

Saying that such a thing is 'implausable' shows a dangerous disregard for the rights of women. Whether this is you or not you need to do some serious thinking about your attitude towards women and towards sexual offences.

I hope that you have not tried to belittle this claim because it is you who has committed these offences.

another concerned activist


Santions

05.11.2013 17:34

Thank you for the DWP stuff that you posted.

yet another anon


About Sanctions

14.11.2013 13:43

I think that if you get santioned you can appeal against it. Don't know for sure but it's worth checking up on. If I find out more I will post it.

Genuine Question


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