[g8-sheffield] Penned in? Lets make something of it

[@mp]

>> HaN> Having a masked carnival party/ball might worth it - HaN> 
>> soundsystem, samba. Carnival masks on mass to hide our HaN> ID and 
>> defy ID, noise so we are not silent If all else HaN> 
>> fails...party!!!!?????

Even masks may be banned especially if used on mass to hide our identity
(your own words could be taken as incitement and ....offence!).


and look at this:
(reliable sources:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/)


under the antiterrorist act (2001), they can


"199.    (...)

Section 92 provides both the power to require the removal of masks,
coverings or face paint to identify and photograph a person and to use
reasonable force to do so, if necessary.

200.     Section 94 strengthens police powers in relation to the removal
of face coverings. It adds to the power in section 60 of the Criminal
Justice and Police Act 1994 to require the removal of face coverings
where an authorisation is given by a senior officer for a given
locality. The test for an authorisation under section 60 is reasonable
belief that incidents of serious violence may take place in the locality
and that it is expedient to give an authorisation to prevent their
occurrence. An authorisation under that section gives the police powers
to stop and search pedestrians and vehicles for offensive weapons or
dangerous instruments. It also gives the police power to require the
removal of face coverings. Section 94 provides that in relation to the
power to require the removal of face coverings only, an authorisation
may also be given where a senior officer reasonably believes activities
may take place in the locality involving the commission of offences and
that it is expedient to give such an authorisation to prevent or control
those activities."


It might be better in Scotland:

Look at this:
"It is not illegal to wear masks or disguises in Scotland and the police
have no general power to remove them. However where a Section 60 Order
(s60) is in force (see section 4 below) the police can require you to
remove anything that they reasonably consider to be a mask or disguise.
If you refuse you can be arrested and prosecuted. A s60 Order will
almost certainly be in force throughout the G8 summit. The actual
wording of the law is items wholly or mainly for concealing identity and
these must be distinguished from items worn only as everyday wear, for
example sunglasses and a hat. It is unclear whether face paint
constitutes a mask."

www.wiki.sheffieldsocialforum.org.uk/Legal_Recommendations


It might be a good idea to secure the right to demonstrate also by legal
means, and to keep a record of everything said by any  police officer
involved in these negotiations, preferably written records or statements,

R&A


> I don't think going to Devonshire Green is a good idea.
>> 
>> Maybe a traditional march type demo is the best we can hope for. We
>>  can choose our own route and it will probably end in a clash with
>> the cops somewhere. But that's what they kept doing in Apartheid
>> South Africa and eventually they won. The right to demonstrate is 
>> fundamental to a democracy and the best way to keep it is to
>> exercise that right.
>> 
>> cheers
>> 
>> steve











atw wrote:
> HaN> If dev green is the only option then lets try to use the space 
> HaN> proactively rather than being caught out by it and depressed by
>  HaN> it and make it a more positive experience for people for whom 
> HaN> this might their first steps towards action. We long suspected 
> HaN> that we would be derby mark II
> 
> HaN> Having a masked carnival party/ball might worth it - HaN> 
> soundsystem, samba. Carnival masks on mass to hide our HaN> ID and 
> defy ID, noise so we are not silent If all else HaN> 
> fails...party!!!!????? HaN> Hx
> 
> 
> Well I don't think Devonshire Green is the only option. In fact if we
>  want to protest against the G8 then it's not an option at all since
>  there is absolutely no way they will see or hear us if we stay
> there.
> 
> 
> If we want to have a party surrounded by police then I think it would
>  be much better to have on in the street somewhere where at least it
>  might disrupt the transport a bit of those attending the G8
> meetings. But I doubt we'll have enough numbers for that.
> 
> The decision to disallow protest is almost certainly illegal. If the
>  justification is the same as Derby then it is based on Section 14 of
>  the Public Order Act. To initiate that the police there claimed that
>  they felt the protest would lead to serious public disorder, serious
>  damage to property, and serious disruption to the life in the 
> community*. That was blatently untrue in Derby and it is blatently 
> untrue in Sheffield. Both we and the police know that none of the 
> above will occur in Sheffield.
> 
> The reason this is being done is as an attack on the rights we have 
> and an attack on us. In Derby they confiscated people's bicycles. 
> Why? What was the reason? There wasn't one. It was just a 
> straightforward attack. The G8 has been under a sustained attack for 
> years and is now on the defence. Perhaps they're acting out the 
> motto: the best form of defence is to attack.
> 
> I don't think we should underestimate what is happening here. This is
>  an attempt to end basic and fundamental democratic rights we've 
> taken for granted our entire lives. To collude with the police in 
> this will set a precedent for our society in the future. The banning 
> of demonstrations is something that usually only occurs in 
> totalitarian regimes or dictatorships. Whilst I'm not great fan of 
> our current democratic model of society I think it is still better 
> than the above and the few rights we do have are still worth fighting
>  for.
> 
> I don't think going to Devonshire Green is a good idea.
> 
> Maybe a traditional march type demo is the best we can hope for. We 
> can choose our own route and it will probably end in a clash with the
>  cops somewhere. But that's what they kept doing in Apartheid South 
> Africa and eventually they won. The right to demonstrate is 
> fundamental to a democracy and the best way to keep it is to exercise
>  that right.
> 
> cheers
> 
> steve
> 
> * http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/sheffield/2005/03/306796.html
> 
> 
> 
>