At the start of last night's ride Des Kay, who originally took the Met
police to court, reported on the progress of their appeal. He said it
is not looking good as the police are using a high powered lawyer. The
police want the ride to be treated as a regular public protest with a
fixed route and organisers. Of course, cyclists are not going to stand
for this and Des asked for discussions on a possible strategies in the
event of the appeal succeeding. The result of the appeal could be soon
or take several weeks more. Due to the Mass's anarchic nature it is
unlikely that a strategy consensus will ever be arrived at but maybe
the usual spontaneity might do the trick instead.
Police are still warning riders with sound systems not to play them
within the SOCPA zone and are asking for their names and addresses but
take no action when this request is refused. They also video the sound
system people at the same time.
London Assembly Green Party Member
Press Office 0207 983 4424
Jenny Jones mobile 07786 277376
Embargoe: Monday 2nd April 2007
Met Police waste time on civil liberties clamp down
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police insisted that they would go ahead with their appeal against the decision to allow the Critical Mass bike ride to continue in London. Ian Blair was being questioned at the Metropolitan Police Authority on Thursday by Jenny Jones, who also wants the Commissioner to scale back to a minimum the current policing of demonstrations in Parliament Square.
Jenny Jones, a Green Party member of the London Assembly, commented:
"I find it amazing that London's over stretched police service is able to waste time on petty minded court cases against slow moving cyclists and on enforcing a ridiculous law against mildly eccentric protests outside Parliament. Ian Blair is constantly talking up the impossible job which his over stretched police service has to do in London. In fact, he has spent several years claiming to have no extra funding for enforcing the rules on London's lawless roads, yet he does have money spare for clamping down on civil liberties?"
Notes to Editors
1. Next year's increase in the GLA precept will raise £50m. 70% of the council tax raised by the London Mayor goes on policing.
2. An estimated £4m is due to be spent later this year on policing the Arms Fair at the Excel Centre in East London.
3. In the fourteen months since the Serious and Organised Crime Act came into force on 1 August 2005 there have been 1163 applications for demonstrations within the designated area and 4,000 events; during the same period before 1 August 2005, there were about 640 demonstrations.
GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY
police to court, reported on the progress of their appeal. He said it
is not looking good as the police are using a high powered lawyer. The
police want the ride to be treated as a regular public protest with a
fixed route and organisers. Of course, cyclists are not going to stand
for this and Des asked for discussions on a possible strategies in the
event of the appeal succeeding. The result of the appeal could be soon
or take several weeks more. Due to the Mass's anarchic nature it is
unlikely that a strategy consensus will ever be arrived at but maybe
the usual spontaneity might do the trick instead.
Police are still warning riders with sound systems not to play them
within the SOCPA zone and are asking for their names and addresses but
take no action when this request is refused. They also video the sound
system people at the same time.
London Assembly Green Party Member
Press Office 0207 983 4424
Jenny Jones mobile 07786 277376
Embargoe: Monday 2nd April 2007
Met Police waste time on civil liberties clamp down
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police insisted that they would go ahead with their appeal against the decision to allow the Critical Mass bike ride to continue in London. Ian Blair was being questioned at the Metropolitan Police Authority on Thursday by Jenny Jones, who also wants the Commissioner to scale back to a minimum the current policing of demonstrations in Parliament Square.
Jenny Jones, a Green Party member of the London Assembly, commented:
"I find it amazing that London's over stretched police service is able to waste time on petty minded court cases against slow moving cyclists and on enforcing a ridiculous law against mildly eccentric protests outside Parliament. Ian Blair is constantly talking up the impossible job which his over stretched police service has to do in London. In fact, he has spent several years claiming to have no extra funding for enforcing the rules on London's lawless roads, yet he does have money spare for clamping down on civil liberties?"
Notes to Editors
1. Next year's increase in the GLA precept will raise £50m. 70% of the council tax raised by the London Mayor goes on policing.
2. An estimated £4m is due to be spent later this year on policing the Arms Fair at the Excel Centre in East London.
3. In the fourteen months since the Serious and Organised Crime Act came into force on 1 August 2005 there have been 1163 applications for demonstrations within the designated area and 4,000 events; during the same period before 1 August 2005, there were about 640 demonstrations.
GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY
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