85 year-old Anne Power (Manchester Green Party) being dragged across the road by 3 police officers

Hi, all

No doubt many of you have already seen the photos of 85 year-old Anne Power (Manchester Green Party) being dragged across the road by 3 police officers during this week's Green Monday protests. For those of you who haven't, here it is:

Jenny Jones (Green Party member of House of Lords), who came up for the 25 September Green Monday, has received a parliamentary answer to the question she asked about the 'additional' costs to Lancashire County Council resulting from their policing/facilitating of Cuadrilla's fracking site: it amounts to a staggering £3.1 million! This £3.1m bill is MORE than this year's increase in council tax raised, and the answer confirms that Lancashire council tax payers will pick up the bill for the Welsh and Somerset police. Encouragingly (as regards Labour's anti-fracking stance), Labour's Shadow Spokesperson in the House of Lords, for Home Affairs, also asked a supplementary question about this. Jenny has called for "the police to scale back the operation and [instead] provide minimal policing of the operation, so that police officers can get back to protecting the public rather than harassing protestors." You can read more about this on Jenny's latest blog:

http://bit.ly/2kI4EX3

Before Anne's dramatic first-hand experience of current policing methods, about 30 protesters had heard speeches from:

* Romayne Phoenix (New Lucas Plan Group, & former Chair/Co-Chair of the Coalition of Resistance and The People's Assembly), who spoke about the denial of democracy over fracking in particular, and on other more general issues

* Alan Williams (Reclaim The Power) and

* Martin Porter (Manchester Greenpeace).

REMINDER: Green Monday 16 October: 

So far, we have no confirmed speaker(s) for this week's Green Monday - but do turn up in numbers, as you never know what's likely to happen! One possibility is Adam Ramsay (Co-Editor of openDemocracy; he also works for Bright Green), who has promised to come in the VERY near future (train times awaiting confirmation:

 

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Forthcoming 'Green Mondays' & other protest days at PNR:
As well as next Monday, and the on-going daily protests at PNR - which now include the regular & very successful 'White Wednesdays' and 'Trade Union/Red Fridays' - here is advance notice of:
1. Monday 23 October: 4 dance teachers, who are also members of Ludus Dance (Lancashire's leading dance development charity), will be making a visit to the site's gates to perform some of their entertaining dances:

2. Monday 30 October: Siân Berry (London Green Party Councillor) will be the main speaker:
Siân Berry (front right) protesting against air pollution in London, during her campaign in the recent London Mayoral election.

3. Wednesday 1 November: This 'White Wednesday' protest is DEFINITELY one to attend! Emma Thompson and Natalie Bennett (AND possibly Bianca Jagger, Vivienne Westwood ) will be there!

So it's definitely another date for your diary!! 'Green' women (Green Party, Greenpeace, FoE, etc) are particularly urged to bring banners to this event. 

Practical details:

1. For this White Wednesday, the meeting time at Maple Farm is from 9.30am, with SILENCE at the gates at 11.00am EXACTLY!

2. Those who can't make it to Preston New Road that day are requested to gather at sites of importance/town centres in their nearest town, in order to still be part of this 'Women's Call for Calm'. PLEASE wear white - and hold a few minutes' silence at 11.00am, to coincide with that at PNR.

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All the best 

Allan Todd

Membership Secretary

Allerdale & Copeland Green Party