To think that the Government shouldn’t be able to control the media?

[GenderApostate19]

Yesterday, over 30,000 ex Military veterans marched in London in protest at the case of ‘Soldier F’, ending up at Parliament, where they turned their backs and stood in silence. No media coverage, thanks to a Section D notice, banning the media from covering the event. At certain points, the march crossed paths with the climate change protestors, who happily moved aside for them, the press took no photos / film of this,
So much for the ‘Freedom of the press’ eh? America has it’s faults but 30,000 vets marching to the White House and turning their backs would have massive coverage.

What’s a section d notice? I’ve not heard of it. What was the reason?

Without being able to give too many details (doesn’t want to put myself) my other half was part of an investigation that looked into the MoD with regards to a coverup/not investigating something fully, and they managed to get to the truth and overruled something they’d done. This was as a journalist for a newspaper and it got shed loads of coverage.

And I did see coverage of a previous march in London recently didn’t I?

I’m not sure what the section D thing is either, DH has just been told that by someone involved in organising the march, he couldn’t attend as we got back from holiday yesterday.
Apparently it’s a special measures law for times of civil unrest

Where was it? We usually see London marches and people congregating when ones are going on. We just saw loads of climate protestors.

I just read up that they are voluntary. The other half was only commenting yesterday that there is never anything in the news (apart from major stuff) over Easter anyway.

A quick look and I can see it’s in the daily mail. It’s quite common for people to say that secrets are kept using section d (Grendel for example) but it’s often just gossip.

It’s in a couple of local papers too. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a D-notice but it doesn’t seem likely given other measures arches have been publicised.

Possibly most outlets decided that yesterday might not have been a good day to give this march a huge amount of publicity.

Freedom of speech doesn’t actually exist to the same extent in Britain as it does in the US. It’s isnt constitutionally enshrined (article 2 ECHR is our relevant constitutional source and it permits governments to derogate). It isn’t judicially protected (the importance placed on the availability of injunctive relief in defamation provides a good illustration). It isn’t protected by parliament or the people who advise it (recent white paper on hate speech is an excellent example). However you would be mistaken to think that freedom of press is absolute in America and you would also be mistaken if you thought that Britain was anomalous among developed nations. Press gagging is common practice. It’s a remnant of 20th century political practice and belief systems. I expect that once that generation dies off and the influence of utilitarian models of thought fade is the issue will correct itself.

Ahh, thanks for the clarification, there is outrage all over the military facebook groups - they think it’s a major conspiracy because it wasn’t all over the TV news like the climate change protest.

They marched down Whitehall to Westminster.

Why did they march on Westminster at a time when parliament is in recess and Westminster-based journalists will all be on their Easter holidays? Doesn't seem well thought through to me.

Pink boat with aging actresses will always gather publicity.
The climate change lot get publicity cause they have upset people in London
A march through London to parliament is a daily affair, everything from Brexit to student debt, badger cull and junior doctors....I seen them all....so this was unlikely to garner much publicity, just part of the melee

Aren’t there environmental protestors on parliament square now anyway? Where did everyone stand?

And yes - there have been marches just about every weekend (and a few week days) for ages down park lane/around parliament. So one more is just another march really.

A quick google of soldier f brings up articles of the protest.

And as others have alluded to, there are protests all the time. There was a much bigger protest in London yesterday, so of course that is going to get more press time.

Sorry, this seems to be an attack of the paranoia which is infecting our politics and public life at the moment. The government does not control the press, and it's ridiculous to say so.