Fathers Leader Faces Olympic ‘Lockdown’
The Andover based leader of Fathers4Justice faces a full scale ‘lockdown’ during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Matt O’Connor appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court yesterday and was told that the Metropolitan Police were seeking 5 conditions to be placed on him between now and September 2012. These included restrictions preventing him from attending the London 2012 Olympic Games, going within 100 metres of any venue and going within 100 metres of the Olympic Torch Relay even though he lives beside the route.
The restrictions are expected to be confirmed in court on Monday 21st May.
Said Matt O’Connor today, “These draconian Chinese style conditions on my personal freedom have been made without any grounds whatsoever. F4J has not engaged in any high profile protesting since 2008 and we have never targeted a single sporting event in our history.”
“The authorities have already prevented me from going to my place of work during the State Opening of Parliament. They are trying to place restrictions on me even going to my home because it is on the Torch Relay route.”
“As a taxpayer who has contributed to the £11 billion cost of the London 2012 Olympic Games, I am entitled to attend the games and I will defy any restrictions on my liberty. The authorities have needlessly created an issue where there was none.”
Said F4J Campaign Director Nadine O’Connor, “This is supposed to be London 2012, not Beijing 2008, yet the founder of F4J is being subject to an unprecedented crackdown on his personal freedom and liberty. He appears to have been singled out for prosecution and draconian restrictions. The fact that the Police have tried to prevent him going to work and would seek to prevent him even going to his own home indicate how preposterous and unreasonable they are being.”
