Sunderland, UK

hi
new to the site and this sort of thing never protested anything before but I will down in sunny sunderland for about 12 o clock ,cant bring anybody with me because they think im nuts

Hi welcome, don't worry if you can't bring anybody just bring yourself and as i keep saying just bring yourself its the most important. Hey at this rate we might as the scilons say be upstat at the next demo ie 17+ anons !!! Lets go for it!

Found out im gonna have to dart off early.
Need to be home around 4 since Darlington have made it to the League 2 Playoffs.
so Ill check when the closest bus to 3 comes back my way.

If the police aren't cool with masks, do they still allow costumes which obscure the face?
Either way, 2 of us will be coming from Newcastle on the metro at 11ish. See you all then!

Great, might be able to make this one :) So, if I show up by the Metro station a bit after 11, I'm likely to see people there?

It's a pity there's no masks. I guess scarf/bandana and sunglasses, then...

Seems like good numbers :)
Walking from the bus station so i guess ill be there about 11:30 with just one friend now.
Has Sunderland ever had a reaction from the $cifags?

Actually apart from taking our photos they seem quite friendly lol. We actually spoke to a few of them. I think their policy is to now is to play dead and lie low but we shall see this Saturday

BTW i saw the stress test at Newcastle quayside on Sunday and i didn't see any OT powers as the rain came pouring down at dinner time. In fact i felt quite sorry for them as the rain soaked their preciouse e-meters and dianetics books, no win for them there on that day.

Ahh ok.
Weathers set to be cloudy but warm with highs of 18 Degrees :P
Ice Creamz & Cake = Win :D

Originally Posted by vegnej

Actually apart from taking our photos they seem quite friendly lol. We actually spoke to a few of them. I think their policy is to now is to play dead and lie low but we shall see this Saturday

BTW i saw the stress test at Newcastle quayside on Sunday and i didn't see any OT powers as the rain came pouring down at dinner time. In fact i felt quite sorry for them as the rain soaked their preciouse e-meters and dianetics books, no win for them there on that day.

I was wondering if they had one LOL

Damn, we need a hotline à la red Batphone for the Quayside thing. I went down a couple of times to try and have some fun with them but they only go there rarely and when I spoke to the Council they informed me that they're one of the stalls that just turn up on the day and get a pitch so there's no way to predict when they will or won't be there. I have specific signs ready and everything! :D

I've been super-busy with personal/work stuff of late so haven't been on top of things as much as I would have liked. I am making a couple of signs for Saturday that look like this...



...and will do some flyers too when I can figure out what they'll be this time.

Have spoken to the police so they're informed - all systems go.

And hey, the weather DOES look like it might be nice for a change :)

Also fantastic to see all you random new faces planning to come - cool beans!

Nice signs :D

As far as a batphone goes - I wonder about a blog just posting when the cart is out, so people know when it's a good time to head down? People could subscribe via feedburner (get an e-mail when it posts) and posts could be e-mailed in by mobile if someone spots the cart. Could be a way to let a group of people know about the cart...or daft/OTT?

is the quayside the only place the cart go's to I will phone gateshead council up to see if they have permision peddle there

According to OCMB Operation Clambake Message Board :: View topic - Sunderland they have in the past appeared in Darlington. This info is a couple of years old now so whether its just down to the odd appearance at Newcastle seems to be the case now. I do know they do Psychic fairs which seemed to be the rage about a year ago, but seem to of all but disappeared. This could be because of recent government legislation regarding mediums etc being a scam.

OH FUCK.
Gotta drop out.
Grandmas passed away early hours of this morning :(
I think im gonna stop with the family this weekend. Mums in a state :(
Sorry.

gateshead council says that nobody from the co$ has contacted them about
a street traders licence
newcastle council says that if they have a spot vacant on the quayside they
are wellcome to fill it but you (me) can prove that they are doing anythink wrong they cannot do anythink to stop them
peterlee(easington) no

Originally Posted by onemorenewanon

Could be a way to let a group of people know about the cart...or daft/OTT?

I like it! As long people have email-happy phones of course - my ancient piece of shit need not apply ;)

Originally Posted by bodger

is the quayside the only place the cart go's to

In addition to the other places mentioned they've been spotted at Tynemouth Station at the market there.

Originally Posted by MattA-1991-VD

OH FUCK.
Gotta drop out.
Grandmas passed away early hours of this morning :(
I think im gonna stop with the family this weekend. Mums in a state :(
Sorry.

Ack, I'm sorry mate :( Of course you should be with your family.

Originally Posted by bodger

newcastle council says that if they have a spot vacant on the quayside they are wellcome to fill it

Yep, as I said they don't pre-book their pitch.

Guys, major fucking problems.

Just got a call a call from P.C. Hepton and he's basically said that we can't have the protest on Saturday. Despite me informing them 6 days ahead of the date by phone he's saying that it would have needed to be there in writing otherwise it's no go.

Now I think there's been some confusion about this as when iviv couldn't make the last protest and I offered to ring them and inform them, P.C. Hepton was fine about it and made no mention of written confirmation so naturally assumed that was fine then. It was only recently that I found out that was because iviv had written to them without my knowledge. I had also thought iviv was going to write this time but maybe I'm mistaken.

He also asked about why these were happening with such regularity, I explained, and he pointed out that we might fall foul of harassment laws for targeting the Org over and over again despite the whole right to protest aspect. Now I've seen no mention of any other UK protests being told a similar thing so take it with a pinch of salt - we know that Sunderland Police have been a little heavy-handed compared to other cities.

So pissed off right now.

I have only one suggestion for a plan b. and that's that we say fuck it and hit Newcastle instead. There was talk of doing that instead of Sunderland in the beginning and it would certainly get a lot more traffic. We could do Monument/Northumberland Street etc. There would be an element of risk involved but the worst that can happen is we get told to stop/move on and it's better than not protesting at all. Think of it as a change of scenery.

Who's up for that?

Wow thats bad news, probably won't be able to make it now the venues changed. Another thing Newcastle council hit you hard if you hand if fliers! What a bummer!!!!!!!!1

I can hardly get down Northumberland Street without being offered about 10 flyers and I highly doubt that every 2 bit club promoter has a permit or something.

Do you know anything about what procedures would normally need to be followed?

Lots of bad news :(

If we *do* do Newcastle, though, it might be good to emphasise that Sunderland police have blocked the protest there. A good way to get people onside - given Sunderland's popularity in Newcastle ;) - and might be worth mentioning this to local media too.

Not sure whether Sunderland police are acting 'normally' or not, in banning the protest? IANAL, and not sure if handing out flyers in Newcastle would count as a protest? Any anons more clued up on this stuff?