#NODEBATE – LET WOMEN SPEAK – LEEDS 2020

Standing for Women founder arrested

JOSEPHINE BARTOSCH – 21 September 2020 – The Critic

The democracy of ancient Athens is still spoken of as a beacon of civilisation in a distant past that was otherwise chaotic and often bloody. It’s easy to forget that this “democracy” never existed; most people were denied the right to vote and indeed excluded from public life all together. Most of these people were women. Over two-and-half thousand years on it would be comforting to think things had progressed, but sometimes the patriarchal prejudice of our ancestors resurfaces into the present day. It seems that just as in the ancient world, today women are forbidden from entering the public square to make political demands about their rights.

According to West Yorkshire Police, women’s rights are not a political cause

Yesterday, when the group Standing for Women tried to assemble at Victoria Square in Leeds to discuss the proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act (2004) (GRA) their meeting was broken-up by the police. Three of the sixteen women were arrested, including the event organiser Kellie-Jay Keen. A lengthy risk assessment had been completed and submitted ahead of the event to ensure the group were Covid-19 compliant, and the police were kept fully appraised of the group’s plans. After the event Kelly-Jay Keen explained that she knew was likely to be arrested, part of the reason she refused to give her details to the police was in order to have the opportunity to voice her concerns in court….

Arrest of Kellie-Jay Keen (Posie Parker) – FOI 5379 20

EDWARD WILLIAMS – 21 September 2020 – What Do They Know

Dear West Yorkshire Police,

Ms. Jay Keen posted a live streaming video on YouTube of her being arrested yesterday.

The URL is https://youtu.be/ttvIHcPwzbI

At timestamp 4:21 (4 mins 21 secs) a man in plain clothes, who appears to be a constable, says: –

“…at the moment, the group has been assessed as not meeting the exceptions in law…”

The relevant law is: –
The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2020
“Restrictions on gatherings:
5.—(1) During the emergency period, unless paragraph (3) applies, no person may participate in a gathering which—

(a)consists of more than thirty persons, and
(b)takes place—
(i)xxx,
(ii)xxx
(iii)on land which satisfies the condition in paragraph (2).

(3) This paragraph applies where—

(a)in the case of a gathering described in paragraph (1)(b)(ii) or (iii)—
(i)the gathering has been organised by a business, a charitable, benevolent or philanthropic institution, a public body, or a political body,”

FOIA REQUEST
Provide the assessment and the name of the assessor of the assessment referred to above.
Provide your definition/guidance etc. of a ‘political body’ for purposes of the Regulations.
Provide the police figure for number of people at the gathering.
Provide the name and number of the plain clothes officer.
Provide the name and number of the arresting officer (in uniform).

Yours faithfully,

Edward Williams…

Arrest in Leeds -FOI 6518-20

WEST YORKSHIRE POLICE – Response to request

Our ref: 6518/20
Original request:
1.Please provide all communications (email, letter, memo), any meeting minutes and any documentation such as policy statements or guidance relating to the policing of protests in your area from August 1st to date.