About

The concept for Lighten Up surfaced in response to the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) 2005. This is a piece of British legislation that prohibits protest within a 1km exclusion zone around the Houses of Parliament (HoP) in Westminster. It is a method of quiet protest but still a symbol of rebellion. But why is this needed?

In October 2005, Maya Evans was arrested and charged under SOCPA after standing by the Cenotaph in Whitehall and reading out the names of the 97 British war dead in Iraq in a 'remembrance ceremony.' Another woman was also threatened with arrest for eating a cake that had the word 'peace' iced onto it. Wearing red poppy badges or red noses within the exclusion area is also prohibited. In effect, this absurdity is a ban on our right to freedom of speech.

Lighten Up is a system for invisible night-protest. It is a way for people to take power back, a way of sharing political ideology, a way of reclaiming our right to freedom of expression. With the Lighten Up technique, you can exercise your voice where and when you want to; your protest is only visible when captured on camera making this the ultimate tool to challenge SOCPA. It is unexpected, unfamiliar, and can be anything you want it to be - a concept, a movement, a way of sharing thought, a way of connecting, a form of creative expression, a revolution, an act of rebellion...a way to say no.

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