How shouting "Nonsense" is now an act of terror
Most of the major newspaper's websites are running stories today about 82 year old Walter Wolfgang who was forcibly ejected from the Labour party conference for heckling Jack Straw while he was giving a speach on the War in Iraq. (BBC News). Two different accounts of the event refer to Mr. Wolfgang as having shouted either "Nonsense" or "That’s rubbish, that’s a lie" subsequently he was grabbed by 2 stewards and dragged out of the conference in full view of TV cameras.
While the reaction by the stewards seems pretty over the top, the interesting thing is that when Mr. Wolfgang tried to re-enter the conference he was refused entry under section 44 of the Terrorism Act. Interestingly enough, section 44, subsection 3 of the act states:
(3) An authorisation under subsection (1) or (2) may be given only if the person giving it considers it expedient for the prevention of acts of terrorism.
The fact that Mr. Wolfgang was held under this act seems to me completely ridiculous, I don't see how in this case Mr. Wolfgang's heckling of a speaker at a conference could ever be seen as an indication of an intent by him to commit a terrorist act.
Surely there must have been numerous other ways the police could have refused him entry to the conference without having to resort to ant-terror laws.
Other links: Guardian, Telegraph, Sky News.
While the reaction by the stewards seems pretty over the top, the interesting thing is that when Mr. Wolfgang tried to re-enter the conference he was refused entry under section 44 of the Terrorism Act. Interestingly enough, section 44, subsection 3 of the act states:
(3) An authorisation under subsection (1) or (2) may be given only if the person giving it considers it expedient for the prevention of acts of terrorism.
The fact that Mr. Wolfgang was held under this act seems to me completely ridiculous, I don't see how in this case Mr. Wolfgang's heckling of a speaker at a conference could ever be seen as an indication of an intent by him to commit a terrorist act.
Surely there must have been numerous other ways the police could have refused him entry to the conference without having to resort to ant-terror laws.
Other links: Guardian, Telegraph, Sky News.
posted by Unknown at 9:29 AM
2 Comments:
why don't you complain to your MP about the abuse of terror laws.
The guy was a member of the labour party, so that means that labour allow terrorists to operate not only in their organisation, but at their meetings as well.
If you do email Gavin Strang, tell him to go and take down that poster round one of the lamp-posts on nicolson street, it's been a while since the election!
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