Defend Peaceful Protest News

Update from: Defend Peaceful Protest on Metropolitan Police Authority meeting 9:30am tomorrow and plans to ensure the police violence at G20 protests are never repeated.

"-MPA Meeting on the 30th April, there will be a rally outside City Hall organised by United Campaign Against Police Violence, another group working on some of the same issues as us.

- At the meeting itself, Defend Peaceful Protest members have had written questions we submitted accepted to the Metropolitan Police Authority meeting, we'll be asking these in person on Thursday. We'll see what Boris Johnson and the MPA members have to say about the policing! Questions are pasted at bottom of this message.

- We plan to launch a public debate on policing on our website by Thursday evening. So far people from across the political spectrum have shown interest, from Conservatives, to Labour to Lib Dem to Green to SWP to Anarchists to the Police, to the apolitical. Make sure you have your say on Thursday! Defend Peaceful Protest (click on forum on top right)

- We are submitting evidence to the House of Commons Home Affairs Select committee. Basically an influential committee of MP's who are investigating the policing operation ath the G20.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
- Attend the rally from 9.30am on Thursday, outside City Hall, London Bridge
- Spread the word about the debate and join in yourself, if you run a blog and want to run an article from us please email no2policeviolence@gmail.com or write your own of course!

MPA questions we submitted below

1. Why were many police at the G20 demonstrations not wearing shoulder ID or deliberately concealing ID when categoric assurances had been made by Silver star commander Broadhurst to MPs that this would not happen?

2 Will there be a wider independent investigation into allegations of systematic use of excessive force by police against individual protestors?

3 Will there be a broader review into policing strategy at protests in general, in addition to the review of policing at the G20 protests?

4 Will the chair of the MPA meet with Defend Peaceful Protest and other groups who were at the G20 protests to ensure that any review of the tactics deployed at the G20 includes the experiences of the protestors themselves?"

Further Info:
Defend Peaceful Protest / United Campaign Against Police Violence / MPA Meeting 30Apr09