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Yorkshire CND PRESS RELEASE - IMMEDIATE USE Date - 15th March 2004 YORKSHIRE
CND AND LIBERTY CHALLENGE POLICE ON TERROR LAWS The Yorkshire Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament today demanded that North Yorkshire police avoid use of the Terrorism Act when policing what's expected to be a large-scale blockade of Menwith Hill on Friday March 19th. The organisation was backed by Liberty - the Human Rights campaign group - which said it would consider taking North Yorkshire police to court if the Terrorism Act is used inappropriately. Together the organisations are arguing that the news laws have been used against peaceful protestors and are a threat to democratic rights. The demand comes the week before the blockade and demonstration, at which organisers expect large numbers of people to blockade the US military base in protest at its role in US foreign policy, war-fighting and Star Wars and to mark the first anniversary of the war on Iraq. With hundreds expected to attend to blockade or demonstrate, Yorkshire CND and Liberty are increasingly concerned that terrorism laws can be and are being used to stop and search innocent people and even to stop people getting to demonstrations. The organisations say they don't want a repeat of the exploitation of the Act to stop protesters reaching RAF Fairford for demo - a case which led to the Police being taken to court. Neil Kingsnorth - Development Worker at Yorkshire CND - has been stopped by police using the Terrorism Act at Menwith Hill before, when walking down a public footpath by the base with a friend on a quiet Saturday afternoon. He explained, "Prior to and during the Iraq war there were examples of the police using terrorism law to stop protesters at events and on their way to events - the Fairford demonstrators being a classic example The people of this country have a right to protest and, with the current US and UK administrations - a need to protest. Protest is a part of the very fabric of democracy and it is essential that that right is not eroded away by Draconian laws. The Terrorism Act is there to deal with Terrorists. Peace Campaigners are not terrorists." Alex Gask - Solicitor with the highly respected UK human rights campaign group Liberty said, "Liberty has been increasingly
concerned over the way in which section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 has
been used by police to suppress legitimate protest. We will be monitoring
proceedings at Menwith Hill closely and, if necessary, will be prepared
to take legal action." The demonstration takes place from early in the morning on Friday 19th March. Demonstrators from across the UK and beyond are expected to congregate in a church in Leeds the night before for direct action training and information. Further details about the event, the training, the issues and what's on during the day can be found at www.blockthebase.org.uk or from Yorkshire CND. ENDS |