[g8-sheffield] Fresh from City council

[@mp]

Just arrived back, quickly drafting this succint record (to be amended
and expanded with properly detailed info, thanks).
About 50 persons up at the Gallery seconding Jillian at the floor. Two
female councillors fiercely opposed Jillian's speech for motion,
seconded by at least three councillors, one of them from Manor Thorpe
(correct me if wrong), Mr. Ali, who denounced neighbours being recently
photographed and generally harrassed.
Jillian's speech was introduced brilliantly by a young woman taking the
mic on the floor, whose name has slipped my records.
Briefly, councillors contrary to the motion against G8 argued on the
lines of "great opportunity for our city, showcase to the world, lots of
media highlighting city, need for dialogue between countries (democratic
G8), support government in MPH (quoted several times as argument in
favour of G8, aiming at reducing debt and poverty in Africa, etc. To the
ironic proposal of inviting the 77 poorest countries, they replied that
some of these poor countries were antidemocratic, etc.
About not consulting the population, not having a full council, no
reply. About curtailing and clampdown on civil liberties and right to
protest and dissent: the top authority is Chief constabulatory, S.Y.
police (whose letter was read by Jillian), the council supports
particularly (or has agreed on) two acts brought up to restrict
protests: specifically road closures (several were quoted), section 13
and section 14 of the Public Order Act (1986, amended 1998), parts A and B.
Have not checked these yet myself: one relates to processions being
banned and the other to "trespassing assemblies" by which any
convergence centre might be taken by storm.
The word Dissent was used twice at least as noun and verb, right to
dissent...

OK, later more

amp