[g8-sheffield] Draft statement denouncing suppression of right to demoinstrate

[John Smith]

Copies to Mike McColgan/Liberty; Lucinda Wakefield/Stop the War Coalition

 

Draft statement/open letter at denial of right to demonstrate.

I hope that this is broadly acceptable; please make any suggestions for
changes as soon as possible - we need to be using this within 48 hours....

cheers

John S

 

G8 summit: Sheffield people denounce suppression of the right to protest.

 

On June 16-17, the interior ministers of the world's seven richest nations
(along with the decorative presence of Russia) will gather in Sheffield to
discuss how to step up the assault on human and democratic rights which
their governments are conducting under the banner of the 'war against
terrorism'. 

 

The right of Sheffield people to protest against the G8 presence is being
flagrantly denied by the police. They have informed us that no gatherings of
protestors of any size will be permitted in the town centre. Any attempt to
do so will be met with force and arrests.

 

Sheffield Against the G8 representatives proposed a route and a time for a
demonstration which would have marched us away from the town centre before
the arrival of the G8 ministers. Stop the War Coalition proposed a static
picket near to the venue where they will be assembled. Both of these
protests have been flatly prohibited. Under the pretext of ‘security’ the
police are attempting to marginalise our protests by forcing us to the
fringes of our city. 

 

We, the undersigned, believe that this attempt to ban peaceful and orderly
protests in our city centre is an outrageous and unacceptable infringement
of our democratic right to protest. We call on all citizens, organisations
and elected representatives of Sheffield to unite behind the call for these
repressive decisions to be reversed.


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