Linda Bellos and Venice Allan at Westminster magistrates court on 26th

[howonearthdidwegethere]

Are people planning to attend?

en-gb.facebook.com/events/303482357125787/

Anyone have any updates on this?

Anyone know if this is still likely to happen? (The court appearance itself and the silent protest.)

Echoing previous posters, are there any updates?

No updates that I can see on public FB pages but I'm not on FB so can't see anything that requires you to be a member IYSWIM.

I can't believe this prosecution can go ahead - surely it's no nonsensical it can get thrown out by the DPP.

bump

As far as I can see from FB, it's still on. Pasting in what the event listing says. FB has 96 people saying they're going, 260 'interested'. I know it's hard to gauge from a FB page but suspect there may be quite a few people there.

In the latest attempt by trans rights activists to silence women’s concerns over proposals to reform the GRA, Linda Bellos and Venice Allan are facing a private prosecution.

But the women of the U.K. will NOT be bullied into silence! On September 13th it is a year since the assault on Maria Maclachan at Speaker’s Corner by trans activists, one of whom has since been convicted for the assault.

Women all over the world are subject to well-documented intimidation and harassment for meeting to discuss their rights, or for speaking out online.

Our response here in the U.K. has seen a surge of grassroots feminist organising and resistance, and a commitment to open discussion on the impact of proposed sex self-ID on women’s rights.

This demonstration will see a coalition of U.K. women’s groups and organisations coming together in unity and solidarity with Venice and Linda, including:

Woman’s Place UK
Fair Play for Women
Man Friday
Lesbian Rights Alliance
OBJECT
Get the L Out
Critical Sisters
forwomen.scot
Standing for Women
Mayday4Women
Let A Woman Speak
Liverpool ReSisters
We Need To Talk

Please join us for a peaceful demonstration at 9.30am on Wednesday 26th September at Westminster Magistrates Court.

Feel free to bring banners, signs, leaflets or anything else to showcase the creativity, commitment and strength of the U.K.’s feminist resistance to self-ID.

If the case doesn’t go to hearing (which is a possibility), we will relocate and use the opportunity to network and celebrate our achievements so far.

I wonder how close to the date we might hear if the case doesn't go to hearing as I'm planning to travel from the East Midlands just to support Linda and Venice .

Sadly, I think most people will be at work. It's a shame it's not on a weekend.

Yes - it's tricky. I'm planning to attend but I can't get there for 09:30 and I'm just wondering how I'd find out where people have moved to in order to share biscuits/network if I arrive there to find it's been cancelled/over.

The FB page seems to be visible to non-FB users? I imagine there'll be an update there if anything changes:

en-gb.facebook.com/events/303482357125787/

Someone further up this thread said it was likely to go ahead as it's a private prosecution (I imagine it'd be likely to be thrown out if it was a public prosecution, as they have to make a case for it being in the public interest, as it's taxpayers' money).

I'm definitely going , doubt I'll manage to make a sign by then, though I'd like to! I could get my kids to maybe if anyone has a killer slogan idea for me! Arranfan I'd be happy to PM you if it moves or whatever and you're late.

@LittleLebowski - I'd very much appreciate knowing about any change in venue or where people go afterwards if it's all over very quickly. Thank you!

I haven't thought up any good slogans. So, yes, I'm in the market for helpful suggestions :)

(I imagine it'd be likely to be thrown out if it was a public prosecution, as they have to make a case for it being in the public interest, as it's taxpayers' money).

They already tried and it was thrown out (in terms of deciding not to prosecute) Hence the private one.

Does anyone expect there will be security concerns over this? I suppose anti-women activists may be a little more careful about assaulting women right in front of a courthouse, but at this point who knows?

I am still planning on going, though. Can't believe this is actually happening.

One thing I’ve been pondering - if you are the target of a malicious private prosecution, can you simply refuse to participate? What would happen if you did?

My understanding is that a DPP can intervene to prevent a private prosecution from going ahead. I've posted different links before but this is an interesting and nuanced discussion about what is involved in defending one:

In a State prosecution, the defendant who challenges the sufficiency of the evidence has one option: to apply to the Court to dismiss the case. In a private prosecution, the defendant has an additional option: to invoke section 6(2) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, which entitles the Director of Public Prosecutions (“the DPP”) to take over a private prosecution so as to discontinue it. The DPP’s policy on private prosecutions states that she will discontinue a private prosecution if the evidential test from the CPS Code for Crown Prosecutors (“the CPS Code”) is not satisfied, i.e. there is no realistic prospect that the defendant would be convicted. The lawfulness of the DPP’s policy was affirmed by the Supreme Court in R v Gujra.[1] Their Lordships regarded the DPP’s power to discontinue a private prosecution on evidential grounds as an important safeguard against abuse of the right to prosecute.

www.corkerbinning.com/defending-a-private-prosecution/

I can't believe that this private prosecution against Linda and Venice hasn't been discontinued.

However, the case mentioned in the above link is interesting and there are lots of relevant details about mixed motives of the person bringing the private prosecution.

You'd be in contempt of court I think GenderApostate

I'm coming to this. I'll have a go at making a placard. Is it a single hearing for both Linda and Venice?

So if you have the cash you can effectively maliciously bankrupt a person through legal fees even if there's no legal case to answer. Wow.

Or does the bringer of the private prosecution have to pay legal fees of the defendant if it fails? Anyone know?

does the bringer of the private prosecution have to pay legal fees of the defendant if it fails?

From the link above it seems like it might sometimes be a nuanced decision:

Earlier this year, Peter Gray, the former partner of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LPP, received a substantial costs award after Hammersmith Magistrates Court dismissed a private prosecution brought against him and others concerning allegations of human trafficking. District Judge Tan Ikram reportedly described the private prosecution as “wholly improper”. The Judge’s rebuke is a reminder that private prosecutions, which have swung into fashion in recent times, need to be carefully handled.

However, altho' @lecanardnoir successfully defended a private prosecution and was awarded costs, iirc, several years on, these have not been settled fully.

www.quackometer.net/blog/2018/03/totally-without-merit.html

Thank you arranfan

Arran

I'm making a simple cardboard sign with 'Let womens voices be heard '

I can offer lifts from west Dorset on Tues afternoon/night if anyone can advise how to do so safely. :)
(Have nc due to mentioning location here but happy to engage with others away from a public forum iyswim.)

Just wanted to point out that it was a civil prosecution brought against myself and Melanie Byng. Not a private prosecution. Private prosecutions are brought for criminal actions when the CPS will not prosecute, but you can bring private criminal prosecutions without too much cost liability. Like civil prosecutions, they can be used to intimidate and silence. I would guess the best bet is to get the CPS involved as soon as possible to try to squash it.