Protest and be Dammed!
Surly to protest must be a basic human right, yet we see time and time again examples in what we like to think of as the home of democracy, that right being squeezed from us.
Perhaps the recent 'removal' from the Labour Party conference of veteran protester Walter Wolfgang grabbed the headlines and spotlighted the issue for a few moments, but there have been many other cases recently.
Take for instance the 'Vigil for Democracy' protest that took place close to the roundabout at the bottom of Titnore lane Worthing West Sussex. Here was a group of about 50 mums, dads, students and the retired who wanted to show how disgusted they were over the decision by those in power to ignore the views of over 3000 mainly local residents and plough on regardless and destroy an ancient area with houses and roads.
Even weeks before the 'protest' started police let it be known that such a gathering was against this or that 'law' unless the organisers registered with them. No doubt a tactic to get names and addressees on the books ready for
a prosecution if anyone stepped out of line. Clearly such intimidation was designed to frighten off any
protester.
And it worked. For what was expected to be a large gathering of a mix of residents, turned out to be an exhibition of police power. Six police busses, a helicopter, police motorcyclists and rapid response cars flooded the area. Anyone who dared to walk on the 'wrong side of the road carrying a banner faced arrest with out question, and one was.
No slowly but surely we are seeing that ancient right of protest eroded.
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