WEE SHALL NOT BE MOVED!
PROTESTER VOWS TO CONTINUE HIS 17-YEAR PROTEST OUTSIDE COURT, AS OFFICIALS BAN HIM FROM NIPPING INTO ITS TOILETS
TEN years ago, Ricky Canty was kicked off the roof of a house where he was staging a one-man protest – and now he’s been ordered to end the pavement protest he’s been staging on and off ever since.
The 68-year-old has been threatened with legal action if he does not stop protesting outside Cardiff Civil and Family Justice Centre, where he lost his legal battle to keep his old family home in Raldan Close, Barry.
And he’s even been told he can no longer nip into the court’s toilets during his protest, nor enter the building at all, unless he’s on official business.
The pensioner’s original rooftop protests in Barry made UK-wide headlines and he became known as “Ricky on the Roof” until he was forced to leave.
Since then, he has regularly been standing outside the centre’s steps with banners expressing his feelings towards the judicial system.
In total, he says he has been protesting for 17 years as he initially campaigned on the court steps for several years before taking his protest back to his then Barry rooftop.
His car has also been parked outside the building with more claims displayed in its windows.
But now Mr Canty said he has been told to stop attaching banners to the fence or he will face legal proceedings.
A letter from the Government Legal Department, on behalf of the Ministry of Justice, states: “We are instructed that you do not have our client’s licence or consent to place any form of signage on the railings or any other part of the premises. Such acts constitute trespass to land and are prohibited by our client.
“You must immediately refrain from affixing or leaving any signage on the premises or any part of them. Furthermore, you may not enter the premises, except for the sole purpose of a court hearing, either as a litigant or member of the public, or for other legitimate business in connection with litigation.
“Should you attempt to fix or place any form of signage on railings or any other part of the premises after service of this letter upon you, our client has instructed us to issue legal proceedings for an injunction without further notice from you.
“Should this be necessary, if our client is successful in those proceedings, our client will seek an order against you for payment of their legal costs.”
Mr Canty, from Barry, described the letter as “absolutely ridiculous”.
He said: “I will be here until the day I die unless I get some justice, with or without the signs.”
Mr Canty added: “It’s absolutely ridiculous. I get on with the security guards there, I get on with everybody. Every member of the public has the right to use a public building.
“All I want is a fair hearing which is what I have been asking for the last 17 years”.
In 2006, Mr Canty staged a rooftop protest on top of his former home in Raldan Close, Barry, shortly before bailiffs were due to evict him. It lasted for 28 months.
Apart from a six-month period in jail for contempt of court, he remained there until 2008, having put up a wooden platform and shelter.
He said: “They’ve obviously done this because the BBC building and the tax office is going up and the place will be bustling.
“I’m not going anywhere until I’ve had justice. I’ll get a stereo if I have to.
“I’m not going to stop until I have had my fair hearing, but it looks as though that will never happen. They’ll never stop me until I have got no air in my lungs. I’m going to be giving out leaflets for the next 100 years or so hopefully.”
The Ministry of Justice declined to comment.