A very successful event and given incidents at other LWS Events I am very pleased to report that Northumbria Police were fantastic. I am pretty sure there were more police than protesters.
As well as the line of police between the LWS women and the protesters there were:
- police standing with the women
- police stationed at the main gate to the park ensuring that protesters could not obstruct entry
- police stationed near the Aviary beside the women, to ensure protesters could not gain access via the William Turner Garden
- police stationed at the path that leads down from the town, to ensure that protesters could not approach the Gazebo from behind through the wooded area
- police escorting women to the post-event venue
- police stationed outside the post-event venue in case of any problems.
This was because the combination of threats on social media, incidents at previous LWS events and briefings by the local organisers was taken extremely seriously by Northumbria Police.
In the event, only a raggle-taggle of protesters turned up. The usual, sadly very unhealthy-looking young people dressed or draped in "trans colours" plus some shouty men in black.
I am really annoyed with myself that I didn't video the shouty men in black as I left. The ludicrous sight of a bunch of beardy blokes chanting, "We are the feminists! We are the feminists!" 😂
As well as the excellent Daily Mail articles - online and in print - there were two interviews on TALK TV, one with KJK and one with Venice Allan, and a smashing pre-event puff piece in the Northumberland Gazette.
Global movement called 'Let Women Speak' to hold an event at statue in Morpeth
11 Oct - "Things To Do"
https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/whats-on/things-to-do/global-movement-called-let-women-speak-to-hold-an-event-at-statue-in-morpeth-4820174
A global movement called ‘Let Women Speak’ is holding an event in Morpeth at the weekend.
It will take place at the Emily Wilding Davison statue in Carlisle Park on Sunday, October 13 from 1pm to 3pm.
A section of the Let Women Speak website about the event includes the following: “At Let Women Speak we foster a community in which all women feel empowered to speak. We achieve this through our free speech events, they are free to attend.
“We are so proud that women across the world are using the #LetWomenSpeak hashtag as a rallying cry.
“There are no tickets, anyone can turn up and anyone can speak (but we ask that men wait until the end). You can speak about whatever you like – these are free speech events.”
For more information, go to www.letwomenspeak.org/event-details/let-women-speak-morpeth
"Feminist Claire" also posted a lovely video advertising the event:
Emily Wilding Davison, Morpeth #LetWomenSpeakMorpeth #LetWomenSpeak #LWS
12 Oct
My “trip advisor” review of the famous statue of Emily Wilding Davison in Morpeth, Northumberland. I visited months ago, and really enjoyed it! @KellieJayKeen and the Terven Horde of #LetWomenSpeak are going to be in Morpeth tomorrow, 13/10/24 between 13:00 and 15:00, at the Emily statue. Sadly, I can’t attend this one. There’s never been a better time to visit!
Trans activists gatecrash women's rights rally as they protest speech by Kellie-Jay Keen at 'Let Women Speak' event in the home of suffragette Emily Davison
14 Oct - Daily Mail online
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13955045/trans-gatecrash-womens-rally-home-suffragette-emily-davison.html
“They Want To Stop Women From Speaking” | Trans Rights Activists Disrupt Even
14 Oct, TALK TV - Julia Hartley-Brewer + KJK
“Destroying Women’s Rights!” Trans Activists Gatecrash Kellie-Jay Keen Rally
14 Oct, TALK TV - Jeremy Kyle + Venice Allan
(good video clips panning around Carlisle Park)
Live streams from LWS Morpeth:
Let Women Speak - Morpeth 2024 #LetWomenSpeak #LetWomenSpeakMorpeth
13 Oct - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/live/6O7K8HO7Nts?si=YWmYifaDlYVNZHQu
There is a slight issue at the beginning of the video, and again at the end. This is also streamed on X, so you can check the missing images here ⇨
https://x.com/ThePosieParker/status/1845436617651036294
More photos and video:
https://x.com/hashtag/LetWomenSpeakMorpeth
We were also really pleased to meet one of the Darlington Nurses, who attended but did not speak.
Darlington nurses launch first-of-its-kind trade union protecting women
3 Oct - Christian Concern
https://christianconcern.com/news/darlington-nurses-launch-first-of-its-kind-trade-union-protecting-women/
I will do a list of speakers and topics with links to video time-stamps and post again - unless anyone else gets to that before me?
We recruited more women to LWS and Party of Women (POW) and it was lovely meeting some existing members who we had only met online until Sunday.
It was mostly local women who attended but we also had out of town visitors from Brighton, Scotland and, amongst the small band of men who attended, Kent!
This was the first LWS Event organised using a new system set up by LWS. The organising team learned a lot in a short time and we are looking forward to organising more LWS Locals events in the North East 💚🤍💜
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Mumsnet Thread (with the usual derailing) - thank you for trying! ❤️
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5186900-trans-activists-gatecrash-womens-rights-rally-as-they-protest-speech-by-kellie-jay-keen-at-let-women-speak-event-in-the-home-of-suffragette-emily-davison
Look at these lovely photos instead:
Photos attached - more to follow:
Wendy and Lynsey - whose idea it was to hold a LWS Event at the statue of Emily Wilding Davison in Morpeth.
Linzi Smith - who gave us an update on her cases for discrimination against Newcastle United Football Club and Northumbria Police.
https://freespeechunion.org/banned-and-spied-on-for-her-beliefs-fsu-member-launches-legal-action-against-newcastle-united-football-club/
Florence Waller - Co-founder of Caring About Dignity
https://caringaboutdignity.org/
LWS Morpeth Gathering
Suffragette-themed Posey for Posie 💚🤍💜