What is kettling? I am from the US so pardon my American English lol

Tim, kettling is a police procedure which has gained exposure during recent protests. It involves confining a large group of people into a very small area and not letting them leave (or only in very small numbers). It has received criticism on a number of levels: that it is dangerous to the safety of those kettled (somtimes in very low temperatures in crush conditions for close to 10 hours without food, water or toilets) and to encouraging violence of those in the situation. More info here [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettling].

Why didn’t she do this when Labour were in power and kettling the G20 protesters?

MP takes a stand against something only long after it’s become universally unpopular? Unbelievable!

I am sure we are all aware that EDMs are pointless wastes of time – the equivalent of putting a birth notice in the local paper.

Anyhow, it is not surprising that while she complains about the process, she offers absolutely no suggestions of how she would control and contain large unruly crowds.

Until then, not only is the EDM a waste of time (and money), but I can’t decide if her alternatives are at all viable.

Bloody hell, she is taking a stand against kettling so why not support her?

About fucking time – its an abominable practice, as dangerous as it is illiberal.

But as Question Mark says, where the hell was she when Labour were responsible?

An EDM is one aspect of a campaign but a useful one nonetheless. I guess @IanVisits supports kettling.

Anyone who is seriously opposed to kettling and wants to see it end will get behind Katy Clark and other supportive MPs, not try and snipe about her past record…which, as i’m sure @Shatterface and @Cai will know, includes supporting and speaking at direct action events.

EDMs don’t change anything in themselves- we all know that.

They are useful however for identifying sympathetic MPs, and as a campaigning tool (something to write to your MP about, even if you know they won’t sign, at least they know some of their constituents’ opinions on things). If we don’t tell them what we think, they may well believe we either approve of what they’re doing, or we don’t care either way! Sometimes MPs do sit up and take notice if they get loads of letters on a particular subject and are often surprisingly impressed if a campaign results in sackfuls of letters. Well I was surprised to hear an MP say how impressed she and some of her colleagues often are in receiving mass mail. Letters do need to be personalised, though, not identical.

Ben@8: I agree. I support this cause and a glad that it has credible political backing. I’m happy to hear that Katy Clark genuinely supports this in a non-cynical fashion. My comment@4 was a general one; but you’re right — best that those in support of the cause put our cynicism and bitterness to one side while there’s progress to be made.

I have urged my MP Paul Goggins (Lab, Sale) to sign. To understand why we need to support this and for a shocking summary of events of last November when schoolkids were kettled in the bitter cold without food, water or sanitation for up to 7 hours, read this.
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/laurie-penny/2010/11/children-police-kettle-protest

Is this just about kettling leftist demonstrators or annyone?
Football supporters get kettled all the time, as do the EDL.

Just asking. I think it’s pretty out of order, btw.

damon, the motion is against kettling full stop. You can read it yourself above!

From the EDM:

..believes this kettling to be an infringement of the fundamental right to peaceful protest;

This seems strangely worded because of course it is an infringement – the argument is over whether or not it is a necessary and proportionate infringement (the language of human rights law and judgements).

AIUI the courts have ruled that kettling is broadly speaking OK, but of course the outcome of a specific case depends on its circumstances.

But to me, being “kettled by police for … nine hours without food, appropriate facilities or access to medical assistance for those who require it and [being] refused the right to leave” constitutes an unlawful deprivation of liberty, let alone an infringement on the freedom to protest.

A report by the HMIC, Adapting to Protest is worth reading.

Tim, I believe the tactic was used by police operations in Seattle, G20 Toronto, etc. in America, and at large sporting events. It’s not officially called kettling.

This motion is similar to the petition to ban kettling we’re handing to the Met Police Authority on the 27th at City Hall, but ours says “except” when there are 2 groups on the streets who need to be kept apart to prevent violence. For example, the EDL have threatened to come to London and Manchester on the 29th to stand up against the lefty students: In which case of course the tactic should be deployed to control such aggression in a situation could be viewed as a continuation of the attack on the Millbank office of the conservative party.

I would ban the use of batons on students heads.

X

be samuel- i’d ban the use of batons on students head, how are the police supposed to defend themselves from metal poles, snooker balls then, GUNS?

I believe the issue is this “right to peaceful protest”. If the protestors were actually being peaceful then they wouldn’t need to be “kettled”
But of course a peaceful protest doesn’t make headlines, attacking the police and forcing them to “kettle” you does.

@John – Alfie Meadows was hit and suffered serious head injuries trying to leave the kettle, not attacking police. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/10/student-operation-tuition-fees-protest
@Vince – the majority of those recently kettled (and in some kettles, all of them) were peacefully protesting. I highly recommend the New Statesman piece linked earlier if you want to understand the police tactics better. They don’t wait for trouble to start before kettling, they use the excuse of attempting to prevent it before it starts. That’s why it is an infringement of civil liberties and a form of false imprisonment.

@ 17 Vince

“I believe the issue is this “right to peaceful protest”. If the protestors were actually being peaceful then they wouldn’t need to be “kettled””

That’s funny, I missed the footage of the police correctly identifying each and every protester as violent before collectively punishing the lot of them. Perhaps you could provide a link?