2nd August 2011
Aggravated Trespass – It Needs To Go
Mark Hanson
After a sit-down protest by the direct action group UKUncut, the police allegedly tricked the demonstrators into walking to their arrest. Around 150 protesters were arrested during the March for the Alternative anti-cuts demonstration following the UKUncut action at Fortnum and Mason’s store.
The majority of these protesters have had all charges dropped against them, but 30 of them have to face prosecution due to an apparently arbitrary selection process, being singled-out in what the protesters insist is an attempt to put people off from attending protests.
The charges these 30 are facing are the crime of aggravated trespass. Introduced in the 1994 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act as a means to deal with free festivals by outlawing them, and widened in scope by a later government, the crime is a criminal offence which has the very specific and narrow intention of preventing expressions of alternative culture, including direct action protest.
In a little-publicized move, Caroline Lucas MP, the first Green Party Member of Parliament in the UK, has tabled an amendment to the Protection of Freedoms Bill that is currently passing through the House of Commons. The amendment would, if implemented, remove the criminal offence of aggravated trespass. Civil trespass would still remain, an important provision for the defence of property, but the role and duty of the police to criminalise dissident and alternative activities would be greatly lessened if the crime of aggravated trespass were repealed.
Rabel has produced two sample letters, which you may edit, print and send as you wish. One letter is to Caroline Lucas, as we believe that as well as campaigning to change MP’s minds, we must also encourage those who through conscience make bold and important moves. The second is a general letter to be sent to your local MP, asking that they may support this amendment.
Visit the Rabel Campaign Page.
