NIGHT MAYOR

The mood is still defiant in Parliament Square as the Democracy Village continues to resist eviction and wait for the high court judgement ruling in the case of Boris vs Democracy. The occupation began on Mayday and has remained since (see SchNEWS 724). The mayor failed in his first attempt to get activists evicted, by claiming in court that he had the right to evict anyone from the square, including the Queen, something that the judge flatly refused to agree with. A full trial was called and started this Monday (14th).

The legal mumblings are occurring due to the fact that only the registered land owner can officially apply to the court to get people evicted, and Parliament Square belongs to the Queen and Crown – not Boris Johnson. As far as anyone knows, the Queen is neither amused or not amused, but indifferent to this people’s assembly on her doorstep. The Mayor however, is getting pretty hot under the collar with this exercise in free speech. A temporary injunction is in place, instructing the camp to dismantle itself and threatening anyone who wanders onto the site or chats to a villager with criminal punishment. All of this comes in the same week Cameron pledged to ‘restore rights to non-violent protest’.

The trial is expected to reach a verdict on Friday (18th) although delays are possible - check websites below for updates. In the meantime, an evening of song and poetry is scheduled for tonight (18th), and a citizen journalism workshop at 1pm on Saturday (19th).

* For details on the injunction and the camp’s reply see www.democracyvillage.org/wp-content/upl/2010/06/IMPORTANT-NOTICE.pdf

* See www.democracyvillage.org & www.democracyvillage.blogspot.com