Viewpoint: The right to peaceful protest
Iona · 118 candles lit in the Oran Chapel
Social media posts are commenting on the roller coaster week that this has been for women. Starting with all the congratulations for International Women's Day, when we were able to share in some wonderful occasions recognising women for all that they do.
But it also seemed that big companies were getting on the bandwagon, even when we know them for their exploitation of their workforce, women included.
Mid-week the heart breaking news of the finding of the body of Sarah Everard was released and a serving police officer was charged with her murder.
Last night we saw the horrific scenes at the Band Stand on Clapham Common. Today, we have Mothering Sunday.
A roller coaster indeed and one during which many thousands of women have come forward to tell their stories of abuse and violence and the daily fear which means that they are constantly listening and watching and cannot be who they really are and are not free to walk where they wish.
'She was walking home.'
Calls for vigils went out - for silent vigils with candles - remembering Sarah and all those women who have died through violence. A call for things to change, for women not to live in fear every day of their lives. A call to #ReclaimTheseStreets.
Safely distanced vigils were planned, and took place peacefully in other parts of the country. In Birmingham, there was no police presence and no problem. Clapham Common Vigil was always going to be the most emotional and to have the most media attention.
No matter what we feel about the gathering that took place later on Clapham Common, we see that distressed and grieving women went, throughout the day, to respectfully lay flowers, light candles and to stand in silence to remember Sarah and all those other women, including themselves who have suffered violence and who live their lives in fear
There is an interesting thread of evidence about the legal case of the gathering. Whilst some media are reporting that it was illegal, this is by no means clear. What is clear is that the organisers made every attempt to have discussions with the police in the hope that the silent, safely distanced vigil they were organising, could take place. This was not to be and in the face of this we were asked to light candles at home.
To Light Her Way Home.
Many of us lit candles and stood on our doorsteps in quiet reflection and in memory of Sarah and all women who have died in violence. On Iona the light shone out of the Oran Chapel as 118 candles were lit and the names of the women killed by men were read out. There will be so many that we have never heard of. 16 year old Wenjing Lin was murdered by a man last week in Wales but it went almost unnoticed.
Many of us in Pax Christi have taken part in vigils, protests and demonstrations over the years. We are committed to protesting nonviolently against injustices that have gone unchanged through other means and we have witnessed many incidents of protestors being treated with violence but these have generally not appeared on the media.
Last night's violence by the police towards the women on Clapham Common, was filmed by the media and on phones and shown all over social media, all over the world. The reactions have been ones of shock, disgust, horror, grief and pain. The actions have been widely condemned. The feelings of the people can be seen and heard in the conversations between friends and the subsequent protests that took place today.
Against this background, there is widespread protest at the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill being taken through Parliament, at great speed, tomorrow. If passed, this will severely curtail our rights to protest. At 290+ pages long it proposes draconian measures and particularly targets groups of people, such as travellers. Even lone protestors don't escape. It means that any excuse can be used to curtail vigils or protests if the 'powers that be' don't want it to take place! We have been urging our members and friends to contact their MPs asking them to oppose this Bill.
The Human Rights Act 1998 sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to. Article 11 protects the right to protest by holding meetings and demonstrations with other people: "Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association with others." The passing of the above Bill would deny our fundamental right to peaceful protest.
In his prayer intentions for February, Pope Francis made a powerful and heartfelt plea for all violence against women to stop. He said abuses and violence against women are "acts of cowardice and a degradation of all humanity." "We must not look the other way. Let us pray for women who are victims of violence, that they may be protected by society and have their sufferings considered and heeded by all." "The testimonies of the victims who dare to break their silence are a cry for help that we cannot ignore." He urges people not to be indifferent and to pray for the protection of victims.
In Fratelli Tutti (225/6/7) Frances says, " In many parts of the world there is a need for paths of peace to heal open wounds. There is also a need for peacemakers, men and women prepared to work boldly and creatively to initiate processes of healing and renewed encounter." He goes on to speak of the importance of truth as inseparable from justice and mercy and essential in building peace. He says that truth means telling families, torn apart by pain, what happened to their missing relatives and it means recognising the pain of women who are victims of violence and abuse. ' Every act of violence committed against a human being is a wound in humanities flesh; every violent death diminishes us as a people…
We are all diminished by the murder of Sarah Everard, by what happened yesterday on Clapham Common and by all the open wounds of violence that are festering in our communities, in our country. We are called to be peacemakers and this means we need to seek the truth, speak that truth to power, condemn violence and work boldly and creatively, as well as courageously, to help bring about justice and healing.
Our Pax Christi Daily Prayer includes the following:
Loving God,
Strengthen: my determination to work for a world of peace and justice; my courage to challenge the powerful with the values of the gospel and my commitment to find nonviolent ways of resolving conflict.
Teach me to speak out for the victims of injustice who have no voice and to reject the violence which runs through much of our world today.
Ann Farr is Chair of Pax Christi England and Wales
14th March 2021
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