Hafsah
06-10-05, 11:22 AM
Broad coalition challenges some of proposed anti-terror laws
Event: Public meeting - uniting communities defeating terrorism
Date: Wednesday 12 October 2005
Time: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Venue: Central Westminster Hall, Storey's Gate, London SW1H 9NH
Entry: FREE - NO TICKET REQUIRED - EVERYONE WELCOME
For Muslim participants Iftar will be provided
A broad cross party coalition has come together to challenge some of
the government's proposed new anti-terrorist measures. The coalition brings
together the Mayor of London, the Scottish National Party, the Liberal
Democrats, Labour MPs, major trade unions, Liberty, lawyers, virtually
every major Muslim organisation in Britain, peace and environmental
activists, Sikhs, Christians and many others.
The breadth of the new coalition shows that some of the government's
most contentious proposals simply will not command the consensus, which the
government has said is essential for the legislation to be effective.
There is anxiety about whether the new laws will pass Ken Livingstone's
'Nelson Mandela test' - the fear that under the government's proposals
Nelson Mandela would have been banned and anyone supporting him would
be criminalised.
Groups like the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament are also concerned
that some proposals will severely curtail the right to peaceful protest around
issues like nuclear weapons and nuclear power.
Another key concern is that the measures will reduce the trust and
cooperation between the police and communities, which is essential to
effectively find and deal with terrorists and their supporters.
London Mayor Ken Livingstone said: 'What is remarkable is how people
from all communities have united since the London bomb attacks, but there is
a lot of anxiety about the impact of parts of the government's
anti-terror proposals on different communities. This meeting will bring together people from all walks of life, to reinforce the message that the country backs
measures to tackle terrorist attacks like 7 July, but we oppose measures, which would exclude or criminalise people who condemn such attacks and whose cooperation is indispensable to the work of the police. Any laws must pass the Nelson Mandela test.'
Frank Dobson MP said: 'If the recent revelations of special branch
spying on the Anti-Apartheid Movement Executive are anything to go by I, along with Neil Kinnock, David Steel, Peter Hain and Lord Bob Hughes, would have been liable to arrest under the new law for supporting terrorists.'
Shami Chakrabarti, the director of Liberty, said: 'The Government's
proposals to restore internment for suspects and broadly criminalise
free speech are the mark of sound-bite legislation which will most likely
isolate many people whose assistance is needed to root out extremists.'
Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary-General, Muslim Council of Britain, said:
'We all need to be vigilant in ensuring that the government's proposed
measures do not jettison fundamental freedoms at the cost of providing little or no guarantee of extra security.'
Barrister, writer and broadcaster John Cooper said: 'At the time when
the lives of ordinary decent people are put under threat by these appalling
terrorist outrages, we must always balance right-minded efforts to
defeat these criminals with safeguards to ensure that the very liberties which
they seek to deprive us of are not thrown away by rushed legislation, borne
more of fear and panic than a thoughtful and effective solution.'
Sadiq Khan MP said: 'It is imperative that there should be a consensus
about the best way to fight terrorism - this public meeting is part of that
debate.'
Alex Salmond MP said: 'The community must stand together against terror
and to fight against the politics of fear.'
Mark Oaten MP said: 'The government must not hand the terrorists a
victory by taking away long held liberties and principles of justice.'
The campaign will hold a public meeting in Westminster City Hall at
6:30pm on Wednesday 12 October. This will be followed by a lobby of parliament as the bill is considered by the House of Commons.
People taking part in the meeting will include:
. Alex Salmond MP, Leader, Scottish Nationalist Party
. Amrik Singh, Sikh Federation UK
. Barry Camfield, Assistant General Secretary, TGWU
. Detective Constable Gareth Reid, Metropolitan Black Police Association
. Dr Azzam Tamimi, Muslim Association of Britain
. Frank Dobson MP, Holborn and St Pancras
. John Cooper, barrister writer and broadcaster
. Kate Hudson, Chair CND
. Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London
. Madeleine Bunting, journalist
. Mark Oaten MP, Liberal Democrat, Shadow Home Secretary
. Rt Rev Colin Bennetts, Bishop of Coventry
. Sadiq Khan MP, Tooting
. Shami Chakrabarti, Director, Liberty
. Sir Iqbal Sacranie - Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
Event: Public meeting - uniting communities defeating terrorism
Date: Wednesday 12 October 2005
Time: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Venue: Central Westminster Hall, Storey's Gate, London SW1H 9NH
Entry: FREE - NO TICKET REQUIRED - EVERYONE WELCOME
For Muslim participants Iftar will be provided
A broad cross party coalition has come together to challenge some of
the government's proposed new anti-terrorist measures. The coalition brings
together the Mayor of London, the Scottish National Party, the Liberal
Democrats, Labour MPs, major trade unions, Liberty, lawyers, virtually
every major Muslim organisation in Britain, peace and environmental
activists, Sikhs, Christians and many others.
