Theresa May has banned marches for 30 days.

[Ridgley]

Theresa May has banned demonstrations in Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest, Islington and Hackney, and has now outlawed similar marches in the City of London.

I understand the reason why she did ban the EDF from marching as she fears there will be trouble.

I am no fan of EDFL but I feel once you go down that slippery road of banning marches for 30 days how long will it be before you banned marches for 90 or indefinitely. That is one of our basic democratic rights to do so if we are not happy with government policies etc??..

[Otta]

Do you mean the EDL, or is this forum planning a march that I've missed?

[Ridgley]

Sorry typo I meant the English Defence League;-)

[*Bob*]

I'd like to see the term 'marching' banned, except when used in reference to actual military displays.

It just sounds so stupid.

[red devil]

Welcome to this weeks edition of Strictly Come Marching.

And on tonight's show our celebrities have to perform the Military Goose Step, a tricky little number that can so easily stray off into Basil Fawlty territory. And remember celebrities, the judges will deduct points for any contestant displaying jazz hands.

And as promised on last week's show, tonights special live performance is from the Neasden Maasai Warriors Ensemble, who will no doubt prove that 'kettling can be fun!'...Happy Feet!

[Ridgley]

Red devil

------------------------------

Welcome to this weeks edition of Strictly Come Marching.

And on tonight's show our celebrities have to perform the Military Goose Step, a tricky little number that can so easily stray off into Basil Fawlty territory. And remember celebrities, the judges will deduct points for any contestant displaying jazz hands.

And as promised on last week's show, tonights special live performance is from the Neasden Maasai Warriors Ensemble, who will no doubt prove that 'kettling can be fun!'...Happy Feet!

I can see you guys are making light of this but it is an important subject;-)

[Captain Scarlet]

Ridgley Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Theresa May has banned demonstrations in Tower

> Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest, Islington and

> Hackney, and has now outlawed similar marches in

> the City of London.

> I understand the reason why she did ban the EDF

> from marching as she fears there will be trouble.

>

> I am no fan of EDFL but I feel once you go down

> that slippery road of banning marches for 30 days

> how long will it be before you banned marches for

> 90 or indefinitely. That is one of our basic

> democratic rights to do so if we are not happy

> with government policies etc??..

Thought she was a Model showing her tits off in page 3?

[Ridgley]

Captain Scarlet wrote

-----------------------------------

Thought she was a Model showing her tits off in page 3?

If she ban page 3 you?ll be pissed about it wouldn?t you? To be fair she is also famous for the types of shoes she wears.

[Alan Medic]

I agree Ridge it is a serious issue. I don't know what the procedure is for having an official demonstration/march but presumably it needs police permission. I don't see why every demonstration/march has to be banned though. Surely on the grounds of public safety selective marches could be banned like the proposed EDL one.

[mockney piers]

I guess she's using the recent riots and the potential for civil disobedience as a smokescreen for singling out the EDL 'march' (i saw them do it through pimlico when I worked there as I was heading to Chimes for a cider fuelled lunch once, it definitely wasn't a march unless marching involves ineffectually hanging on to a brutish looking pug whilst drunkenly urinating against a wall) which could look like slipping down a slippery civil rights slope.

Or something.

[Loz]

I hope this is a lesson to the sort of people that tend to say "Of course I believe in free speech/human rights, but we can't be having *them* marching about". 'Cause it's just bitten you on the backside.

Like or not, the EDL and the BNP are part and parcel of a democracy. I don't like them, but in true Voltaire fashion I fully believe in the right for people to form themselves in a group of political arsewipes if they so wish.

It's not as if their arguments are hard to debate.

[mockney piers]

From what I've seen in the two 'marches' they really are a loony fringe rubbish bunch. This sort of behaviour just validates them. Ignoring them (obviously with enough policing to prevent trouble) and not giving them the media space is far and away the best approach. Thank god silly season ends soon.

[TillieTrotter]

Very much the same sentiment as Loz..well said Sir. Am hoping the march that I'll be attending on the 17th might go ahead.

[taper]

I am a free speech fundamentalist. But there comes a point when some protests are designed to provoke and incite and can cause danger. The Schenk case in the US is worth Googling

[Loz]

But I can make the same argument of "designed to provoke and incite and can cause danger" to the student fees demos, the G20 demos, the anti-nazi league, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra demonstration last night... hell, even both sides of the pro and anti fox hunting demos. I would argue that any demonstration that doesn't set out to provoke isn't going to be very effective and banning due the potential of incitement is very dangerous territory.

There are better ways of tackling things than banning them. Banning induces a sense of martyrdom. They are like a small child being naughty to get attention. All banning does is give them the newspaper headlines and news airtime they crave. Ignoring them is a usually the most effective.

[Loz]

I've just read the Wiki pages on the Schenk case. Interestingly, the precedent was later overturned by Brandenburg v. Ohio in 1969, which limited the scope of banned speech to that which would be directed to and likely to incite imminent lawless action (e.g. a riot). Otherwise, I could see the precedent being used against the anti-Vietnam protests on the same grounds.

The new scope is a better approach. You cannot say that an EDL march would necessarily "be directed to and likely to incite imminent lawless action", however should evidence present itself (like the BBM messages before the recent London riots) then that leaves the authorities scope to act.

[Chippy Minton]

The EDL are most definitely not "like a small child being naughty" !

They are utterly vile extremist racists and have a leader that predicts a Norway-style massacre here within five years.

It won't happen, but I hope their marches are banned indefinitely, not just for 30 days.

[Loz]

Then I hope you would not be too shocked when the same legislation is used to ban your next union march. Or whatever cause you back.

Because history tells us that is what will happen.

Also, chippy - I really hope you do not claim to be a supporter of human rights and free speech.

[Voyageur]

I would imagine that the overtime budget for the force has been spent several times over during the recent riots - maybe they just haven't enough money to police marches at the moment and need a breather. Just a thought..

[Chippy Minton]

Loz - I have been on many, many marches backing many, many causes including the anti-Criminal Justice Bill in the 90s that aimed to reduce human rights and only one of which was a union march (the march for alternative earlier this year).

I just find it disgusting you compare the EDL to "small children being naughty." If you are unaware of exactly the sort of people you think are "being naughty" you should read this http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/blog/article/1341/the-guns-of-the-edl

[Loz]

Chippy Minton Wrote:

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> Loz - I have been on many, many marches backing many, many causes including the anti-Criminal

> Justice Bill in the 90s that aimed to reduce human rights and only one of which was a union march

> (the march for alternative earlier this year).

So why are you so keen to deprive someone you disagree politically with those same rights? Do you only want rights for people you have selected? People who meet your criteria? Human rights must be universal.

Or, in the words of CP Scott, long time editor of the Guardian, "Comment is free, but facts are sacred. [...] The voice of opponents no less than that of friends has a right to be heard."

> I just find it disgusting you compare the EDL to "small children being naughty." If you are unaware

> of exactly the sort of people you think are "being naughty" you should read this

> http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/blog/article/1341/the-guns-of-the-edl

I think your are taking my comment well out of context - I was making the comparison on the level of attention seeking. Read it again.

As regards your website, I am not at all surprised that the EDL have more than their fair share of nutters. But do you think that that website is exactly the sort of publicity the EDL actually rather appreciates? It is websites like that that keep the EDL in the news, which is exactly where they want to be. Heck, they've even got the Home Secretary name checking them. If I was their publicity officer, I'd be asking for a pay rise.

[intexasatthe moment]

The march may have been banned but the EDL are going ahead with a " static " demonstration .

[maxxi]

intexasatthe moment Wrote:

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> The march may have been banned but the EDL are

> going ahead with a " static " demonstration .

Is that like the old 'Tableaux Vivant' shows at the Windmill? I.E. if they move or speak they get arrested?

I look forward to the EDL's "Nymphs Bathing" and "Diana the Huntress".

[Chippy Minton]

I don't believe I have taken it out of context - I find your "naughty children" comparison offensive.

Yes, I would deprive the EDL of their "right" to march through Tower Hamlets not because I don't believe in human right, but because the EDL don't just have their "fair share" of nutters - it is an ultra-right wing, violent organisation that seeks to whip up hatred and stir up tensions within communities. Thankfully it's a view shared by the government, police and the tens of thousands that registered their objections as well.

As for my website as you put it, the Hope Not Hate organisation and its website led the campaign and petition against the EDL march and a huge slice of credit needs to go to it for the decision to implement the ban. I doubt the EDL appreciates it.

Finally, I disagree entirely that the right strategy to adopt with regard to the EDL is to ignore them.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Maxxi, you are the love child of TedMax and HonaB and I claim my 10/-.

I have a new pash.