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Public Petitions Committee, 28 Jun 2005

28 Jun 2005 · S2 · Public Petitions Committee

Item of business

New Petitions

G8 Summit (Peaceful Protest) (PE871)<br />G8 Summit (World Poverty) (PE874)

Kane, Rosie SSP Glasgow Watch on SPTV

I agree with what Mark Ruskell said, apart from the worrying bit about my being part of the British state. I declare an interest in that I am involved with the Scottish Human Rights Centre and G8 Alternatives.Mark Ruskell rightly said that what was initially sought was the right to march past Gleneagles. Let us be clear about what we were asking for—to march past Gleneagles for a number of reasons. Live 8 and make poverty history make excellent points and have got coverage on the television and everywhere else. We know about the pain in the world, we know that debt cancellation is required, we know all that and that is fantastic. However, the eight guys who are making the decisions at the summit need to know how we feel and they live in a bit of a bubble. They need to hear the peaceful protest go past them because we the people—and we are talking globally here—need to express that and our protest has to be within earshot.As Mark Ruskell pointed out, a whole mishmash has erupted. There is a stigma attached to protest and accusations are made that protests are dangerous. We are all trained in non-violent direct action and we know exactly what we are doing, so there is no reason for this row to have erupted. We are now brought to the position where our human rights are being infringed because we cannot express ourselves near to Gleneagles hotel on the day. There is a short time to make things right. I do not know what the First Minister intends to say about that. However, my concern about the two petitions is that the situation is not yet played out. We do not know how much further our human rights could be pushed aside in the coming days and weeks in relation to the G8 summit. That is why it is imperative that such an infringement is not just a concern for the moment; it is a concern that we could be excluded from the democratic process and our right to speak up denied.I hope that we protect this petition and keep it open to allow us to have another look at it. I hope absolutely that the First Minister takes Bob Geldof's words to anybody with whom he hobnobs at the G8 event. It is worth noting that the things that Bob Geldof said have also been said by many of us in the Parliament. We have been booed, but when Bob says them, he is applauded. Let us applaud those words and take them forward. I hope that the First Minister will respond positively to both petitions and I hope that our freedom to march past Gleneagles will be upheld. However, we do not know for sure whether that will happen, and other things could negatively affect our human rights. That is why it is important that we hold open the petition so that we can revisit it.