UK: No protest please, we're sitting

New rollback in civil liberties, prevents demonstration.

The Met have told anti-war demonstrators they cannot hold a protest next Monday because parliament will be in session.

The new excuse is a worrying development in our right to protest.

Stop the war coalition, in accordance with the law had been seeking permission to march. According to a statement by the group, all had been going well until the police suddenly denied permission.

Restrictions on the right to protest have been subject to a 1 mile exclusion zone around Parliament since August 2005. Critics say the zone is too big and an over reaction to Brian Haws “eye-sore” encampment.

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Read BBC article on Brian Haw
Read Tony Benn writing in Comment is free