Did a solo raid today down at the Quayside market, Scilon's have started doing the stress test again after months of inactivity. Market inspecters got snotty, told me I could not stand on the market if I had no insurance. A massive argument ensued, and although I was 100% sure they were bullshitting and trying it on bacuse I was alone, I moved as they threatened to call the police. Previously, we have had 3+ groups down there and never been asked to move.
I have checked the Market's rules and regulations on the webpage; as I suspected, "all traders must have £5m Public Liability Insurance in order to trade", Just traders, it SPECIFIES traders. Incidentally, after bothering me, the inspectors went over to the Scis and I saw £20 being handed over (market pitch dues I expect) but I distinctly heard one inspector say "Technically we're not allowed to let you stand here without it", and since the inspectors later told me that the market stalls don't need street trading permits, I can only assume that the Scilons did not have insurance documentation with them. And I'd guess they bluffed it out and said, "Yeah, we do have the insurance though" and the inspectors have let them off.
ANYWAY
The regulations for the market are online HERE:
http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf...lawquaysidemkt
From reading these, I find no reason why Anonymous cannot stand on the market.
There's a bit about 'blocking the pathways' which I wasn't doing and they didn't mention anyway.
There's a bit about not flyering, we checked that last year and have never flyered.
I also noticed there's one that says we can't have signs, well we have never been pulled up on that before, and I wasn't today.
The sections regarding 'Use of Space', I interpret as applying only to traders and not to pedestrians, unless lawfags want to tell me any different.
The one that interested me was
Section 12.
12. No person shall to the annoyance of any person ring any bell or blow any horn or use any other noisy instrument or amplifier or loudspeaker to attract the attention or custom of any person to any sale or to any goods intended for sale.
I had a megaphone with me today and no mention was made of it. Now, as for the above legislation, my interpretation of it is that it
does not cover any use of noisy equipment for any purpose OTHER than to attract people to a sale or to goods intended for sale. It says nothing about using them for public information or anything like that.
So my question is, under the letter of that regulation, can we get away with using a megaphone? I mean, if it went to court, would our argument hold up?