SUMMARY

You don’t need police permission to sing carols in support of Christmas near Parliament, but you do need police permission to sing carols against it.

WEBSITE

http://www.bloggerheads.com/carols/

DETAILS

Section 132 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 makes it illegal to demonstrate anywhere near Parliament without official police permission. Under this act, it is an offence to organise or take part in a demonstration within the ‘designated area’ (up to 1 km around Parliament) if authorisation has not been applied for and granted by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

Unless of course you believe in Santa Claus, in which case an exception will probably be made.

In 2005, Tim Ireland organised and staged a pro-Christmas demonstration in the form of a carol service in Parliament Square.

Traditional songs were sung in support of varying aspects of Christmas, a minute’s silence was held, and money was collected for Medical Aid for Iraqi Children.

No singers were arrested. In fact, Police said they treated it as a carol service, not a demonstration:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4545704.stm
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article334675.ece

The event was repeated in 2006 and again the Police chose not to classify the event as a demonstration.

It also needs to be noted that - in cases where permission is applied for and Police do not regard a proposed event to be a demonstration - they will issue a statement to the applicant saying so instead of approving the application.

Following an epiphany inside the main lobby of Parliament, Tim Ireland decided that the time had come to take a stand against Christmas.

On 12 December 2007, he submitted an application to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner for a carol service that would be exactly the same as previous events, with one primary difference; carols would be sung condemning varying aspects of Christmas, instead of supporting them.

On 17 December 2007, notice was given that this application was approved.

In other words, staging an event in support of Christmas is legal within a designated area without police permission, and staging an event against Christmas is not.

This is a clear case of discrimination, likely to be in contravention of the Human Rights Act and the Equality Act.

Tim Ireland said; “Speaking as one of many who have seen the argument from both sides of the pole, I find it appalling that someone who does believe in Santa Claus should be given preferential treatment over someone who does not. In fact, I’d like to take this opportunity to ask Gordon Brown what the official government policy is on Santa Claus; is it their position that he exists, that he doesn’t exist, or that this is a matter that should be the business of the individual and not the state?”

Sadly, Santa Claus is only the tip of the iceberg. Some people who reject Christmas do so because they do not believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and see no reason to celebrate that birthday. Others will object to Christmas because they reject the notion of an all-powerful deity altogether.

There are also many devout Christians who reject Christmas on the basis of commercial, secular or pagan influences:
http://tinyurl.com/yvab7h

There are even some pagans who object to Christmas on the grounds that many aspects of their winter festivities have been ‘hijacked’ by the Christian church:
http://tinyurl.com/scgqu

All of these people suffer from discrimination, not only at the hands of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, but also from certain tabloid newspapers that are positively rabid in their defence of Christmas.

Someone should probably stage a demonstration about that… but they’ll need police permission first.

EVENT SPECIFICS

The anti-Christmas carol service will take place at the base of the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square at 6:30pm on Thursday 20 December 2007

Song sheets and candles will be made available, with donations going to Medical Aid for Iraqi Children

Those attending should dress warm, and bring a bell, whistle, or other form of non-electronic noisemaker for the minute of noise (which will replace the traditional minute of silence).

CAROL EXCERPTS

The following are excerpts from our song-sheet, a full version of which is available for download until the afternoon of 19 Dec in exchange for a £2 donation (again, with all proceeds going to Medical Aid for Iraqi Children):
http://www.bloggerheads.com/carols/

Bah, Humbug!
(to the tune of ‘Jingle Bells’)

Ebenezer Scrooge
Wasn’t all that dumb
Until he met the Ghost
Of Christmas Yet to Come
Then he lost the plot, and woke up with a scream
Then foolishly made life decisions based upon a dream!

Oh, bah-humbug, bah-humbug
Bah-humbug, I say
We are demonstrating here
Protesting Christmas Day

-

God Rest Ye, Jobsworth Gentlemen

A Santa Claus who asks a child
To sit upon his knee
Might likely be a paedophile
Or threat to elf safety
So issue now the order
That he cease and leave them be

O warnings of health and safety
Health and safety
O warnings of health and safety

-

The Twelve Days of *Hic*-mas

On the first day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me
Four shots of gin
Three cigarettes
Two pints of beer
And a breath test on the M3

-

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Oh! You better watch out,
You better not plot,
You better suppress bad thoughts that you’ve got
Santa Claus is coming to town!

He’s making a list,
Misplacing it twice,
And now you can buy that list at a price
Santa Claus is coming to town!

CONTACTS

Please contact Tim Ireland via tim@bloggerheads.com if you have any queries regarding this story.

ENDS

Posted on December 18th, 2007 at 8:06 am

See also • Carols in Parliament Square • Public (Carol) Service Announcement • I CAN HAS FREED SPEECH? KTHNXBYE		Permalink • Trackback • Subscribe By Email • Print This Post • • •
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