www.SpeakersCorner.net
British Government bans Speakers Corner March
Minister for Culture Tessa Jowell has banned the anti-war march to Hyde Park's
Speakers' Corner set for 15th Feb 2003.
The Governments representatives the Royal Park's Agency claim they are
concerned about the condition of the grass in Hyde Park and 'fear for the safety
of the demonstrators', expected to number as many as half a million.
Thousands of miles away in New York City, the Police by 'pure coincidence'
have also banned their 15th Feb Anti War demonstration on 'safety grounds'.
The Law which created Speakers' Corner and defined the location
of London's mass meetings and demonstrations is the 1872 Parks
and Gardens Act. Under this act the entire grassed area of Hyde Park
north of the Serpentine lake is defined as 'Speakers Corner'.
Two months ago a massive Star Trek exhibition, opened by the head of NASA,
invaded Speakers Corner placing commercial interests above the rights of the people.
The Chief Executive of the Royal Parks Agency claims Speakers Corner
is the paved corner of the Park near Marble Arch. This falsification
is used by Ministers and the park authorities as a means to handover Speakers
Corner to pop concerts and commercial events on a regular basis.
On Oct 16th 2001 Tessa Jowell presented Parliament with the following
letter from William Weston Chief executive of the Royal Parks Agency
"I received an e.mail on 19 July from Heiko Khoo of the
Speakers' Corner Association who believes that the right to free speech at Speakers' Corner, enshrined in the 1872 Parks and Gardens Act, is encroached by the arrangements made to facilitate large concerts on the adjacent Parade Ground. Mr Khoo questioned the Agency's right to make any restrictions on access to the area, and asked why such concerts could not be held in one of the other Royal Parks instead." (Hansard)Take note that Mr. Weston calls the grass area of Speakers Corner "the adjacent
parade ground"
For 6 years all through the Summer months, one concert after another is organised
effectively preventing speeches or meetings from taking place.
One example is the idiotic "Party in the Park", where over 100,000 mostly
children, are enclosed in Speakers Corner to hear the latest pop idols.
The Minister and park authorities claim concern for the grass, yet
when hysterical screaming kids are enclosed in this area and rain falls
the ground turns to mud. In a hot summer all the grass turns to dust after
these concerts.
Where is the concern for the safety of these children from terrorist attack?
Bombs have killed in Hyde Park before! All a terrorist would have to do would be to plant
a bomb in the ground before a concert and remotely detonate it and thousands of kids
could be killed. If safety is the concern all open air concerts in Hyde Park should
be banned.
The real aim of pop concerts and commercial event in Hyde Park is to be
able to ban major rallies and demonstrations from Speakers Corner.
The Government does not want people to be able to criticize their decisons.
They ban demonstrators from demonstrating, firefighters from striking,
refugees from claiming asylum. All in the name of the War on Terror.
Meanwhile, a UN secret report leaked last week shows they are preparing for
up to 500,000 injuries or deaths in Iraq. They expect the disruption of electricity, water
and food supplies to cause epidemic diseases to reap death accross Iraq and beyond.
Is this not biological warfare? The alibi for war on Iraq.
Speakers Corner Hyde Park is for the People!
Defend Free Speech and the Right to Assemble..
Defy the ban...March to Speakers Corner 15th Feb
Ban all Pop concerts and other commercial events from Speakers Corner Hyde Park.
Stop the War for Oil and US power and prestige!