Police called to Green Party Conference

[theOtherPamAyres]

They were handing out leaflets outside the Green Party Conference.

The police were called by TRA activists. I have to assume that the callers described a major disturbance involving transphobic protesters because five officers and a police horse attended.

This is a council building, but the leafleters were moved on nevertheless.

Inside the Conference, the TRas were busy defacing notices.

Will no-one raise this interference with our democratic right in Parliament? Will no-one direct the police to be more circumspect about allegations of transphobic attacks?

The leafletting outside the Green party Conference will continue tomorrow (sunday, 06/10)

I hope that the leaders of the party will make some kind of gesture to the leafletters for the malicious hoax call made by one of their members. It's the least the Party can do.

Oh look. Another reverse. I wonder what toys were thrown?

The only time I see police horses is walking sedately around our local park... maybe it just needed exercising?

Hello all, I am delurking because I am one of the women who was handing out leaflets.

In response to questions above, we weren't exactly moved on: A TRA took objection to us, a few TRAs started leafleting with their leaflets right in front of us (fine) and then got someone to come out to tell us to move. We asked on what grounds, and that we might need the Council staff to tell us that what we were doing wasn't OK. He disappeared inside and out came a security guard who asked us to leave. We told him (ever so politely) that we didn't think we had to. Then one of the conference organisers came out to try and find a compromise (one was that we give people leaflets but didn't speak to anyone - we didn't think that was a goer). She said she didn't have any problem with the leaflets or us being there.

In the meantime, four police officers had turned up (another TRA said he had called them. I think he said it was because we were making him feel unsafe but I can't remember the exact term.

The police seemed slightly bemused (possibly trying to match what they may have been told on the phone with what they could see). A police officer on a horse then turned up. The police spent ages talking to the TRAs while we carried on handing out leaflets (very politely).

There was lots of accusations from one TRA that we were making people feel unsafe, that we were denying the existence of trans people (what does this even mean?) and that we had told a TW that they were a man (this is categorically untrue). It was like TRA bingo.

Eventually the police suggested that we move two metres further away from the entrance but by that time most of the conference goers had gone in so after 5 minutes we went for a cup of tea.

It wasn't the Green Party who called the police. It was a member or someone connected to it. Almost all Green Party members we engaged with were very happy to take a leaflet, many said they agreed with us already, others said they were very glad we were there as it gave confidence to others to speak up. A few said they didn't want a leaflet (fine). A couple of them told us they thought we were horrible. If anyone looked sceptical I suggested they look at Stonewall's website for the other point of view - because I am confident that people who look at all the info can draw their own sensible conclusions.

While the police were there, a number of Green Party members defended our right to leaflet and to free speech generally, and politely challenged the TRAs. Some of the Greens openly said it was time for debate.

Thanks for the update and for going out. Really positive to hear of the support you had from the GP members in general.

So they were leafleting and wanted you to stop - er leafleting? Are they bonkers or what?

I know who the scary, shouty, violent ones usually are and you 3 ladies certainly aren't that (unless your baseball bats and knuckle dusters were out of shot)

thanks! Good to hear the response from many greens. And that it ended with tea.

Thanks for the update, @Bristol..etc.

TRAs have now called 'Wolf' and they'll be lucky to get a response for the rest of the conference.

Here's Avon and Somerset Police's most laid back horse, Jubilee, taking himself out of the horsebox and walking to his room after keeping the Bristol Three in order. (video: 44 seconds)

twitter.com/i/status/1040255145840467969

Ah, he's a lovely horse.

Great work, BristolThree and thanks for the report.

That's very reassuring
Particularly to hear that the GP supported your right to hand out leaflets and challnged the TRAs
also that the police were quite sensible, once they had arrived

Still outrageous that TRAs can allege transphobia and get such a rapid police response, while genuine crimes can take much longer for the police to arrive.
Hence, I wonder if the caller claimed their lives were at risk - since denying TWAW is apparently like murder.
High time that such malicious TRA calls were tackled like any others, say a charge of wasting police time.

Dare we hope that GP members had a wakeup call about their TRA activists after one of their campaign managers was convicted of torturing and sexually assaulting a young child. ?

The Greens have always seemed a small rather amateurish party, but hopefully learning that they were harbouring a sadistic paedophile will concentrate minds and stiffen spines.

Having despaired of the 3 main parties over various issues, I had looked at the GP,
but I absolutely refuse to consider voting for them as long as they support self ID and echo the nonsensical "TWAW"

I suspect they have lost the potential votes of quite a number of other feminists

pam Jubilee is a georgeous horse and so intelligent

Well done TheBristolThree I hope this gets lots of press coverage!

Thank goodness AS police are more sensible than West Yorks.

Aww Jubilee .................such a handsome and good boy

Is he a lovely horse?

Deny the existence of tans people what does the mean? Why would would the police get involved in that?

I hope it goes better today for the Bristol three.

Lovely horse. Reminds me of when we took DS2 to the Lord Mayors show when he was about three. Lots of lovely horsed with shiny coats and plaited tails. DS commented 'That horse has a lovely bottom"

That horse has a lovely bottom

The TRA probably used the word 'literally' a few times in their call. They have bit of a problem distinguishing between literal and figurative; between perception and reality

Small/Far Away

A metaphor for Violence/free speech

Thank you for the report, BristolThree, great to hear firsthand what happened, and well done for standing your ground.

I’m gobsmacked by this toxic brew of a complete lack of any kind of resilience, zero tolerance of the views of others, mixed with this breathtaking arrogance demonstrated by the people that sicced the police on you. Who do these people think they are? Is it trying to replicate what they do on twitter (mobbing, reporting, getting women chucked off)?

They need to take a leaf out of the lovely Jubilee’s book and put themselves to bed.

If a horse comes out of a political debate better than you do, maybe it’s time for a rethink.

Really good to read your account Bristol

Is he a lovely horse?

To be sure. Someone should write a song...

My god, those women were terrifying. Leaflets? Don't know they about paper cuts?

Meanwhile, in other news, that is indeed a lovely horse. Would be a good choice for getting skittish children used to horses. Maybe we need a human equivalent to approach the sort of young people who have to retreat to their room with a teddy and a coloring book over pronouns.

[ChrysanthemumsAreMums]

Those ladies handing out sugar cubes to horses are committing literal animal abuse. Sugar can literally cause diabetes (sarcasm).

Seriously might not be a bad idea to have a supply of apples and carrots (and sugar cubes) on hand.

These TRAS have no self control. It will be their undoing.

Isn't it a bit fucking massive? That horse? Looks very calm, but it's the size of a horse!

Apparently Diane Abbott has tweeted about police reacting disproportionately and with excessive force. Were i on Twitter I might be tempted to reply with a picture of the three brilliant leafleteers and point out that it took four regular and one mounted policeman to subdue them.....

A house? A horse? I don't knoe