Yesterday afternoon I was out and about in the Parliament Square area, and saw yet another weird demonstration by Fathers for Justice, this version of them now known as Real Fathers for Justice. It would appear that they were a day early with their over-the-top visual metaphor, but maybe that was how they wrong-footed the authorities.
Click to get a bigger picture.
I genuinely do not know whether these people are publicity geniuses or publicity maniacs, forcing their case upon everyone’s attention, or just annoying everyone and proving how much better it would be if they were never allowed near their children again.
Much depends on what you think of their website, which they did at least advertise quite effectively with this demo, although most of the news pictures seem not to have included the banner that I chanced upon. No doubt their hit rate has been going off the top of the page.
So far it looks to be long on flashy graphics and feuding, and short on arguing their case. But, on balance, I suspect that they are doing quite well. This is how you do things these days.
It does make you wonder, though, how clever the system is for stopping people planting bombs in such places. That part of London has gone insane with physical barriers, armed policemen by the hundred, and numerous law changes from inside the buildings being protected. Yet still, a few nutters with a banner and a lurid piece of religious sculpture seem to be able to clamber about at will, and remain there for a couple of hours while all the world takes photos.
I reckon Real Fathers for Justice are an al-Qaeda front. (Come to think of it, those Islamists are also pretty obsessional about keeping hold of their children in the event of divorce, aren’t they? It fits.)
“It does make you wonder, though, how clever the system is for stopping people planting bombs in such places. That part of London has gone insane with physical barriers, armed policemen by the hundred, and numerous law changes from inside the buildings being protected.”
What system would that be then ?
On the 14th of November last year, Greenpeace managed to drive a tipper truck with several tonnes of coal to the Horseguards Road/Parade rear gates of Downing Street, whilst simultaneously having other demonstrators empty more sacks of coal, to block the Whitehall entrance.
That lorry could so easily have been full of several tonnes of ANFO improvised explosives etc.
Strangely, none of the Greenpeace protestors were arrested.
The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 Section 132 defines a “public place” for the purposes of the Designated Area around Parliament Square as:
So only the public areas of Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament are covered, and not any “Fathers for Greenpeace” type protests involving scaling ladders, ropes and a head for heights.
Meanwhile, other utterly harmless demonstrators are being arrested, charged and convicted, for exercising their Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Assembly and Freedom of Religion, without applying in writing, “at least 6 clear days” in advance to the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis Sir Ian Blair.
See ParliamentProtest.org.uk
Well, of course, it all comes down to making a scene.
Talking of naff religous imagery, I was at the BBC Manchester Passion thing tonight. Bag of Shite.
I had some obese steard in a yellow jacket (the armour of officialdom) shouting at my part of the crowd, “Make a gap, the disciples have to come through there!”
Fathers for Justice keep showing how easy it would be for terrorists to launch an attack in Central London. As long as the security services plug the gaps afterwards they could be said to be performing a public service.
At least we don’t protest like the French.
Let’s see, in the last oh, decades, century(?)…
* Cases of Christians beheading non-believers = 0
* Cases of Christians stoning adultresses = 0
* Cases of Christians sending adultress to blow up
Jewish children = 0
* Cases of Christians flying airplanes into skyscapers
to kill dangerous accountants and bond traders
……… ummmmmm, that would be zero.
Cases of wacked out divorcee wife using husband’s Christian beliefs to sway wacked out judge?
Multiple, how about the guy in Afghanistan as a recent example?
The Islamic equivalent wouldn’t so much be ‘Fathers Against Injustice’ as ‘Mothers Against Beheading’.
Incidentally the 1Km no protest diameter does include demonstrations such as this one.
Uain,
You clearly aren’t up-to-date with your prejudices.
Posted by Julian Taylor at April 15, 2006 08:58 AM
There may well have been breach of the peace or suspicion of criminal damage or criminal trespass arrests, but the SOCPA Designated Area does not apply due to the definition of a “public place” cited above.
Well, you could have Muslim Mothers Against Beheading, but as they only seem to behead normal people (as opposed to Muslims), I doubt it. Certainly, they are not against bringing their sons up to be jihadi splodeys.
And when I refer to “normal people”, I mean regular human beings. In other words, I refuse to be defined by their definitions, like Infidel and non-Muslim.
I think that Islamists will remove any offending head with enough hair to get a purchase on….naughty princesses are a good example, the owner being female ensures that S&M feel-good kick. What’s more, it’s a nice clean job & done in a flash unlike those finicky & botch-prone clitoris jobs. Better than H2SO4 which leaves an unpleasant smell & could, even, get you a bad press if the bitch remains uppity…….no, do it the traditional ‘halal’ way and mumble things about the greatness of some castrated god.
Isn’t life simply such fun!