Father's Rights protester

[heather2662]

Check out this story:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/09/13/britain.palace/index.html


'Batman' protest at queen's palace
Monday, September 13, 2004 Posted: 2:23 PM EDT (1823 GMT)

LONDON, England (CNN) -- London's police chief has demanded an urgent inquiry after a fathers rights campaigner dressed as Batman evaded supposedly tight security to stage a protest on a Buckingham Palace balcony.

Officers, facing their second security breach in four months after the group pelted Prime Minister Tony Blair with flour-filled condoms, took five hours to finally bring the protester down from Queen Elizabeth's London residence.

Police said no members of the royal family were in the palace but admitted the man -- identified by campaigners as Jason Hatch, a 32-year-old father of two -- should not have been able to scale the perimeter fence with a ladder and climb onto the high-profile balcony.

Scotland Yard issued a statement saying London police chief Sir John Stevens had demanded a report on the incident by Tuesday morning.

Stevens said "the intruder was readily identified as performing a publicity stunt but if he had been carrying a gun or a bomb he would probably have been shot," the statement added.

"He said that the CCTV (close-circuit television monitoring) and the alarms worked and the police response was speedy but nevertheless it was unacceptable that the wall had been scaled and he would ensure that whatever was necessary would be done in relation to improved security."

Former Buckingham Palace spokesman Dickie Arbiter said officials would be seriously embarrassed by Monday's incident.

He told Sky News: "They will be very seriously embarrassed by what has happened, and they will be looking at ways now to really tighten up on possibly even public access, and make it even harder to get in.

"But they've made it hard already, so how much harder they can make it in the light of this I don't really know."

The campaign group Fathers 4 Justice said Hatch, from Cheltenham, in western England, scaled the palace's outer fence helped by a would-be accomplice, Dave Pyke, dressed as comic hero Batman's sidekick Robin.

Meanwhile, other protesters distracted the attention of armed police by climbing on the front gate.

The group said police had threatened to shoot Pyke unless he got down from the fence, "which we think is unacceptable because this is a peaceful, non-violent protest." Police declined to comment on the incident.

Hatch, wearing grey tights, black pants and cape, the superhero's bat symbol and a mask with pointed ears, then climbed up on the palace balcony -- which is used by the royals for ceremonial occasions.

Standing on a ledge to the right hand side of the balcony, about 8 meters (25 feet) above the ground, he unfurled a banner that read: "Super dads of fathers 4 justice."

Also on the banner were the words: "Fighting for your right to your kids."

After spending five hours trying to persuade the protester to come down, police on a cherry picker finally removed him at 7.20 p.m.

Royal security was reviewed after a Daily Mirror reporter got a job at Buckingham Palace as a servant before U.S. President George W. Bush stayed there during a state visit in November last year.

Stand-up comedian Aaron Barschak also highlighted lax security by gate-crashing Prince William's 21st birthday party at Windsor in June last year.

Fathers 4 Justice, which says Britain's courts are biased against fathers in divorce cases involving child access, are notorious for their publicity stunts.

Its attack on Blair in the House of Commons four months ago caused a massive security alert amid fears of a terrorist attack and prompted changes to access rules for parliament.

[StPaulieGirl]

They're really pushing it, aren't they?

I just realized that this isn't America, so maybe they don't have a right to purchase a permit to demonstrate.  They just showed a clip on the news a couple of seconds ago.  Heehee :-)

The art of political protest was explained to me a couple of years ago.  Stay away from negativity.  Work with the police/local law enforcement.  Make sure you have a permit.  Do not trespass on private property.  Assault is a huge no no.  Flour filled condoms didn't do these guys any good.  I love the idea of them dressing up as super heroes, though.  

I winced when one of the fathers was up on a bridge, protesting a while back.  The average person doesn't understand their frustration with the system.  They come off as aggressive nutcases.  There is a much more effective way to make their case in public.  Got to say that climbing up on Queen Elizabeth's front porch made the news over here.  They're getting publicity, let's hope they don't get jail time.

[jilly]

You are so right about them being seen as nutcases.  Yesterday afternoon as I was driving home I was listening to the radio and the newsman on this afternoon drive time show read this story. The female DJ on this show immediately started ridiculing this guy for wearing a Batman costume and making comments how the Mother would have good reason not to let the child see it's Father if he's going to dress up like Batman. To say her ignorant comments infuriated me would be an understatement!  This same radio show has a segment called Tirade Tuesday and I plan on e-mailing my tirade on her ignorance today and recommend she check out the Fathers 4 Justice website before she runs off at the mouth on a subject she knows nothing about. This woman has no children and is in the middle of a divorce with her husband. People who haven't experienced this need to be poured a big ol glass of shut the he$$ up!

[StPaulieGirl]

If she has an attitude about the Batman costume, I'd love to hear what her remarks about some of the protests that members of Free Republic have staged.

