Wednesday 10 February 2016

Love Activist supporter on trial said "“What law states I can’t feed the homeless people, please?”"



Amanda Doyle, aged 27 asked Police Officers “What law states I can’t feed the homeless people, please?

Amanda, was seen by Police throwing sandwiches up to occupiers standing on the balcony inside the former bank, the empty building that had been occupied by the "Love Activists", and told officers:

“I’d like to feed them, if that’s alright with you.”

PC Ian Hayhurst, who arrested Doyle, informed her to “be careful”, to which she replied, “why do I need to be careful?

“Am I going to be at risk if I give these guys food? You work for me, for us, for him, her, her, her, her...”

Moments later, Doyle was arrested after police alleged she breached a Section 35 notice for “contributing or being at risk of contributing to harassment, alarm or distress to members of the public”.

That prompted a large melee, the court was shown on video, with supporters shouting “Assault, assault, assault!” and then yelling “police brutality, get your hands off her!”

PC Hayhurst said he felt intimidated after detaining Doyle, of Woolfall Crescent, Huyton, as mobile phones were held up in his face.The officer said: “I felt very intimidated.

Richard Brigden, representing Doyle, suggested to Merseyside Police officers giving evidence that his client’s behaviour had been “polite and respectful”. He claimed police had not correctly followed legal procedures when ordering people to leave the area.

The anti-austerity sit-in started on April 18 and ended weeks later, on May 12 when police entered the premises.

The trial continues.

Tuesday 9 February 2016

Lawyers accuse Merseyside Police of "unlawfully arresting" women supporting 'Love Activists'

Merseyside Police were today accused of unlawfully arresting a young woman in the same area as the ‘Love Activist’ protests in Liverpool City Centre last year.

Four women are on trial at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court after being arrested outside the old bank building in Castle Street, on April 30th 2015.

The women were in the area offering support to the activists, who were illegally occupying the building in protest against austerity and lack of support for the homeless.

Prosecutors say women on trial were staffing a soup stand, holding a placard and throwing bottles of water.

Ellie Louise Longman, 19, from Huyton, Ann Cawson, 58, from Walton, Kim Michelle Scott, 39, from Chester and Amanda Doyle, 27, from Huyton, have all pleaded not guilty to one charge of failing to comply with a section 35 direction excluding a person from an area.

The trial continues tomorrow and Thursday.

Saturday 6 February 2016

Merseyside Police Inspector says, "Anyone, can ban anyone, from anything"

Asking a Merseyside Police Inspector, under what law or power of exclusion, can Knowsley Council prevent members of the Public from attending Public meetings.

Bearing in mind, "The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012":

Regulation 4 (5) which states "Without prejudice to any power of exclusion to suppress or prevent disorderly conduct or other misbehaviour at a meeting, the decision-making body is not to have the power to exclude members of the public from a meeting while it is open to the public."

Inspector Rankine says, ""Anyone can ban anyone from doing anything"

Before you all start 'banning' things, what the Inspector says is not true.