All posts in the topic COUNCIL GENTLY ‘BAN’ PEACE ACTIVIST FILM (Short link)
Summary
- There are 5 posts — by 3 authors — in this topic.
- Latest post made by Roy Pennington at Mar 27 07:23 UTC
COUNCIL GENTLY ‘BAN’ PEACE ACTIVIST FILM
further to this saga
Whilst not wishing to dampen the fervour of the other posts on this matter,
let’s be clear that the council did not ‘ban’ the film, the DoY panicked.
The likelihood of the council solicitor’s pursuing any subsequent action of
breaching the terms of license is low and any application by the local Police
for a review of that licensing would have been laughed out of court.
The DoY should have argued that because of the lateness of the advice more
public disturbance would have been caused by shutting the doors of the
cinema than allowing the show to go on. The DoY may have had other reasons for
such craven compliance, such as covering up H&S breaches or the occasions
they may have been showing non-certificated films.
It is ironic that the reason DoY had a membership requirement up to 1985 was to
avoid the Eady Levy (a ticket tax which funded the British Film Fund Agency)
and which therefore allowed them to show uncertificated films.
It's being gently banned in other places too. The Art House, a small community run cafe & gallery in Southampton, had arranged a screening of 'On the Verge' - a documentary film about protests outside an arms factory in Brighton for tomorrow (Thursday 20th). This morning, the local licencing officer, John Burke of Southampton City Council arrived at the cafe, with Sergeant Stewart Chandler, Licencing Chief for the city..... saying that the Art House were not allowed to show the film as it had not been certificated. As a small venue who had only invited people known to them, Art House staff were not aware that they needed a license or certification to show this film to about 12 people, free of charge! The governments own White Paper states that licensing laws were never meant to cover smaller venues, and this law is currently under review. The Art House later received a call from Sergeant Stewart Chandler. He wanted assurance that the Smash EDO campaign group will not be turning up at The Art House tomorrow - apparently he is very concerned about "potential disorder in and around the premises" although when asked to clarify what he meant, he got rather vague, asking if the Art House was aware of the group's reputation as "left wing anarchists". Art House staff were given the very clear impression that not only were they not allowed to show the film, but if the members of smash EDO were to arrive, it would be a problem. It was abundantly clear from the conversation that the lack of certification for the film, and indeed the lack of entertainment licence, was not the issue. The smash EDO campaign report that this scene has been repeated at other venues where the film was due to be shown. It seems that what the British Film Board refer to as a 'grey area' of certification is being used to prevent the showing of a film which challenges arms manufacturers and police behaviour at protests. Nice! The Art House have contacted their MP and local councillors calling for a full investigation into what is quite clearly censorship by bureaucracy. ** Roy Pennington wrote: > COUNCIL GENTLY ‘BAN’ PEACE ACTIVIST FILM > further to this saga > > Whilst not wishing to dampen the fervour of the other posts on this matter, let’s be clear that the council did not ‘ban’ the film, the DoY panicked. > > The likelihood of the council solicitor’s pursuing any subsequent action of breaching the terms of license is low and any application by the local Police for a review of that licensing would have been laughed out of court. > The DoY should have argued that because of the lateness of the advice more public disturbance would have been caused by shutting the doors of the cinema than allowing the show to go on. The DoY may have had other reasons for such craven compliance, such as covering up H&S breaches or the occasions they may have been showing non-certificated films. > > It is ironic that the reason DoY had a membership requirement up to 1985 was to avoid the Eady Levy (a ticket tax which funded the British Film Fund Agency) and which therefore allowed them to show uncertificated films. > > Roy Pennington > City center - Palace Pier to West Pier via Seven Dials, Brighton and Hove > Info about Roy Pennington: http://forums.e-democracy.org/contacts/roypennington > > This topic's messages may be viewed at: http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/74a9Sob5R6qAsYN4ZqIb2r
Have you may it available as a torrent for free download from the internet yet?
Tony C
It might be a while before we do this, not for technical reasons. But in the meantime there is a trailer for those who haven't already seen it http://www.schnews.org.uk/schmovies/index-on-the-verge. If anyone wants to see the DVD they can mail me off-list. If people can do a showing that would be great but keep it off-list as I know there is at least one policeman on this list. Hi Seaney ;O) Cheers, Glenn http://www.schnews.org.uk/schmovies/index-on-the-verge Tony Cook wrote: > Have you may it available as a torrent for free download from the internet yet?
Please keep us informed of the progress of the ban in the Art House, a small
community run cafe & gallery in Southampton.
Are there any other bans elsewhere?
there seems to be a tenous link with the argus campaign to ban gratuitous
violence on the internet.....