We are working with political campaigners in Leicester, who are opposing the council’s ban on political campaigning (a new law prohibits displaying banners or flags, amplification, and setting up political stalls).
Here is news from campaigners about their recent protest, when they set up campaign tables in defiance of the ban. We have written to the council, asking them to remove this restrictive and undemocratic law.
Six different campaigning groups defied Leicester City Council’s ban on campaign tables and set up close to each other in the city centre on 7 February. While the event was happening City Wardens made no attempt to stop them.
The council has enacted a ‘Public Space Protection Order’, supposedly to control anti social behavior. However, campaign groups say it also limits their democratic rights.
Socialist Party member, Heather Rawling, was issued with a notice and fine for contravening the order in May last year. She wrote back to the council to say she wanted to challenge it in court. The letter from the council makes it clear that you can challenge it in court if you do not pay the immediate £100 fine. However, since then the council has not given her a court date.
Heather said:
We all want to stop anti social behavior, but campaigning with a small table is not anti social behavior. In fact, we believe the council is infringing our democratic rights. These are legally protected under the Human Rights Act. The council appear to be refusing to test that in court.
Commercial organisations that pay a lot of money to the council have been allowed to set up large displays, gazebos, and other equipment in the city centre. How are these causing any less nuisance than a not-for-profit voluntary campaign group?
We have run out of patience, which is why campaign groups set up stalls in Leicester today.
The council should not continue fining or threatening campaign groups while refusing to test their ban in court.
In fact, while the event was taking place today, City Wardens walked past and made no effort to stop us. Does that mean they now recognize that this aspect of the PSPO is unenforceable?
Groups that participated in the event included Leicester Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Leicester Socialist Party, Leicester Your Party supporters, Leicester Socialist Workers Party, Leicester Socialist Alternative and the Revolutionary Communist Party.
Religious groups in the city have also been affected, with dozens receiving warning notices telling them to not display banners or use amplification.