Who's laughing now?

Here's that Manifesto Club call to action I mentioned yesterday.

Campaigners are holding a weekend of protest to sound the alarm about a new wave of council bans in public spaces.

'Public Spaces Protection Orders' (PSPOs) are powers that allow councils to ban activities if they believe these to have a 'detrimental effect' on the 'quality of life'.

Back in February, a report by the Manifesto Club found that 79 councils had passed 130 PSPOs.

A new briefing by the club highlights the 20 worst new PSPOs of the past five months, including:

Gravesham Council has banned lying down/sleeping in any public place, including in a car or caravan

Blaby Council has banned 10- to 17-year olds from standing in groups of four or more

Worthing Council has banned begging, sitting or loitering for an 'unreasonable time', and remaining overnight in any vehicle

Forest of Dean Council is planning to criminalise those who allow their sheep to enter the village of Bream in Gloucestershire. This would prohibit sheep grazing practices that have been established for centuries

Bassetlaw has brought through PSPOs in Retford and Worksop town centres banning shouting, swearing, and groups of under-16s standing in groups of three or more

Colchester Council is proposing a ban on people being in possession of roller skates, skateboards or scooters

The briefing was reported by the Telegraph, The Times (which both lead with the sheep story!) and Conservative Home.

The Manifesto Club add that they're holding a weekend of protest (this weekend) "to sound the alarm about these new waves of council bans".

Actions on August 6 and 7 include:

• Cambridge street theatre performers performing a sketch mocking their council's ban on punt touting in the city centre
• Members of the Forest of Dean sheep Commoners Association delivering a petition against the council's plan to ban sheep
• People standing in pairs in Hillingdon to protest against the council's ban on "standing in groups of two or more unless waiting at a designated bus stop"
• Students lying down in sleeping bags in Woking town centre in opposition to Woking Council's ban on begging

Last but not least there will be a protest festival in Hackney – where the council was forced to withdraw a ban on rough sleeping and loitering – including speeches, public art and music. Details here.

Btw, that list of new PSPOs (above) reminded me of the famous Not The Nine O'Clock News sketch when Constable Savage was accused of inventing a series of ridiculous charges against a coloured man.

'Offences' included:

• "Loitering with intent to use a pedestrian crossing."
• "Urinating in a public convenience."
• "Coughing without due care and attention."
• "Walking on the cracks on the pavement."
• 'Walking in a loud shirt in a built up area."
• "Looking at me in a funny way."

In the words of his boss (the Rowan Atkinson character), "Savage, I think you're being a little ... over-zealous."

That was in the Seventies. In a similar sketch written today Constable Savage would be a local councillor and the target could be almost anyone.

Alternatively, to narrow it down, Constable Savage would be the chief executive of the local NHS trust and the 'offender' would be a smoker.

Charges could include:

• "Loitering with intent to light up."
• "Smoking with intent to inhale."
• "Rolling a cigarette in skinny jeans and a Hawiian shirt."
• "Holding a cigarette in a way that makes smoking look cool."

Last but not least:

• "Smoking in the open air on a road adjacent to but not on NHS property."

Who's laughing now?

Comments

[Rose2]

I thought that all those were already sufficiently covered by "Conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace" at a police officer's discretion.

[gray]

Getting more like Turkey every day, and politicians wonder why the public doesn't like them.