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<div> <strong><u>Democracy Village People's Assembly, Victoria Tower Gardens. 14/08/10</u></strong></div>
<div><strong><u></u></strong> </div>
<div>We were notified of an approaching Guardian article to be written about the Democracy Village encampment on the pavement which is due to be published in a couple of weeks. </div>
<div>We were notified of Commissioner Martin Low of transportation at Westminster Council's visit to Parliament Square last week where he said that the tents and two display boxes on the pavement constitute an obstruction of the highway and that on Monday (16/08/10) at 12 Noon, the council are coming to move the boxes (visible here: <a href="http://peacestrike.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/28042010008.jpg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://peacestrike.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/28042010008.jpg</a>) Maria declared her determination that the boxes would not be moved and also stated that the tents on the pavement would be moved into a straight line to remove any obstruction and any premise for council action before Monday's arrival of the council. </div>
<div>The need for banner painting for the outside of the fence was discussed as well as a need for donations for materials for those living on the pavement,. </div>
<div>We then discussed the philosophy of the Democracy Village and People's Assembly. It was mentioned that some had found the DV style of meetings a little disappointing due to interruptions and the need to keep the DV focused solely on the anti war message rather than opening it up to other voices and that DV could have been more successful if it had been more inclusive</div>
<div>A discussion took place regarding the question of what people's assemblies achieve. It was pointed out that there has been <span>a lot</span> of discussion online recently on this point including the recent DV recipe for a PA (which is due to be published shortly). The recent World To Win description of PA's (readable here: <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/democracyvillage/browse_thread/thread/8bc11b37f11b3718" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://groups.google.com/group/democracyvillage/browse_thread/thread/8bc11b37f11b3718</a>)</div>
<div>was mentioned as being a good explanation of what a PA can achieve. </div>
<div>It was suggested that PA's are about people becoming autonomous in groups and building a society without the state. It was also stated that resistance is easy (knowing what you don't want), but knowing what you do want is more challenging and that PA's can achieve results in terms of mobilising action. Other suggestions were that PA's were about positive community action. The point was made that PA's had been encouraged at Copenhagen as a way of addressing the issues of climate change and environmental damage on a local grass roots level. The concept of an international network of PA's was mentioned. </div>
<div>The idea of Transition Towns was mentioned. It was suggested that PA's could serve a community in many ways including the facilitation of local food growing and permaculture. </div>
<div>The idea that PA's constituted the basis of a People's Parliament which could be used to create motions all across the country was mentioned. It was suggested that the motions of the PA's could be conveyed to the government to show the people's demands if the government was not representing the views of the people. PA's represent the people in away the government cant. </div>
<div>A proposal from Monday's LARC meeting was brought up concerning topic discussions for each week and the possibility of having a new speaker each week. </div>
<div>We were notified of Monday's planning meeting at a pub in King's Cross. </div>
<div>The purpose of this meeting is for the planning of an event to take place in November to promote local PA's. Various actions are taking place through September, October and </div>
<div>November including demonstrations at the Lib Dem and Conservative Party Conferences. </div>
<div>On 20th October Parliament is due to announce it's spending review which is the finalisation </div>
<div>of the cuts plan. </div>
<div>It was stated that various groups including anarchists and socialists were now more prepared to work each other during this period in harmony. Apparently there is a recognition, that the old style of rallies by the bigger groups such as Stop The War coalition, simply would not achieve the results that are needed in order to challenge the cuts in public spending that will be taking place. The proposed event may take place after the bulk of the mainstream opposition events to the cuts and the war. For more info, please contact Mark Barrett or Camilla (emails available on the Google Group). </div>
<div>We discussed the proposed Democracy Rally. We agreed the event would take place on Saturday 9th October. It was mentioned that the GLA requires public liability insurance in order to grant permission for the use of Trafalgar Square as a venue for rallies, as well as requiring the presence of stewards (who can be volunteers). A request for a quotation on public liability insurance has been made to the same company who provides the PLI certificate to CND for their rallies. It was agreed that we would wait until the details of this quotation return (which is likely to be a considerable sum). It was also agreed that a letter would be written to the GLA requesting the use of Trafalgar Square without the requirement for PLI as this is regarded prohibitive to our common right to assemble in a public setting. </div>
<div>It was proposed that we would seek the support of groups who specifically support the freedom to assemble such as 'Freedom of Assembly' and CAMPACC. There was a discussion as to the content and style of the event. It was suggested that the event could take the form of a view on democracy with groups that had a specific interest in democracy taking part such as electoral reform, groups wanting referendums or how we can build our culture. </div>
<div>The idea to involve the use of blank banners was discussed and supported. </div>
<div>It was also suggested as an alternative that the Democracy Rally could be a platform upon which many speakers from many groups campaigning on a wide variety of issues could take the stand E.G: Workers solidarity, pro-peace, monetary reform, anti arms trade, climate justice and many more, thereby drawing in people from all walks of life, but ensuring that radical ideas such as people's assemblies got good air time. </div>
<div>It was mentioned that any sound systems could be positioned above the stairs on Trafalgar Square as no bye laws apply to the stair area. It was suggested that constitutional issues also be discussed as part of the event. It was proposed that the National Union of Students be contacted and invited to join in the event as well as the British Constitution and Lawful Rebellion Groups. </div>
<div>The issues regarding SOCPA authorisation and the GLA were discussed inb relation to demos held on Parliament Square. It was claimed that SOCPA authorisation means that you no longer have to seek public liability insurance from the GLA as this overrides any authorisation procedures and prevents police interference. </div>
<div>It was suggested that we engage in a networking boost to publicise Saturday's people's assembly and also the other proposed events. </div>
<div>It was agreed that if any SOCPA authorisation is sought in future by any member of the group, it would not be in the name of Democracy Village or on behalf of the DVPA but a personal application by the individual who requested the application unless agreed to by the group. </div>
<div>We agreed that this Saturday we would have a banner at the PA to inform passers by of the event and welcome them to come and observe/take part. </div>
<div>It was suggested that the LARC meetings on Mondays could be used to paint banners for Saturday events. </div>
<div>We then decided on a list of possible subjects for future PAs. These were:<br><br>Renewable energy,</div>
<div>Effective political activism and how we can achieve it.</div>
<div>Action. Non compliant, any action</div>
<div>Changing the balance of power in the UK & placing Town Halls as a place to carry this out</div>
<div>Time to find wasteland for more eco-villages</div>
<div>Unconditional love</div>
<div>More eco-villages</div>
<div>Meditation</div>
<div>Democracy Rally</div>
<div>What does Non Violence mean?<br><br>We decided that this Saturday we would dedicate a portion of the People's Assembly to discussing the Democracy Rally. </div>
<div>We agreed that everyone would be automatically subscribed to the Google Groups Democracy Village account. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>I am sure I have missed stuff out, but I hope that this is the bulk of the topics discussed. </div>
<div>I will keep you all updated as to any progress with the Public Liability Insurance issue</div>
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</div><br><br clear="all"><br></div></div><font color="#888888">-- <br>"We hear men speaking for us of new laws strong and sweet /Yet is there no man speaketh as we speak in the street.” <br><br></font></div><br><br clear="all">
<br>-- <br>"We hear men speaking for us of new laws strong and sweet /Yet is there no man speaketh as we speak in the street.” <br><br></div></div></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>"We hear men speaking for us of new laws strong and sweet /Yet is there no man speaketh as we speak in the street.” <br>
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