An 82-year-old man was evicted from the Labour Party conference on September 28 and then refused re-entry under “terrorism” laws. Foreign secretary Jack Straw told delegates that British troops were in Iraq “for one reason only” — to help the elected Iraqi government. In response, Walter Wolfgang heckled, “That’s a lie and you know it”. Wolfgang, a Labour Party member since 1948, was then surrounded by security and removed from the conference. On trying to re-enter, he was stopped by police pursuant to powers under s44 of the UK Terrorism Act 2000. Wolfgang said later: “When you have an international debate that does not deal adequately with the international issues of the day, the least you can do, if someone is talking nonsense, is say so.” For more information about the Terrorism Act, visit < http://www.liberty-human-A HREF="mailto:rights.org.uk"><rights.org.uk>.

From Green Left Weekly, October 12, 2005.
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