Unbelievably Barnsley BNP faced yet another challenge of our right to sell Voice of Freedom on the streets of Barnsley. For Christ’s sake I thought we had sorted this one out. I thought Barnsley Council had finally accepted that there’s nothing they can do to stop us and that we’re totally legal – it’s our town just as much as it’s theirs.
But no, it seems they can’t accept defeat. This Saturday we had been set up barely five minutes when two council officials approached our table. They introduced themselves as ‘Town Centre Manager’ Mr Gareth Bruff, and his charming assistant – I can’t remember her name. To cut a long conversation short they stated that we need a peddlers license from the police to sell papers and that we were causing an obstruction by having a fixed sales stand. They gave us an official looking document which stated that according to Highway Regulations we need permission from them to set up a stand in the town centre. “We know the law” I said “and we don’t need your permission or any permits” “Oh yes you do” they said. “Well you’re wrong and we’re not going to move, so you’re going to have to get the police to make us. End of story”. So they went away.
Five minutes later the police turned up. The two officials had made a complaint. I had to get in the back of the police car while the two officers wrote out a summons. In the back of the police car I rang Ian Dawson, Yorkshire Regional Secretary, who knows the law on this matter inside out. He told them they were out of order, and that the European Convention on Human Rights Article 10 guaranteed our right to sell papers in the town. I gave them my name, our branch details, and contact number. My colleague on the stand, Alan, also had to sit in the back of the car while they took his details.
It’s clear by now, this is the third time we’ve had the police onto us, that there is a determined effort from Barnsley council to stop us selling papers in the town. This has got to stop. WE ARE NOT GOING TO BACK DOWN. If they think that we are going to, then they are wrong. We know the law, so don’t try to intimidate us with legalistic bullshit.
Paul Harris
0 comments:
Post a Comment