Activists have been given an open invitation to protest in Brighton and Hove.
/facepalm
The new ruling party in Brighton and Hove has said it is a “duty” for protesters to take to the streets and express their anger at cuts to public services.
What could possibly go wrong?
Their comments have lead to fears the city could become a destination for demonstrations and business leaders have warned the move could result in an influx of thugs with no interest in peaceful protest.
Why, no, I’m sure it won’t!
/sarc
Councillor Ben Duncan, cabinet member for communities, equality and public protection, said that peaceful protests will be embraced by the new Green administration.
He said: “Since the election I think you can see a change of attitude at the council.
“We made a decision with the Spanish protests in Old Steine not to move them on and potentially inflame the situation but to allow them to demonstrate peacefully. We have had discussions with the police and they seem to be sharing that attitude.”
We’re doomed…
“I hope over the next four years we will see a whole new atmosphere. Legitimate protest is not just a right but in the current climate is almost a duty. We want people to feel confident they can carry out that duty in our city without fear.”
And the businesses? They can just put up with the fear that their premises will be vandalised and their customers inconvenienced, can they?
Perhaps they need to reconsider payment of business rates to a council that seemingly is in bed with anarchists?
Or perhaps they should reconsider basing their offices in Brighton and Hove at all….
Yeah, cuts of only 3 or 4 percent, when we really need 20 or 30 percent. Money must grow on trees in their reality.
Bear in mind that “cuts” actually means “reduction in the rate of increase”. This government is still spending more than its predecessor…
Protest capital of the UK.
Isn’t that where our old friend Neil Harding hails from? Not heard from him for a while – I think even he became disenchanted by the Labour Party.
I wonder if they will be embracing the EDLs right to peaceful protest in the same manner. I think they should find out
Heh! No, of course not, only officially-approved groups will count…
Is this activism not also an exercise of liberty? Not on the eighteenth-century scale, of course.
Not when it destroys property belonging to others, no.
Anarchy Sur La Mer… perhaps it’s an out of box marketing ploy to attract more visitors… I know there are rumours that the Greens want to build a UFO research centre… so surely they are breathing more than ozone down there… and as for the police… they must be feeling nostalgic towards 60s style running battles with Mods & Rockers.
Mods & rockers…………ahhh! those were the days.
‘it is a “duty” for protesters to take to the streets and express their anger at cuts to public services’
Because any cuts will have to come out of front-line services, won’t they? I mean, it’s not as if there’s anywhere else money could be saved, like hotels bills or award ceremonies, say, or four ‘strategic directors’ paid £125k pa each, is it?
Inviting the masses to fight for your right to keep on troughing would be an achivement; actually insisting they have an obligation to do so is surely a Machiavellian masterstroke!
+ 1000 to that!
Good.
The people of Brighton voted for these idiots, they deserve the condequences. I hope lots and lots of ‘protestors’ take up this invitation and show everyone exactly how they exercise their rights to protest.
As a long term resident of Brighton I’m making plans to move to a town more representative of England (and no I didn’t vote for them!!). As for the bring me your demonstrating masses, seems they’re already here! Anybody that lives in an area that looks like going green should take note of the first three proposals from these dimwits, in order of their announcements… 1. Find more open spaces for travellers. 2. The above on demonstrations. 3. A pledge to build more cycle lanes, I really don’t know where they’re going to find the space.
Not like the economies in a mess and social services and other public bodies are losing jobs, the greens get on with the real business ofd turning brighton into a hippy paradise!
I can only assume that life in Brighton is a paradise, if those three things were the things the voters most wanted!
It looks like Brighton council is becoming every bit as hilarious as some of us suspected it would.
I’m also curious what insane thoughts the council might get in its collective head once it realises that there are a lot of city workers from the eeevil financial sector who commute from Brighton?
This is what the people of Brighton and Hove voted for, so if the result is lawlessness, smashed windows, and people feeling too intimidated to spend their money there, that’s the fault of the voters, for whom I have no sympathy.
Caroline Lucas MP’s idea of peaceful protest includes vandalising a Brighton arms factory, because it sells to Israel. What will she endorse next – smashing up synagogues?