Tuesday February 3, 04:09 PM
Police raid "superhero" fathers in protests
By Pete Harrison
LONDON (Reuters) - A wave of new militant action by aggrieved fathers denied access to their children has sparked police raids this week and looks set to spread across the country, activists say.
The raids followed two days of protests on Monday and Tuesday, when activists dressed as superheroes took their message to the streets, scaling overhead signs and closing down roads to deny motorists access -- "Just as we have been denied access to our kids".
Scuffles with police ensued, and in one case a protester was left hanging by one arm above a major highway, said campaign group Fathers-4-Justice (F4J).
Police said raids had been carried out at addresses in London and in the south and west of the country.
"Things are at boiling point, and the police raids have not helped," said F4J's Matt O'Connor. "I see a heck of a lot of disruption in coming weeks."
The issue has been snowballing since last November when David Chick dressed up as his daughter's favourite character, Spiderman, and barricaded himself atop a construction crane by London's Tower Bridge.
Police sealed off the area causing days of traffic misery for Londoners and costing local businesses tens of millions of pounds. But Chick, who had not seen his daughter in eight months, succeeded in putting the issue on the map.
At stake is divorced fathers' access to their children after relationships break down. F4J accuses British courts of gross bias towards mothers in custody battles.
"This is an urgent issue for parliament to address," said Denise Lester, an expert in family law. "The judiciary and legal professions are sensitive to the fact that some mothers can be intransigent."
O'Connor estimated that 50-100 fathers would be in prison or facing prison by the end of this year. "It's very difficult for us to keep these guys in check," he added. "And the police are being very hostile, very aggressive."
London police said on Tuesday that six men had been arrested after protests around the capital, including one dressed as Spiderman on the M4.
O'Connor said his group was committed to non-violent action, but he could do nothing about splinter groups that were emerging from the movement.
"Last year there were as series of bomb hoaxes aimed at solicitors," he said.
"On average we get one suicide call a week. These guys are at the end of their tethers."
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/040203/325/el3q5.html
LONDON (Reuters) - A wave of new militant action by aggrieved fathers denied access to their children has sparked police raids this week and looks set to spread across the country, activists say.
The raids followed two days of protests on Monday and Tuesday, when activists dressed as superheroes took their message to the streets, scaling overhead signs and closing down roads to deny motorists access -- "Just as we have been denied access to our kids".
Scuffles with police ensued, and in one case a protester was left hanging by one arm above a major highway, said campaign group Fathers-4-Justice (F4J).
Police said raids had been carried out at addresses in London and in the south and west of the country.
"Things are at boiling point, and the police raids have not helped," said F4J's Matt O'Connor. "I see a heck of a lot of disruption in coming weeks."
The issue has been snowballing since last November when David Chick dressed up as his daughter's favourite character, Spiderman, and barricaded himself atop a construction crane by London's Tower Bridge.
Police sealed off the area causing days of traffic misery for Londoners and costing local businesses tens of millions of pounds. But Chick, who had not seen his daughter in eight months, succeeded in putting the issue on the map.
At stake is divorced fathers' access to their children after relationships break down. F4J accuses British courts of gross bias towards mothers in custody battles.
"This is an urgent issue for parliament to address," said Denise Lester, an expert in family law. "The judiciary and legal professions are sensitive to the fact that some mothers can be intransigent."
O'Connor estimated that 50-100 fathers would be in prison or facing prison by the end of this year. "It's very difficult for us to keep these guys in check," he added. "And the police are being very hostile, very aggressive."
London police said on Tuesday that six men had been arrested after protests around the capital, including one dressed as Spiderman on the M4.
O'Connor said his group was committed to non-violent action, but he could do nothing about splinter groups that were emerging from the movement.
"Last year there were as series of bomb hoaxes aimed at solicitors," he said.
"On average we get one suicide call a week. These guys are at the end of their tethers."
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/040203/325/el3q5.html