INVITE: R2K Gauteng Workshop: Defending the right to protest

R2K Gauteng invites you to a one-day workshop on ‘Defending the Right to Protest’, as part of a series of engagements which has been taking place among R2K and allied structures across the country. The workshop starts at 10am – 4pm on Monday 14 July at 24 Gwigwi Mrwebi St, Johannesburg 2001.

The right to organise, protest and speak out is central to all community struggles for social justice. But the right to protest appears to be under threat; policing methods are becoming more aggressive and violence against protesters seems to be increasing. Many municipalities are manipulating the law (the Regulation of Gatherings Act) to make it harder for communities to exercise their right to protest.

The objectives of this workshop are:
• Unpack new research that explains who is protesting and why;
• Deepen understanding of our rights as protesters;
• Explore some of the major abuses by police and municipal officials that our members face locally and across the country;
• Come up with strategies to defend the right to protest and ensure that communities’ rights are not being abused.

The groups who may be interested in attending:
• Up to 2 members of communities or organisations that engage in protests.
• Activists who have experienced attacks on their right to protest.
Space is limited. Please RSVP to Bongani: 073 904 1626.

DRAFT PROGRAMME
10.00 Welcome & Introductions
10.15 Group reflections on recent experiences in protest
11.15 BREAK
11.30 What can we tell about the state of protest in Cape Town?
12.00 INPUT: Presentation of new research on national protest trends (Jane Duncan)
13.00 LUNCH
14.00 INPUT: How does the state of protest relate to increasing securitisation of the state (Murray Hunter)
14.15 Group discussions on strategies to defend protest
15.00 BREAK
15.10 Planning a way forward
16.00 Closure

ACTIVIST HANDBOOK ON THE RIGHT TO PROTEST: Download our handbook on the Regulation of Gatherings Act (RGA) and your right to protest here.