• Tell Northern Rail they can't Silence the Press
    On Monday 23rd June, a peaceful protest by members of Sheffield Disabled People Against The Cuts and Barnsley Retirees Action Group was broken up by British Transport police. The protesters were taking part in the Freedom Ride, a long-running protest against cuts to free travel provision in South Yorkshire. Witnesses report that the police used heavy handed tactics. One witness, Jen Dunstan, of Sheffield Disabled People Against the Cuts, said: “Dozens of elderly and disabled people have been left with bruising. Some have cuts where their skin has broken from being pushed and shoved. “A placid and calm gentleman was roughly manhandled. I am angry and shocked. The police are meant to protect elderly people.” A journalist from the Sheffield Star was present, and tried to video events on his phone. He was ordered to erase footage he’d recorded on his phone because he did not have permission to film on private property inside Sheffield station. When he initially resisted the request and continued to film, he says he was told he could be arrested under terror laws. A statement from Northern Rail said: “Members of the media must have written permission from the train operator which manages the station before undertaking any filming on station property. Under no circumstances are Northern Rail employees to be filmed without prior agreement from the Northern Rail press office.” Fortunately, other witnesses were able to video the behaviour of the police on Northern Rail's property. The treatment of the elderly gentleman can be seen here:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svv9YcyZ6Os&list=UUiZU8ySSrpSg-qhR3BsYSSQ Many people who view this video will think that this treatment is disproportionate for an old man accused of fare-dodging, especially when he is taking part in a legitimate peaceful protest. In the video, five burly police officers are pinning the elderly gentleman down so that he cannot move, despite no visible signs of protest or resistance from him. It is not within the rights of Northern Rail, or any other organisation, to try to ban filming on their premises, when that filming clearly shows a questionable activity taking place with the collusion of that organisation. It is anti-democratic to try to silence the press in this way. Please sign this petition to force Northern Rail to retract their statement, and issue an apology that recognises the right of journalists and the public to film wherever they wish when a breach of a person's rights is taking place.
    95 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Murray Cowell
  • David Cameron Should Resign in light of Andy Coulson's guilt.
    by putting Andy Coulson in place as communications director against advice and in light of Coulson's being found guilty of phone hacking that caused untold misery to people, David Cameron has shown he cannot be trusted to run the country and cannot command the confidence of parliament or the people of the UK. he must go.
    40 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Rory Lee
  • commemorate the death of jean charles de menezes (22nd of july 2015)
    Jean Charles de Menezes (pronounced [ʒeˈɐ̃ ˈʃahlis dʒi meˈnezis] in Brazilian Portuguese) 7 January 1978 – 22 July 2005) was a Brazilian man shot dead by the London Metropolitan police at Stockwell tube station on the London Underground after he was misidentified as one of the fugitives involved in the previous day's failed bombing attempts. These events took place two weeks after the London bombings of 7 July 2005, in which 52 people were killed. Contemporaneous and later police and media accounts contradicted each other, specifically regarding Menezes's manner and clothing as he entered the station, and whether there had been any police warnings before they fired. The death sparked an intense public debate over a shoot-to-kill practice known as Operation Kratos. The codename was dropped in 2007, but the policy continues. Police put under surveillance the communal entrance to a block of flats in Tulse Hill, south London, in which Menezes was living, and saw Menezes leave the building. Plain clothes officers, armed with pistols, followed him as he took a bus to Brixton tube station, before boarding another to Stockwell because the tube station at Brixton was closed. Specialist firearms officers were called to Stockwell. Just after Menezes entered a train, several officers wrestled him to the ground and fired seven bullets into his head at point blank range. The train was still at the platform with its doors open, having just been evacuated by officers. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) launched two investigations. Stockwell 1, the findings of which were initially kept secret, concluded that none of the officers would face disciplinary charges. Stockwell 2 strongly criticised the police command structure and communications to the public, bringing pressure on the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair to resign. In July 2006, the Crown Prosecution Service said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute any of the officers, although a corporate criminal prosecution of the Metropolitan Police was brought under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This alleged that the police service had failed in its duty of care to Menezes. The service was found guilty and fined. On 12 December 2008 an inquest returned an open verdict.[1]I feel that because of the way he was taken from life that it is the least that can be done. I pass the memorial at stockwell and look it to his young eyes and it makes me upset that he was killed so brutally .
    31 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Martin Kershaw
  • Please deny authority to use water cannon in the UK
    The attitude of the public towards the police in London has taken quite a battering over the last few years and the level of trust is pretty low, along with that of Politicians. Considering the discontent against policies the government has implemented, the ever increasing appearance that London is becoming exclusive to the elite and Very Wealthy, to authorise use of water cannon will further dissolve trust and solidify the opinion that the government is seeking to protect its interests and that of wealthy backers. There would be no trust that these would only be used in major incidents and a belief these would be deployed in peaceful protests to deny people their voice. Previous uses around the world have shown this to be the case. If this authority is granted, it will set a dangerous precedent that other police forces will be able to deploy this too. Politicians and police need to build trust within their community, not further increase the divide that is currently very apparent.
