Väter steigen Politikern aufs Dach
Page last updated at 14:11 GMT, Saturday, 12 July 2008 15:11 UK
Fathers' protest as bishops meet
Fathers 4 Justice protest on Harriet Harman's roof
Fathers' rights campaigners held a protest at Harriet Harman's home
Fathers' rights campaigners may stage a protest at the Lambeth Conference next week when 650 Anglican bishops gather in Kent.
The 10-yearly gathering is taking place at the University of Kent in Canterbury, where many of the meetings will be held.
Fathers 4 Justice founder Matt O'Connor told BBC Radio Kent the group's next stunt could be in the cathedral city.
He said the General Synod had not debated family breakdown since 1992.
Mr O'Connor said he could not reveal details of any events, but added that the group previously targeted the General Synod - the Church of England's ruling body - at York Minster in 2004.
'Huge social issue'
He said: "We've obviously scaled cathedrals. We've scaled St Paul's and we've scaled York Minster.
"Our campaign could be getting darker in terms of its tone and feel in the coming weeks but we obviously don't go into specifics."
He said since his group was formed in 2002, the campaign had "taken on a life of its own".
Mr O'Connor said fathers were being made redundant "emotionally, financially and biologically" and it was a "huge social issue".
The bishops taking part in the conference will gather on Wednesday for a three-day retreat.
There will be a service in Canterbury Cathedral on 20 July before business gets under way on 21 July, with the conference running until 3 August.
Two fathers' rights campaigners were arrested this week after a 14-hour rooftop protest was held at Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman's home.
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/7503468.stm
Page last updated at 23:45 GMT, Wednesday, 9 July 2008 00:45 UK
Men held after Harman roof demo
Fathers 4 Justice protest on Harriet Harman's roof
The men scaled the roof before Harriet Harman left home in the morning
Two fathers' rights campaigners have been arrested after holding a 14-hour roof-top protest at Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman's home.
Police said both protesters, dressed as superheroes, had come down voluntarily.
The men had earlier named themselves as Nigel Ace, 40, of Bristol, and Tony Ashby, 42, from Leicester.
It is the second time in just over a month that Fathers 4 Justice members have protested at Ms Harman's home in Herne Hill, south London.
Before their arrest, the men had said they had enough food for a week and vowed to stay until their concerns about equality for fathers were taken seriously by ministers.
After coming down from the roof shortly after 2000 BST on Wednesday, both were arrested on suspicion of harassment and taken into custody, Scotland Yard said.
'Survival trained'
Scotland Yard said police had been called to the home of the minister for women and equality at about 0620 BST.
Ms Harman ignored the protesters when she left home at 0745 BST.
Mr Ace, dressed as Spiderman, who said he was a sales manager, said the protest followed Ms Harman's recent promises over equality in the workforce.
He told the media: "What about dads? We haven't got equality. The government is ignoring us and has a feminist agenda.
"We want Harriet Harman to come back here and engage in a debate with us and if not then Gordon Brown should come.
"I am trained in survival, so I don't care how long we are up here."
'Vile stunts'
Mr Ashby, dressed as Batman, who said he worked as a painter and decorator, said he had not seen his children for seven years.
"We have been up here since 6am and we are in for the long haul," he said.
"We don't want to cause trouble, we just want to get our message across."
The men displayed a banner saying: "Stop the war on dads."
In parliament, Ms Harman condemned the pressure group, agreeing with Labour MP Anne Moffat that their "vile" stunts did their case "absolutely no good".
During the protest last month, she moved out of her house after Jolly Stanesby and Mark Harris, both from south Devon, scaled her roof dressed as superheroes.
They unfurled a banner with the words: "A father is for life, not just conception."
They were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and causing a public nuisance, and were bailed by police until 16 July pending further inquiries.
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7496804.stm
Page last updated at 09:15 GMT, Monday, 9 June 2008 10:15 UK
Father's rooftop protest goes on
Fathers 4 Justice protest
Fathers 4 Justice said they were resuming "direct action"
A fathers' rights campaigner is maintaining his rooftop protest at the London home of Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman.
Jolly Stainesby, of south Devon, spent the night under a tarpaulin, observed by the occupants of three police cars.
Mr Stainesby began the protest at the minister's house in Herne Hill, south London, on Sunday with Mark Harris - who later came down and was arrested.
Ms Harman has decided to leave her home until the protest ended.
Mr Stainesby said the rooftop protest could go on for some time.
Speaking earlier, he said: "I'm not coming down until they free my mate Mark. He is still being held."
Mr Harris was held on suspicion of criminal damage, causing a public nuisance and other offences.
The campaigners, who are dressed as mythical superheroes "Captain Conception" and "Cash Gordon", had said they intended to remain at the property until the former minister of justice read Mr Harris's book, Family Court Hell.
They also unfurled a banner reading: "A father is for life, not just conception".
'Direct action'
Ms Harman, who is also Secretary of State for Equalities and Minister for Women, said the men had not requested a meeting.
Fathers 4 Justice founder Matt O'Connor said the government had "refused all dialogue with F4J for the past two years" and the group would now resume "a full-scale campaign of direct action against the government, its ministers and the judiciary".
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said the government had carried out a public consultation on improving the openness of family courts.
He added: "This is an important and complex area of policy about which people have strong views. We must ensure we get it right."
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7443284.stm
Page last updated at 16:18 GMT, Tuesday, 10 June 2008 17:18 UK
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Harman rooftop protesters bailed
Fathers 4 Justice protest
Fathers 4 Justice said they were resuming "direct action"
Two fathers' rights activists who held a roof-top protest at the south London home of Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman have been bailed by police.
Jolly Stanesby and Mark Harris, both of south Devon, wore superhero costumes and unfurled a banner saying: "A father is for life, not just conception."
The Fathers 4 Justice protest started on Sunday in Herne Hill and continued for more than 24 hours.
Both men have been bailed until 16 July pending further police inquiries.
Mr Stanesby, from Ivybridge, and Mr Harris had said they intended to remain at the property until the former minister of justice read Mr Harris's book, Family Court Hell.
'Full-scale campaign'
They said the protest was to highlight the fact that fathers were being made redundant both emotionally by the courts and now biologically by the new Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.
During the protest on Sunday, Ms Harman, who is also minister for women and equality, spent more than seven hours inside her home.
Fathers 4 Justice founder Matt O'Connor has said the government had "refused all dialogue with F4J for the past two years" and the group would now resume "a full-scale campaign of direct action against the government, its ministers and the judiciary".
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said the government had carried out a public consultation on improving the openness of family courts.
He added: "This is an important and complex area of policy about which people have strong views. We must ensure we get it right."
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7446822.stm