No More Fallujah events information

your questions answered?
legal briefing
contacting your local media
accommodation
what to bring to the camp

your questions answered?

Will I get arrested if I come to the peace journey on the 28th Oct?
No. There is no reason that you should be arrested for taking part in the peace journey.

Can I take part in both the “peace journey” and the nonviolent direct action workshop on 28 Oct?
Yes. These have been deliberately timed so that this is possible.

Will I get arrested if I take part in the 24-hour peace camp in Parliament Square?
It’s a real possibility, particularly if you refuse to disperse following an announcement by the police (see “Legal Briefing”). So far, dozens of people have been arrested for taking part in such “unauthorised” demonstrations. However, not everyone who has taken part in such actions has been arrested eg at the Mass Action Group’s last action in April 300 people took part in an “unauthorised” 4-hour demonstration in Parliament Square, with placards and giant puppets, but no-one was arrested.

You will probably receive a warning – and be given one last chance to leave – before being arrested, but there are no guarantees.

Can I have plans for Monday if I’m going to risk arrest at the peace camp?
No. The police could move in to arrest people at any point during the 24 hours and even if you’re arrested on the Sunday there’s no guarantee that you’ll be released before Monday.

What if the police cordon off Parliament Square?
This is unlikely, but if they do then we will set up camp as close to the Square as possible – on the pavement if necessary.

What if the police don’t arrest us?
If the police don’t arrest us there are plans to hold a series of anti-war workshops and discussions in the Square, as well as music, street theatre etc…

Why haven’t you applied for permission to hold the peace camp?
Over the past 3½ years US-led forces in Iraq have killed tens of thousands of Iraqis – including many thousands of civilians – and pushed the country into civil war. Detainees have been tortured and hospitals bombed. Whole towns and cities have been attacked and tens of thousands of Iraqis forced to flee their homes.

Those of us taking part in the peace camp on 29 Oct will be risking arrest, a criminal record and a possible £1000 fine, to demonstrate our opposition to these horrors in the strongest possible terms and to demand a major part of the solution: an end to the occupation.

Do I need to bring my own tent, and if so could it be confiscated?
The organisers have purchased a stock of between 20-30 tents for use on 29 October. These will be decorated with anti-war artwork. Please contact us ASAP if you would like to take responsibility for one of these: 0845 458 2564 or gabriel@voices.netuxo.co.uk. If you bring your own tent it could be confiscated and / or “arrested” by the police – so if you’re not willing to risk this, don’t bring it!

Legal briefing

The offence for which you are most likely to be arrested if you take part in the peace-camp on 29 October is participating in an “unauthorised” demonstration. Under section 132 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act it is an offence to organise or take part in a demonstration in a public place within the “designated area” (up to 1 km around parliament) if authorisation has not been given by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner. Participants may be subject to a fine of up to £1000.

It is also possible that you could be arrested for some other offence such as highway obstruction eg. if you’re standing on the pavement and do not move when asked to by a police officer.

Instead of arresting you, the police are entitled to ask for your name and address - and for you to sign a statement - if they think that you are committing an offence. This means that the police can report you to the CPS who may decide to charge you later. You do not have to give them this information but if you refuse you may be arrested anyway.

Legal support on the day - Bustcards containing basic legal info - and advice on what (not) to do if you’ve been arrested - will be distributed on the day. There will also be legal observers at the demonstration and a post-action support line for anyone arrested.

If you’re arrested - If you’re arrested it is quite likely that you’ll be charged and convicted. You will then have a criminal record. If you think this could cause you problems (eg. at work) check this out before you risk arrest
If you are thinking about risking arrest on 28/29 October and you’ve never been arrested before then we highly recommend you take part in one of the two legal briefings that are taking place in October (on the 8th and the 28th).
For more info on the arrest process and other possible offences see the briefings on the Activists’ Legal Project web-site: www.activistslegalproject.org.uk.

Contact your local media

If you’re taking part in the weekend – and especially if you’re taking part in the camp on 29 October – why don’t you contact your local media to let them know what you’re doing and why.

Whilst there will be national media work done around the camp, local media offers opportunities to get the action’s message out to tens of thousands of people in ways that we just can’t do nationally. So go for it!

If you don’t have experience of doing media work then George Monbiot’s short Activists’ Guide to Exploiting the Media contains (almost) everything you need to know.

A sample press release is available on request from 0845 458 2564 or gabriel@voices.netuxo.co.uk. An FAQ sheet on the occupation and the encampment – in case you need to do local media interviews – is also available.

Accommodation

Crash-pad accommodation will be available on request the Friday and Saturday evenings. Please contact us ASAP to book a space and find out where it is!. Please bring camping mats, sleeping bags etc… Please note that there will be no storage space at the accommodation on the Sunday (so if you’re coming to the camp, don’t bring anything that you wouldn’t want to be arrested with!)

What to bring to the camp

Tents (see FAQ) - A sleeping bag + mat - Food (we aim to provide some food as well but the more the better) - Water - Warm clothing and waterproofs (remember that it’s October!) - Placards, banners etc… (the more colourful and creative the better) - A good book (or books) in case you’re arrested - musical instruments and other entertainment - Your positive energies!
Please don’t bring: Alcohol or drugs - Pets - Anything that could be construed as a weapon eg. a penknife - anything you really would not like to be confiscated by police.