I don't go to the protests if there is a chance that I would have to drive home after dark.  My eyes aren't too good.  However,  there was a protest in Santa Monica, CA last month, and I really wish I could have been there.  It was a Kerry fundraiser, hosted by Tony Bennett.  We had one guy dressed up as the Grinch in a Santa outfit.  His sign said something like, "Kerry Tales...Christmas in Cambodia.  Ho ho ho Chi Minh".  There was another guy in a "Flipper" costume.  I think people were clapping flip flops.  It made the local news, and it was hysterically funny!  I will see if I can find the link for pics.

Fathers for justice obviously can't quite go that route.  I think that if any of us hear people like that DJ making disparinging remarks, then that radio/tv station should be flooded with calls and emails.  You're on the right track.  If your rant isn't mentioned, email and call the management.  Legally, you have a right to equal time.  Well, I think you do.  Who knows these days...

I'm on my way out of town, but I have some ideas that I would like to share with fathers for justice, regarding protests.  Well maybe someone is lurking, so I'll just type them here.  These are American rules, so different rules probably apply in other countries.  Get a permit.  Pick a target, such as a judge or legislator, or a law.  A specific court statement/ruling spelled out on a banner or large poster is very good.  Mind your manners, and use costumes at your own discretion.  You will catch shit from passerby's, so be aware and prepared.  A big crowd consisting of men, women, and children is ideal.  Recruit your relatives if you have to.

Your job is to bring public attention to your issue, and to change the laws...through public opinion.  If you do things like throwing flour filled condoms at the Prime Minister, climb Queen Elizabeth's balcony, or climb a bridge span, people will dismiss you as nuts, and more importantly give ammunition to the mother who is preventing your participation in your child's life.

I found the link to that protest rally.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1202265/posts?page=1,50

I apologize to any Democrats who click on the link.  I'm providing this as a "how to hold a rally" instructional.  Great poster ideas, also.

Btw:  Give that DJ a good verbal smack, Jilly :-)

[POC]

"Its attack on Blair in the House of Commons four months ago caused a massive security alert amid fears of a terrorist attack and prompted changes to access rules for parliament."


Seems to me that if Parliament wasn't already so good at limiting access (of children to parents) that it wouldn't have found itself under such attack.

[wendl]

it was on a local radio station here too, however the male DJ didnt down this man for it, he simply said the man was doing in protest that the courts don't give the men the same rights to their children as mothers.

**These are my opinions, they are not legal advice**

[jilly]

Might want to start at the bottom since it goes from most recent to the beginning. If you would like to chime in on this issue do a search for 107.9 The Link. The call letters are WLNK and it's a station is Charlotte, NC.  This station has affiliates all over the country. I don't know if my tirade was read on the air or not because I got home before it ended.


They are dressing up as their children's favorite Superheros, thus the Batman or Spiderman costumes. They want their children to know they will be superheros for them and will continue to fight to be a part of their life. So, yes, you were talking about the thousands of fathers who are denied their legal rights to their children because that was the whole point of dressing in the Batman costume and scaling the walls of Buckingham Palace. This is the type of protest Fathers4Justice do to bring attention to their situation. Silly? Yes, it does make them look silly but it gets them the attention that is needed for this issue.
The majority of men aren't unfit or deadbeat Dads. But, because there are a few men out there who refuse to be responsible, the good ones gets lumped in with the bad.

=============================================

From:
Date: 2004/09/14 Tue PM 04:27:15 EDT
To: <>
Subject: RE: [WLNK-mr] Tirade Part 2! LOL

Jill,

We weren't talking about the thousands of fathers who are denied their legal rights to their children, we were talking about he idiot who put a silly face on the father's rights movement by scaling the wall of Buckingham Place in a batman suit.  

By the way, you have no idea how much I know about unfit, deadbeat dads.


Ramona

----HACKal Message-----
From: Jill
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2004 4:21 PM
To: Ramona Holloway
Subject: [WLNK-mr] Tirade Part 2! LOL

Sorry about that...my first e-mail was sent before I could present my tirade!!
Anyway....I have a tirade about the comments made during the news segment yesterday.  Pete had the story from the UK about Batman on the balcony at Buckingham Palace. The comments made after that story was read were ignorant and judgmental.
There are thousands of Father's in this country, and in others, that are denied their legal rights to their children. They have done nothing wrong other than to divorce the Mother of their child. Yet, these women make it their life mission to keep them from developing or maintaining a loving relationship with their Father.  They make negative comments to the children about their Father (Parental Alienation Syndrome) and deny COURT ORDERED visitation. When these men dare to stand up for their right to be a part of their child's life and they take the Mother to court for contempt all they get is a slap on the wrist.
However, let a Father be late in making a child support payment and the State will be on him like stink on poo-poo.  Many women claim that their ex husbands aren't fit Fathers. Well excuse me?? But aren't you the one that married him and pro-created with him?? He was a good enough Father during the marriage. Why would that end AFTER the marriage is over?
The first e-mail I sent to you is information about Fathers4Justice and what they are about.  Maybe next time you'll do some research on a subject before spouting off about a topic you know nothing about.

[Kitty C.]

And proves just how biased this woman truly is!

'By the way, you have no idea how much I know about unfit, deadbeat dads.'

My first response to HER would have been '...and YOU have no idea how much WE know about unfit, deadbeat, vindictive mothers!'

What a POS!