Sunday, February 04, 2007
Free cigars on the NHS!
Well, why not? The NHS would go bankrupt tomorrow without the contribution of smokers taxes.....
Ok... right... just so this begins to take on something approaching objective relevance and start to form the slightest bit of sense (hello there James) let me elaborate...
On Wednesday 21st February, I am hoping to organise a number of people to come with me and join in with Mark Thomas (who isn't usually my cup o' tea, but 'the enemy of my enemy' etc) and his monthly 'mass lone protest' at Parliament Square in London. The nominal objective is to waste considerable police time by asking them to complete large amounts of paper work, so they can give us permission to protest the sublime and ridiculous (mine is obviously going to be 'Give out free cigars on the NHS').
This is all in aid of raising publicity against the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (2005), which now means that anyone wishing to make a spontaneous political statement in an area where a politician may actually be in danger of hearing or seeing it will now find themselves on the wrong side of the law.
Speaking your mind should never be a crime, let alone a "serious organised crime". This is a completely stupid law which deserves contempt and ridicule. It hasn't the slightest place in a democracy. (This is also an ongoing issue: just last week the Liberal Democrats introduced a bill in the Lords to repeal the protest restrictions, this while it has been reported the Government wants to expand the restrictions to other areas of the country)
So, I am trying to gauge interest, to see if anyone wants to join me? Would anyone be available for a couple of hours in the evening of the 21st? I will need to know fairly soon, as things need to be arranged, and completed forms need to be sent off and received by the Metropolitan police one week in advance. Please simply add a comment, e-mail me or add me to your msn etc
Please join us! The itinerary is being planned, but we're sure to have a booze up after too!
# posted by Chris Hughes @ 3:35 pm 
