On 24 Apr, 02:23, wrote:
In article ,





(asdf) wrote:
On Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:37:36 +0100, Paul Corfield wrote:

Also, isn't it still illegal to protest outside Parliament? (Not that
I agree with that law, but I'm surprised not to have seen it mentioned
at all in media reports, or in these Usenet threads. The police
certainly used to be very active in enforcing it.)

Didn't the chap who has been there for years appeal against an order
that was issued for his removal and didn't the judges find that the law
contravened the Human Rights Act (or something similar)? In other words
the legislation cannot be applied. * [I may be 100% wrong here!]

I thought that he won the case on the grounds that his protest had
started before the law was enacted, so he couldn't be prosecuted
because it would be a retrospective application of the law.

If you are referring to Brian Haw then that is correct. The Serious
Organised Crime Act included the ban on demos in Parliament Square
(obviously, given its title!). Its main effect seems to have been to
encourage more of them.

But bear in mind that, like pretty much all legislation introduced by
New Labour, its purpose isn't to prevent demonstrations, but to give
the authorities the freedom to do anything they like to anyone for
nothing. There is a legal basis for arresting someone for being in
Parliament Square, if they want to arrest a particular person for any
reason.

Like the anti-terror laws which are being used for precisely their
intended purpose, but not for their stated purpose.