Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News 01/03/2024
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Action and News
Please do this action and make a difference
Last year, then Home Secretary Suella Braverman signed off shocking anti-protest laws she had no power to create. She changed the definition of ‘serious disruption’ to ‘more than minor’ – giving police almost unlimited powers to shut down protests. This change had already been rejected by Parliament when the Government tried to insert it into the Public Order Act. But the Government went ahead and changed the law by the back door, using secondary legislation. This is undemocratic, unconstitutional, and unacceptable.
Liberty's lawyers are taking the Home Secretary to court to scrap it and want as many people as possible to pledge to defend democracy. Add your name by clicking the link below.
If anyone would like a transcript of the excellent talk given to the group by Pete Weatherby KC at our February meeting, please email alison.wearden@gmail.com and I will send it you.
Our March group meeting starting at 7pm on Monday 11th March, online, will be our
Annual General Meeting.
More details, the agenda, papers, and a zoom link will be circulated to members nearer the time.
***THIS EVENING*** MANCHESTER AMNESTY SILENT VIGIL
Silent vigil calling for a permanent ceasefire
and the protection of all civilians in Palestine and Israel
St Peters Square, Manchester, Friday 1st March, 5pm to 6pm
Meet in front of Central Library
Please dress warmly, wear black/dark colours
and please do not bring placards, banners or flags.
We will provide placards with Amnesty’s messages and tealights. Feel free to bring your friends.
We will continue with the weekly vigils until further notice.
Two FREE events relating to International Women’s Day/Week celebrations.
Saturday 2nd March 12-4pm at the Mechanics Institute on Princess Street, M1 6DD
to mark 100 years since Mancunian Ellen Wilkinson was elected to the Commons
Ellen24: Parliament’s Fiery Particle.
Featuring the Margaret Ashton lecture by Rebecca Long-Bailey, MP.
Tickets here
Saturday 9th March, 10am-12 noon, Manchester Central Library
Prior to the Walk for Women through Manchester City Centre
Trailblazers Celebration: Women of Greater Manchester
Tickets here
We will have Manchester Amnesty stalls in the foyer at the Mechanics Institute from 12-4pm on 2nd March, and in the Library from 10am-12noon on 9th March.
SAVE THE DATE!
Amnesty International UK in conjunction with Manchester Amnesty
Saturday 6th April 2-5pm Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, M2 5NS
Manchester launch of
Amnesty report “This is the Thought Police” on the government’s Prevent strategy
Relevant stakeholders will be invited. If you are interested in attending, please let us know so we can gauge numbers. Email alison.wearden@gmail.com
Full details of the launch event, including how to book, will be published when available.
Non-Amnesty events
Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine and other organisations
Run the wall/Ride for Palestine, organised by the Amos Trust
Saturday 2nd March, 10am, run or walk 5K, 10K or more in Alexandra Park, or go on your bike.
This annual event is usually timed to coincide with the Bethlehem Marathon.
If you plan to take part, please register here, so that the organisers can get an idea of numbers.
STOP GAZA GENOCIDE
Demonstration, Saturday 2nd March, 12 noon St Peter’s Square M2 5PD
Whalley Range Peace and Justice Stand with Palestine
Each Wednesday 4.30-5.30 at Brooks Bar (junction Upper Chorlton Rd/Moss Lane East/Withington Rd)
Please support these events, but please do not take Amnesty banners.
***TOMORROW*** Saturday 2 March 2024 December at 7pm
Rethink Rebuild Society
invites you to a screening of the film
Gaza (2019), directed by Garry Keane and Andrew McConnell, followed by an open discussion
Free from the cliché of news reportage, this is a beautiful portrait of Gaza’s ordinary people who attempt to lead meaningful lives.
Please arrive on time as the screening will start at 7.15pm promptly.
At: Rethink Rebuild Society (the Syrian Community of Manchester), First Floor, Discovery House, Crossley Rd, Levenshulme, Manchester SK4 5BH. Tickets available here.
Sunday 3rd March, 3-5pm
Niamos Radical Arts & Centre, Warwick Street, Hulme, Manchester, M15 5EU
Join us for a Palestinian Film Screening
“Stern: The man, The Gang and The State”
A documentary that opens the book on how the state of Israel was built
Reserve a place here
Thursday 28th March, 2024, 6-8.30pm, Whitworth Gallery, Manchester,M15 6ER
Music Action International and Stone Flowers (a collective of refugee survivors of torture in the North West) will present a special screening of the award winning film
“Stone Flowers – songs of Hope and Defiance”
Book your tickets here
Good news
Pakistan - On February 19, 2024, the Supreme Court suspended the execution, scheduled for 48 hours later, of Imdad Ali, 50, suffering from paranoid schizophrenia ascertained by multiple expert reports.
Switzerland - On February 21, 2024, the court in Bern-Mittelland acquitted three defendants of criminal defamation charges in connection with a report, published in 2020 by the NGOs Public Eye and TRIAL, which alleged that the Kolmar group, which trades and refines hydrocarbons, may have violated international law by buying smuggled Libyan oil.
Saudi Arabia - On February 22, 2024, Amazon announced that it had paid $1.9 million in refunds to more than 700 of its workers in Saudi Arabia. This decision followed a report published by Amnesty International in October 2023, in which the organization denounced a whole series of human rights violations against workers.
Manchester Amnesty issue and campaign coordinators
Anti-racism –Hazel Errey hazelerrey@gmail.com
Craftivism – Lima Al-Iskalachi limazakoor@gmail.com
Europe/ Turkey Fatih Segmen - fsegmen@yahoo.com
Human Rights in the UK Lancine Sacko - sacko10@hotmail.co.uk
Individuals at Risk (bi-monthly appeal writing drop ins) - Anne Walker anne.walker9@ntlworld.com
Manchester Central Library café, 2-4pm 4th Saturdays January, March, May, July, September, November
Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians - Mike Reed mikewreed101@gmail.com
LGBTQ+ and Pride coordinator – Zoe Song weiyi.zoe.song@gmail.com
Press freedom and Julian Assange – Lima Al-Iskalachi limazakoor@gmail.com
Refugees – Alison Wearden alison.wearden@gmail.com
UAE – Kathryn Fletcher bussk@btinternet.com
Our website Manchester | Amnesty International UK
Communications Secretary
Manchester Group of Amnesty International
Please contact me with items for our Weekly Action and News email, or with ideas for longer articles for the quarterly Manchester Amnesty Group Bulletin.
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