South-East peace protestor criminalised for: Reading a list of names aloud...

Maya Anne Evans, a peace protester from Hastings who was arrested at the cenotaph in London in October for reading out loud a list of solders who who had laid down their lives in Iraq, has had her case come to court. She was arrested in Whitehall under new laws the forbid protest within a 1km zone around Parliament.

Maya (who was accompanied by one supporter) was taken into custody by two police sergeants, twelve constables, and two police minibuses. She was taken to Charing Cross police station and locked up for five hours. Her case came up yesterday before Bow Street magistrates, was found guilty of breaching Section 132 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act.

Shepway Lib Dem campaigner Darren Briddock said:

"This law is insane - reading a list of names should under no circumstances lead to arrest. Maya was arrested just a few metres from the statue of Churchill in Parliament Square - it would be interesting to know what he would have made of such an attack on her liberty.

"What's next - criminalising protests against costs in Council services? Arrest for highlighting the £500,000 overspend by Shepway due to the bungled introduction of the recycling service? Britain has a proud history of protecting the right to protest - we should not criminalise people for speaking in public."

Mark Oaten MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, has today tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling on the Government to repeal the new anti-protest powers that led to the prosecution of Maya Evans. Mr Oaten said:

"The arrest and prosecution of Maya Evans is an affront to free speech, the right to protest and the traditions of this country. This is yet another example of the Government riding rough-shot over our hard won liberties.

"The Government must take the earliest opportunity to repeal these powers, before more people are caught by this draconian legislation."