For those going to Brighton Pride:please read!

littleolemeFri 03/08/07 08:42

Have been forwarded this message.....

WE NEED YOUR HELP IMMEDIATELY

Christian Voice and the National Front have informed Sussex Police of their
Intention to protest as they did last year, at the narrow entrance to Preston
Park this coming Saturday.

This morning there is a meeting when the police will decide how to deal with
the mean and nasty groups who intend to picket the pride procession and insult us
with their abusive placards, and ensure that our lovely day of celebration is
spoilt by their judgmental and homophobic viewpoints.

Would you be so kind as to send this out this email to any of your contacts and
ask them to ask their contacts and friends to send this out too. The more the
merrier.

The police will have more power to act if there is a lot of public pressure
from us and other LGBT folk, requesting that they move this nasty lot along,
out of sight and well away from the entrance to Preston park.

email this to all your email contacts in your address book and most importantly
Email Lisa and Michelle at Sussex Police whose addresses are below.

Lisa.Timerick@sussex.pnn.police.uk
Michelle.collins@sussex.pnn.police.uk

Dear

I am most concerned to learn that Christian Voice and The National Front
may once again be demonstrating at Pride.

Following last year's deliberately obstructive and provocative presence of
these vociferous group at the narrow entrance to Preston Park, I feel strongly
that I need to petition you, in terms of everyone's safety to re-position their
demonstrations away from the direct path of the parade as it enters the park.

I would strongly urge you to exercise your full powers under The Public
Order Act and The Town Police Enclosures Act 1847 to minimise the distressing
and alarming impact of the demonstration of this homophobic group,
and, in the interests of cohesion and good public order, keep their
presence at a safe distance.

miserablespiceFri 03/08/07 08:53

I hope this isnt' fake.

However, I do remember the Chrisitan Lot hanging out last year so no harm in sending my e-mail as requested.

Consider it done.

littleolemeFri 03/08/07 08:56

Well it was sent via the people who run the local gay publication to the organisation I work for - a large HIV/AIDS charity.

miserablespiceFri 03/08/07 08:59

I just got this reply:

Dear Dean

Thank you for your email. We are aware of your concerns and your comments have been passed to the relevant officers who are dealing with this matter.



Very best wishes



Lisa Timerick
LGBT Community Liaison Officer

littleolemeFri 03/08/07 09:06

That's good news - a bit of people power!

#6618Fri 03/08/07 09:11

The "christian" group were beside the clock tower at the top of North Street last year.

It must cause the police a headache as they had to "surround" them with approx 15 extra police, surely that resource would be better used elsewhere.

Sometimes you wonder whether other groups would be treated as a nusiance or tollerated as they were.

I agree that open speech is a good thing, but these lot were clearly trying to wind up perhaps even incite those assembled people. Voicing your view is fine, but yelling it down a powerful megaphone is a very agressive way.

Surely, and I use this in an extreme example, that someone set up on a street corner in an ethnic area and started yelling " You're not white, you're all going to hell ", then that person would be carted off by the police within minutes ?!

confessorFri 03/08/07 09:17

Why don't these people just move to America and join the Westboro Baptist Church, spread their antipathy over there and be done with it.

I have sent my objection to Ms Timerick too.