Month: March 2023

Our wonderful facilitators took us through our rights in relation to protest at a recent session, and offer these links to further information and support:

You can find legal resources provided by Green and Black Cross (GBC) at the GBC Website.

If you are interested in reading more on common charges, you can find these on the GBC website.

Here is our Guide to the changes brought in by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022

Information on injunctions: https://greenandblackcross.org/guides/injunctions/

The Network for Police Monitoring has lots of useful information and resources on their website: https://netpol.org/.

Link to Bustcards (for all regions): https://greenandblackcross.org/bustcard.

Stop and Search

Here is a link to a stop-and-search ‘Know Your Rights’ card. It is also recommended to print these off and hand them out at protests. Please encourage protesters to read them: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wCFYm59GJvKDn3c4bdZ3wVLgitfG1AaK/view?usp=drivesdk.

The app and website ‘Y-Stop’ has information on your rights around stop-and-search, as well as a space for you to record searches, challenge the police, and make complaints. It’s a good idea to download Y-Stop if you have a smartphone: https://y-stop.org/.

5 key messages:

• UNDER WHAT POWER?
• NO COMMENT!
• NO CAUTION!
• NO DUTY SOLICITOR!
• NO PERSONAL DETAILS!

Criminal Record

See if your job requires an enhanced DBS check: http://hub.unlock.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/A-Z-of-specific-job-roles-and-eligibility-for-criminal-record-check.pdf.

Unlock Website info about criminal records: https://unlock.org.uk/topic/about-criminal-records/

Immigration

Informed dissent has some really good info: https://informeddissent.info/arrestandimmigrationstatus.

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) have answers to commonly asked questions, and also have a free helpline (020 7553 7470).

Mental Health

Activist Trauma Support has useful resources on trauma, burnout & sustainable activism (archived resource): https://www.activist-trauma.net/

https://www.activist-trauma.net/assets/files/ats_a5_flyer_dec16_rightway.pdf

https://www.activist-trauma.net/assets/files/burnout_new_flyer_rightway.pdf

ASSIST Trauma Support has further information and resources on trauma:  http://assisttraumacare.org.uk.

Take-aways from the Quaker Roots Open Meeting on February 22^nd 2023

Quaker Roots held an open meeting to discuss ideas and concerns for action against the DSEI Arms Fair. This is a wee snippet of what came out of that meeting:

• The Meeting for Worship outside DSEI Arms Fair is powerful and needs to happen again.
• It is important to take action while the Arms Fair is happening and during the set-up week (No Faith in War day).
• Taking part in a Merchants of Death tour through London.
• Using singing as part of protest.
• Working with other faith groups.
• Linking with Friends who can’t attend in person, through social media perhaps?
• Creating a clear schedule for day of action, so Friends know what is happening.
• Having a mic available, so Friends can hear Ministry.
• Having a variety of actions for people to do during the day.
• Filming the whole event.
• Friends hosting local TEDx talks about the importance for peace.
• Friends gaining full information about legal rights and recent changes in protest law.
• London Friends providing accommodation and food for travelling Friends.
• We want to have a large presence of Friends.
• Clear information and messaging for Friends to have at hand, leaflets etc.
• Creating links between migrations, environment and conflict.
• Have placards available for Friends to just pick up.

We also decided that it is important to have continuing open meetings, and Friends are invited to contribute and come with ideas. The next meeting will have time set aside to talk about how Friends can contribute further to make sure ideas happen.

The next Preparing for Action meeting will be held on 22^nd March 2023 on zoom.