On 1 June 2016 I obstructed the highway in Parliament Square, London, for a short time, as part of a protest against the police/CPS not prosecuting the people who perform Male Genital Mutilation, a crime under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, being at least ABH, and almost certainly GBH with Intent. A video of the protests outside the Home Office and in Parliament Square is here. The start of the section in which I was in the road is at 5:37. A policeman moved me out of the road at 9:22, and again at 13:37. I was subsequently arrested and kept in solitary detention in a police cell until the scheduled end of the protest, some hours later.
The CPS/police prosecuted me for obstructing the public highway – ironically, given my protest in the highway had related to the CPS/police not prosecuting the real criminals, those carrying out MGM. I was convicted and fined at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court, supporters generously covered my fine and CPS-related. A later appeal at Isleworth Crown Court was unsuccessful, but I have yet to pay the CPS costs for that hearing, because I appealed to the Royal Courts of Justice, in London. That hearing was held yesterday. My thanks to a number of supporters for joining me, including Tom for taking this video (2:08).
In the video I publicly declared for the first time my decision to launch a private prosecution of an unnamed doctor who performs circumcisions. This will take place next month.
I have drawn no personal income from J4MB income streams (party memberships, subscriptions, donations, merchandise sales etc.) since launching the party in 2013. I am personally liable to pay the CPS’s costs at the original appeal at Isleworth Crown Court (£580) and this latest appeal (£2,420), a total of £3,000.
If you feel able to donate something to help me with those costs, I’d be very grateful. Please make your donation through PayPal here.
The money will go into the J4MB account, the party treasurer will then transfer the money to me. If there’s any surplus over £3,000, it will remain in the J4MB account to help fund the party’s future work.
Please email me (mike@j4mb.org.uk) to confirm that your donation is to help defray my legal costs.
Thanks for your support.
P.S. 63 minutes until the start of England’s next game, in the World Cup semi-final, against Croatia. If we win, that means England v France in the final. It’s coming home.