    14 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Chris Turner
  • 'Innocent' yet already in print!
    If you were accused of something terrible and degrading that you had not done, and your details together with these allegations appeared on the front page of your local newspaper, for example, then can you imagine the damage caused to you alone? You as a son or daughter, an employer or employee, parent, a sister or brother, a friend, minister, you as a celebrity,... let alone others too like your children, friends and family and associates. Can you see how that would quite easily stain your life having a profound and long lasting impact that could not be erased!? Yes, this regularly happens to innocent people like you and me before any opportunity to a fair hearing or trial and by mistake. The permanent damage based on alleged guilt is unfair and unjustified! It’s done just so that newspapers can have something to print, 'a juicy story', scare tactics or for greed. Sign this petition to reduce the media's powers to invade your privacy, devastate and ruin lives by being able to print allegations with personal details. I had not given it too much consideration until it happened to me and my family. Anonymity is the only fair way for the innocent.
    75 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Samantha Shaw
  • Back reform on the use of medicinal Marijuana
    Numerous countries have now realised the benefits of this drug. They have taken it out of the drug barons hands an have organised it. They now have revenue and employment opportunities within this growing sector but the most important part is that it is saving lives. We need to forward think and not be bogged down with old ways of thinking regarding this wonder drug. It's the future of pharmacy.
    31 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Amanda McCreath
  • Repeal of Employment Tribunal Fees
    The introduction of fees into the Employment Tribunal system has reduced the access to justice of many deserving people. The large reduction in claims, as shown by official statistics, is not mainly, as suggested, the elimination of ‘vexatious’ litigation but rather the actual prevention of access to justice of vulnerable persons. In a civilised society this is simply unacceptable and must stop at once. It is against ‘natural justice’. We ask that this divisive decision be reversed by removing fees, thus restoring traditional ‘fair play’ into the tribunal system.
    38 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Lyn Berry
  • Stop imposing fines on organisations funded by taxpayers.
    There must be real accountability for the bad behaviour of individuals, not a counter-productive additional burden on the resources of our public institutions which is shouldered by the very public that have been badly served. It adds insult to injury.
    37 of 100 Signatures
    Created by David Turner
  • Open all MI6 files on state sponsored murders
    MI6 is alleged to have "organised" two high-profile murders in 1961: Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba in January and UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld in September. Together with the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the South African Civil Cooperation Bureau (CCB), MI6 is also alleged to have targeted UN Assistant Secretary-General Bernt Carlsson on Pan Am Flight 103 which was sabotaged over Lockerbie on 21 December 1988. In 2014, because incriminating evidence has recently come to light, the United Nations is expected to launch an inquiry into these state sponsored murders. (https://wikispooks.com/wiki/The_How,_Why_and_Who_of_Pan_Am_Flight_103#Naming_names)
    76 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Patrick Haseldine
  • Give power to the police to deal with noise polution on the spot
    As someone who has had to put up with noise I have been horrified by the apathy of the authorities. despite being able to hear noise from a household that was not my direct neighbor the police could not act. If you contact the council department responsible for dealing with the problem you find that you have to make a formal complaint during normal working hours which means that the culprits are notified of YOUR complaint even before the local authority bothers to collect evidence which they will then want to do. A much simpler solution is that the police are called and that they witness and deal with the problem on the spot and perhaps leave until later a return to the property to confiscate equipment used to make excessive noise. In every neighborhood there are people who have to go to work and it is unacceptable that they should have to put up with excessive noise. I personally have witnessed where a noise complaint has been made it has resulted in retaliation from the perpetrators in the form of damage to property resulting in £1000's of damage done and the victim has had to move with the police unwilling or unable to intervene and the local authority uninterested and other neighbors too worried of retaliation to offer supporting evidence. Many people do not report noise problems and suffer in silence because they FEAR retaliation which is a highly realistic risk.
    151 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Simon Turner
  • Make billionaire Bernie Ecclestone pay his taxes
    At a time of austerity for the majority of working people in the UK and David Cameron and Nick Clegg claiming we are "in this together", the UK government continues to show it is one rule for the rich and one for the poor when it comes to paying taxes. ACTIONS speak louder than WORDS. It is time David Cameron stepped up and made good on his pledge for a fairer Britain.
    136 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Glenn Lennox
  • Another white collar crime gets off with a slap on the wrist
    It is time that one law for the rich and one law for the poor was ended. Those who claim to lead the country, should be beyond reproach. They receive high wages, and should be dismissed immediately if they are so morally inept, that they think it is OK to steal from the country. Greed and dishonesty are not characteristics suitable for anyone in public leadership. White collar crime continues to increase, with little to no consequences.
    25 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Jay Lesley