The Met Police are insisting on draconian restrictions for protests during the NATO summit
Stop the War Coalition & Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Campaigners say their plans to protest against Donald Trump’s visit to the UK in December are being curbed by the Metropolitan Police.
A coalition of groups are planning to protest outside Buckingham Palace during a reception for NATO leaders on December 3rd. In the wake of the unlawful ban on Extinction Rebellion protests in October, activists say the Met Police are insisting on draconian restrictions again for protests during the NATO summit.
Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said:
“We wish to protest to make clear our opposition to Donald Trump and the NATO summit, but the police have offered us a protest site where sound amplification is banned and is set back away from Buckingham Palace behind a wall.
“In a democratic society, citizens shouldn’t be kept out of sight and out of mind. We have a right to make our views known to elected representatives and their counterparts who visit Britain.”
The Metropolitan police have claimed that ‘security concerns’ mean that marching on any of the roads around St James’ Park will be barred and protestors will not be able to assemble in front of Buckingham Palace.
Chris Nineham, from the Stop the War Coalition, said:
“Donald Trump has already intervened in our General Election by tweeting that Corbyn would be ‘so bad’ for Britain and backing Boris Johnson. It is an affront to our democratic rights that we are not allowed to get close enough to Buckingham Palace to have our voices heard in reply.”
The protests are organised by the Stop the War Coalition, CND and the No-To-NATO network with the support of Stop Trump, Stand up to Trump, the Muslim Association of Britain, Keep our NHS Public, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the People’s Assembly, Stand up to Racism, Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, Daymer (Turkish and Kurdish Solidarity Centre), Love Music Hate Racism and other groups.
