Over 200 activists squeezed into rooms at Friends Meeting House on Thursday night to show solidarity and organise to defend the right to protest from the sort of oppression we are seeing from the Police and the State as the Anti-Cuts movement builds.

It would be laughable if it were not so serious, but this paranoia reached new heights during the Royal Wedding and May Day holiday period as Charlie Vietch from The Love Police and Chris Knight of the Government of the Dead along with others were arrested for the ‘pre-crime’ of conspiracy to cause public nuisance and held for the maximum allowed without charge, which kept these ‘dangerous’ folk off the streets until Will and Kate were safely back at the Palace unwrapping the presents, safe from the fear of street theatre or free speech!

Charlie gets arrested

The meeting was impressive for the sense of unity and diversity of the audience we heard from Steve who spoke of the way UKuncut’s are being targetted politically by the Police and the mass arrests at Fortnum and Masons.

Sarah McSherry, solicitor, acting for arrested demonstrators and defending Republic’s right to hold a street party, warned that the publication of photographs of wanted protesters could breach privacy laws. John McDonnell MP described how government fears of protest had handed extraordinary powers to the police and spoke of the need for solidarity with those arrested and charged, he described how Transition Heathrow in his consituency, as community garden developed on unused land, was subject to a Police raid days before the Wedding, as were squats and other activist bases in London and Brighton. A representative from the Government of the Dead spoke of Chris’s plight mentioned before and various ‘Zombies’ spoke of their arrest by 16 officers for ‘wearing face paint’ and ‘fancy dress’ on the morning of the Royal Wedding.

Chris Knight gets arrested

Zombies describe their arrests

Audience members from Bristol described the riots at Stokes Croft, Bristol where police provoked a good humoured crowd with a display of aggression and serious violent attacks. Journalist Laurie Penny (pictured above) revealed the hostility she encountered in her attempts to counter a standard story of ‘protester violence’. Charlie Veitch described the peaceful tactics of anarchists and announced that his youtube channel was ranked above the Royal wedding channel.

Summing up for the campaign, Jim Wolfreys saw the serious implications of absurd police interventions he argued that policies designed for the ‘war on terror’ were being normalised and turned against domestic protest. Something we have to stop.

The meeting resolved to support all protesters, resisting attempts to isolate, divide and criminalise. Plans include:

• a show of support for Fortnum & Masons occupiers and other protesters on Monday at 9am outside Westminster Magistrates Court
• a public meeting in the run up to June 9 when many of those arrested have been recalled
• a demonstration outside New Scotland Yard to contest the role of the police.

What can you do?

1. Monday 9 May, 9am, Westminster City Court, 70 Horseferry Road. Show support for the Fortnum and Masons defendants and others arrested on March 26 and during the student protests.
2. Encourage people to sign up to the national petition and circulate the petitions for Alfie Meadows and Bryan Simpson.
3. Build support the campaign. Invite a defend the right to protest speaker to speak at your trade union or student union, campaign group or organisation. Pass the motion in support of the campaign.
4. Contact us with ideas for future actions, or to let us know about any support you can give whether its web and press skills or just hours to dedicate to the campaign.
5. If you have been arrested or witness to arrests or violent behaviour by the police please get in touch confidentially on [email protected] Send us your footage and accounts.

For more info on the campaign see here: http://defendtherighttoprotest.org/