Protesters Climbing War Memorials Could Face Jail And £1,000 Fine

[naomi24]

If only they'd say 'will' rather than 'could'.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68196289

[nicebloke1]

14 years of a weak and pethetic government. Reduced police force with very little power to act or protect.

[Lie-in King]

I guess they have to say "could" until Parliament passes the Bill with this amendment.  Hopefully that'll happen soon.

[jno]

and double if they're memorials to slavers, right.

[JACKSON-REACHER]

Isn't there already legislation to cover this ?

I remember Charlie Gilmore son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmore, being arrested and going to Court and fined for climbing the Cenotaph during student protests. That is about right.

Prisons should be for serious criminals not for idiots being disrespectful. We already spend £4Billion on imprisoning pleople, (£50K) per inmate. That could be spent on reducing NHS waiting lists or more police on our streets.

[gulliver1]

Mr NiceBloke 10.50..... "14 years of a weak pathetic government "filled with me first ,party next and stuff joe Bloggs.MPs just in it to milk it.

[brainiac]

Charlie Gilmore wasn't fined for climbing the Cenotaph in 2011 - he was jailed for 16 months

[Hymie]

2024 Tory controlled UK – No protests allowed!!!!!

[Khandro]

War memorials are sacred shrines to the fallen. Apart from the fine and/or imprisonment purpoertrators should have to watch through the hole of the magnificent BBC documentary; The World at War. 

[New Judge]

"I guess they have to say "could" until Parliament passes the Bill with this amendment."

They have to say "could" because all they are doing is setting a maximum penalty for the offence. It is up to the courts what penalty is imposed, subject to the sentencing guidelines. They will almost certainly not recommend a three month prison sentence for all those convicted and in fact are unlikely to recommend such a sentence at all, however serious the offence. Also bear in mind that anybody entering an early guilty plea to an offence in the (very) unlikely event that the maximum is considered will be entitled to a one third discount on their sentence, making the maximum two months. They will be released automatically after serving half of that sentence, so will be out in four weeks.

Charlie Gilmore did a lot more than climb on the Cenotaph and was convicted of Violent Disorder, for which the maximum sentence is five years.He was sentenced to sixteen months and was released under "Home Detention Curfew" after serving four months.

[ToraToraTora]

Damn savages should be thrashed to within an inch of their worthless lives....etc

[andres]

Bring back the stocks!

[DTCwordfan]

TTT wants to bring back the birch or even introduce the rattan as in Malaysia or Sing - you have to keep a Koran under your upper arm as you wield it, TTT......what a sight this would be.

[andy-hughes]

jno - // and double if they're memorials to slavers, right. //

I find your post oblique - are you beng ironic?

[douglas9401]

I'll go aloñg with the big old fine if there's also a prize for shinning up Nelsons Column unaided.

Ooerrr missus I hear you squeal.

[JACKSON-REACHER]

// Protesters climbing on war memorials could face up to three months in prison under plans being proposed by Home Secretary James Cleverly. //

// Charlie Gilmore wasn't fined for climbing the Cenotaph in 2011 - he was jailed for 16 months //

There is already legislation to deter these disrespectful idiots.

Probably just coincidence that the Government are wasting time on this a few months before a General Election. It gets a few headlines in the right fringe media.

 

[New Judge]

"There is already legislation to deter these disrespectful idiots."

So what offence would be committed when a disrespectful idiot simply climbs on to a memorial and does no damage to it? (Clue: take a look at this):

https://news.sky.com/story/met-police-says-its-not-illegal-to-climb-a-memorial-after-criticism-over-not-arresting-pro-palestinian-protesters-13009466

[JACKSON-REACHER]

NJ

Charlie Gilmore caused no damage and got 16 months.

Presumably if he commited the offence under Cleverley's legislation, he would would only get 3 months jail ?

[davebro3]

Charlie Gilmour, 21, was seen hanging from a union flag on the Cenotaph and later leaped on the bonnet of a Jaguar car forming part of the royal convoy taking the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to the royal variety performance that was attacked by demonstrators. He also set fire to papers outside the supreme court in Parliament Square and was seen kicking at a window of a Topshop branch in Oxford Street and later carrying the leg of a mannequin. Students attacking the store caused £50,000 damage.

[New Judge]

"NJ

Charlie Gilmore caused no damage and got 16 months.

Presumably if he commited the offence under Cleverley's legislation, he would would only get 3 months jail ?"

No, not quite right.

Mr Gilmore was convicted under s2 of the Public Order Act of "Violent Disorder." This offence is the second most serious covered by the Public Order Act (behind only a s1 offence of "Riot") and (again as I explained earlier) carries a maximum of five years' custody. Davebro provides some of the detail of Mr Gilmore's behaviour, above.

The Cenotaph episode was only a small part of his escapades that day and although, because of its nature, it attracted the most media attention, by itself would not have been an offence at all (as explained by the Met Police Commissioner in the link I provided).

Mr Cleverley's proposals aims at making such behaviour a specific offence.