Football supporters are an easy target for the censors

(Guest post by Peter Lloyd) The Manifesto Club was instrumental in highlighting the discriminatory behaviour of the police towards football fans (see the reports here), especially ‘bubble matches‘ that led to the kettling of supporters and restrictions to travel and assembly on match days. Mercifully, and partly because of the Manifesto Club campaign, the practice of bubble matches has almost entirely ended. Now we see something more insidious, and covert, in a case highlighted and taken up by Toby Young at the Free Speech Union. A Newcastle United member and season ticket holder Linzi Smith wrote three moderately worded tweets, in which…

Road safety campaigner banned from filming in Ealing

A road safety campaigner was issued with a Community Protection Notice banning him from filming in Ealing, as well as from posting pictures of anyone without their written consent. This case shows how those in positions of authority – in this case, a councillor – are able to use the CPN system in order to protect their own reputations or seek their own ends. It also shows how, once someone has received a CPN, they become ‘fair game’ for harassment by others, and unable to receive a normal level of public protection. His CPN appeal will be held in February. This is…

Now byelaws will become ‘busybody’ powers too

The English Devolution White Paper proposes to allow local councils to bring through byelaws without first seeking consent from the Secretary of State. It also proposes to allow councils to punish byelaw infractions by on-the-spot fine. The Manifesto Club response is as follows: “There are important checks that currently prevent unreasonable or overly restrictive byelaws. The requirement that the byelaws be affirmed by central government means that the relevant government department can check that they are ‘proportionate and reasonable‘, as required by the legislation. Government also supplies template byelaws, which are time-tested and fit with these specifications. A Home Office Circular from…

Doncaster officers issue more dispersals than most police authorities

A small group of Doncaster Council officers are issuing more dispersal notices than most police authorities. In 2023, the council’s ‘City Centre Engagement Officers‘ issued 504 orders to people to leave Doncaster city centre for 24 hours. The officers counted 90 breaches, and issued 12 fixed penalty notices for breach. Data from police authorities in the year up to July 2023 found that only four authorities – Hampshire (990 dispersals), Northumbria (833), Norfolk (753), and the Metropolitan Police (522) – issued more dispersal notices than these council officers. The 14 other police authorities able to provide the information issued fewer dispersals than…

Cyclist fined by ‘cowboy’ warden in Colchester

A resident of Colchester was fined by ‘cowboy’ private enforcement officers for cycling in Colchester town centre. Read his testimony below: I was handed a PSPO ticket (under Section 59 of the Anti-Social Behavior, Crime and Policing Act 2014) for cycling up West Stockwell Street on 3rd June 2024, and then onto the high street. I had given way to the pedestrians during joining the high street, but did not dismount. I then crossed the road to the cycle rack opposite West Stockwell street, and went to lock my bike to the rack. I was then stopped and spoken to as I…

Busker gets fine for playing outside Bruce Springsteen concert

This is a testimony from David Fisher, busker and director of Keep Streets Live, who was issued with a £100 on-the-spot fine for playing outside Wembley Stadium. On the 25th July 2024 I travelled to Wembley Stadium with the intention of busking outside a Bruce Springsteen concert. I’ve done this many times before throughout all of Europe and always been met with a very positive response, as well as being willing to make accommodations with local officers/security guards regarding my safety and the safety of the attendees. Within about 15 minutes, long before large crowds had started to arrive, I was stopped…

Suicidal woman given CPW based on false allegations

Here is a testimony from a woman with significant mental health problems who received a CPW on the basis of false allegations. This shows how councils and police are taking minimal care in their use of CPNs against people with mental health problems, in spite of advice in the guidance that CPNs should not be used against vulnerable groups. It also shows how the CPN can function as a sort of ‘black mark’, encouraging others to target that person with harassment and further allegations. Such CPW interventions worsen neighbour relations, as well as substantially worsen the situation of the CPN recipient. Read…