Euro-MP celebrates Law Lords' upholding of right to protest

4.01.31pm GMT Thu 14th Dec 2006

Sarah with Mark Thomas at September's Mass Lone Demo

London's Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford - a participant in the Parliament Square 'mass lone protest' movement - has welcomed the Law Lords' unanimous upholding of the right to protest.

They have ruled that police acted unlawfully by preventing protestors from attending a rally against the Iraq war at RAF Fairford in March 2003.

Baroness Ludford has been joining since August campaigning comedian Mark Thomas at the 'mass lone demos', to protest for the right to protest in Parliament Square. This series of individual demonstrations is to highlight the absurdity of the ban on protests near the Houses of Parliament without prior police permission which was forced through by the present Labour government.

Baroness Ludford commented:

"I am delighted and relieved that our highest court has come to the rescue of freedom of speech and the right to protest in this country. Such basic civil liberties, which should be taken as a given in a democracy, have been gradually ground down by the Blair government."

"I for one will not allow my freedom of speech to be stifled, which is why I am so keen to support and participate in the 'mass lone demos'. I would certainly encourage all Londoners to join us next Wednesday!

"The Parliament Square ban must be legally questionable after this resounding legal reaffirmation that the right to protest is a basic human right."

Notes:

Baroness Ludford will be participating in the next 'mass lone demo' to be held on Wednesday 20th December from 6pm-7pm in Parliament Square in Westminster, London.