The Glasgow Defence Campaign have launched a new petition in paper and online calling for an end to police and Crown Office criminalisation of political protest in Scotland. The petition specifically demands that Strathclyde police end the practice of kettling, and calls for an end to the misuse of charges such as breach of the peace, obstruction and street trading legislation to criminalise political activity in Scotland, and furthermore calls upon the Procurator Fiscal to recognise that pursuing charges against peaceful anti-cuts protesters is not in the public interest. The petition will be handed to the Crown Office – the office of the state prosecutor – with the express view of making all those engaged in the criminalisation process aware of the public support which exists determined to uphold the right to protest and organise against the cuts.
On 1 March, the legal debate surrounding the legality or otherwise of the police tactic known as ‘kettling’ was once again postponed due to the Crown being ill prepared and is scheduled to take place on Monday 2 April, where the GDC are again holding a court protest. This is the first legal challenge in Scotland to this abuse of police powers and forms part of the GDC strategy of challenging through the courts those who seek to undermine our basic democratic rights, along with regular street protests. Together with this, the GDC has recently produced thousands of ‘Know your rights’ bust cards, which are available from the campaign.
SIGN THE PETITION!
The GDC petition can be signed online here http://www.petition.co.uk/defend-the-right-to-protest-oppose-the-criminalisation-of-protest/
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