Victory marches?

The headline in this evening's local newspaper, Victory March, refers to the compromise agreed between the Sunday Schools , Northumbria Police, and South Tyneside Council over the routes to be taken by the marchers in the Good Friday Procession of Witness. It is this agreement that will see the marchers "divert" down the back of Westoe Road. The reasons being given are that Northumbria Police are unwilling to expend manpower to help marshall the event in their efforts to meet performance indicators and to save cost.

Acting Chief Inspector Mike Grinter of South Shields Police said

"Like every public organisation we are accountable for how we spend money, what officers do, and what we respond to. At the end of the day it's a question of balancing the budget. It is not a question of telling people they can't do it but to ensure the routes taken ensure the safety of the participants"

Cllr. Ken Hickman (Progressive, West Park) said

"I've never heard anything like it. This is a religious day which should be respected."

Far from being a victory, I see this compromise as a climb down by the Council and The Sunday Schools Union (which organises the annual marches), it is an absolute travesty when we have a statute like the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms which states in article 9;

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

For the sake of closing an additional 50 metres of Westoe Road, these fundamental freedoms to manifest one's religious beliefs could have been fully met. Furthermore, routing the march up (pedestrianised) King Street, instead of Keppel Street, would have ensured a greater level of public safety and removed the requirement to temporarily close another road.

I still feel (rather like Cllr. Hickman) that a 150 year old tradition has been allowed to be diluted by a penny pinching policeman!