The breadth of the new coalition shows that some of the government's
most contentious proposals simply will not command the consensus, which the
government has said is essential for the legislation to be effective.
There is anxiety about whether the new laws will pass Ken Livingstone's
'Nelson Mandela test' - the fear that under the government's proposals
Nelson Mandela would have been banned and anyone supporting him would
be criminalised.
Groups like the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament are also concerned
that some proposals will severely curtail the right to peaceful protest around
issues like nuclear weapons and nuclear power.
Another key concern is that the measures will reduce the trust and
cooperation between the police and communities, which is essential to
effectively find and deal with terrorists and their supporters.
London Mayor Ken Livingstone said: 'What is remarkable is how people
from all communities have united since the London bomb attacks, but there is
a lot of anxiety about the impact of parts of the government's
anti-terror proposals on different communities. This meeting will bring together people from all walks of life, to reinforce the message that the country backs
measures to tackle terrorist attacks like 7 July, but we oppose measures, which would exclude or criminalise people who condemn such attacks and whose cooperation is indispensable to the work of the police. Any laws must pass the Nelson Mandela test.'
Frank Dobson MP said: 'If the recent revelations of special branch
spying on the Anti-Apartheid Movement Executive are anything to go by I, along with Neil Kinnock, David Steel, Peter Hain and Lord Bob Hughes, would have been liable to arrest under the new law for supporting terrorists.'
Shami Chakrabarti, the director of Liberty, said: 'The Government's
proposals to restore internment for suspects and broadly criminalise
free speech are the mark of sound-bite legislation which will most likely
isolate many people whose assistance is needed to root out extremists.'
Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary-General, Muslim Council of Britain, said:
'We all need to be vigilant in ensuring that the government's proposed
measures do not jettison fundamental freedoms at the cost of providing little or no guarantee of extra security.'
Barrister, writer and broadcaster John Cooper said: 'At the time when
the lives of ordinary decent people are put under threat by these appalling
terrorist outrages, we must always balance right-minded efforts to
defeat these criminals with safeguards to ensure that the very liberties which
they seek to deprive us of are not thrown away by rushed legislation, borne
more of fear and panic than a thoughtful and effective solution.'
Sadiq Khan MP said: 'It is imperative that there should be a consensus
about the best way to fight terrorism - this public meeting is part of that
debate.'
Alex Salmond MP said: 'The community must stand together against terror
and to fight against the politics of fear.'
Mark Oaten MP said: 'The government must not hand the terrorists a
victory by taking away long held liberties and principles of justice.'
The campaign will hold a public meeting in Westminster City Hall at
6:30pm on Wednesday 12 October. This will be followed by a lobby of parliament as the bill is considered by the House of Commons.
People taking part in the meeting will include:
. Alex Salmond MP, Leader, Scottish Nationalist Party
. Amrik Singh, Sikh Federation UK
. Barry Camfield, Assistant General Secretary, TGWU
. Detective Constable Gareth Reid, Metropolitan Black Police Association
. Dr Azzam Tamimi, Muslim Association of Britain
. Frank Dobson MP, Holborn and St Pancras
. John Cooper, barrister writer and broadcaster
. Kate Hudson, Chair CND
. Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London
. Madeleine Bunting, journalist
. Mark Oaten MP, Liberal Democrat, Shadow Home Secretary
. Rt Rev Colin Bennetts, Bishop of Coventry
. Sadiq Khan MP, Tooting
. Shami Chakrabarti, Director, Liberty
. Sir Iqbal Sacranie - Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain