Diabolical Liberties have responded to this week's court proceedings relating to Camden Council's attempts to slam Anti-social Behaviour Orders against four of their staff. As previously reported, very little happened in court on Wednesday except for the magistrate rejecting the marketing firm's claims that Camden had gone about applying for ABSOs in the wrong way and therefore the whole case should be thrown out of court.
Following the court hearing the marketing firm, who are one of the UK's leading companies for planning and coordinating flyposting campaigns, again stressed that they had attempted to persuade Camden to adopt some kind of regulated street poster system like that put forward by a company called City Centre Posters.
In a statement the company told reporters: "Today at Highbury Corner magistrates court a legal process began which will have implications for how London's councils choose, or choose not, to incorporate cultural advertising into modern city living. Diabolical liberties believes there is an urgent need for an open debate about whether the people of Camden want to see street posters remain in the borough, in the form of an authorised scheme. Many other councils and communities around the UK are benefiting from authorised poster schemes. Diabolical liberties asks for Camden to consider the opportunity. Camden council have not yet responded. We would prefer to debate the issue through the correct channels, including the council chamber and local media. However, if Camden council insists we take this debate through the courts, then we are happy to do so."
The company also dispute comments made by Camden Council's Environmental Chief that the borough's cultural scene would be unaffected if all street posters were banned. The company continue: "The environmental chief for Camden was incredibly dismissive of the fact that Camden, as a borough with more live music venues than any other in London, and with a rich musical history, should in fact have a cultural need to include authorised space for street poster advertising. It's ridiculous to think that Camden's live music scene would not suffer badly if this policy of zero tolerance, whilst simultaneously criminalising cultural advertising by using ASBO legislation, continues."