Mothers stage sit-in at Stockwell primary school over poster on girls’ mutilation

 
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20 June 2012

A dozen women are staging a sit-in at a primary school in a row over an advice poster warning about the dangers of female genital mutilation.

Lambeth Women’s Project is rejecting demands to leave the listed building, part of Stockwell Primary School and Children’s Centre, and is today on the sixth day of its occupation.

Its action comes after relations with school chiefs and Lambeth council broke down over a loan — and accusations that it had left “sexually explicit material” lying around in areas where it could be seen by children.

But the women say the material is actually a police-sponsored poster for services to help London girls at risk of female genital mutilation.

They say they are “astonished” that the council could use the poster against them and claim the town hall told them to highlight the barbaric practice, which carries a 14-year jail sentence.

Today up to 12 volunteers, including mothers, continued the occupation and said they will stay until forcibly evicted.

They say the real reason for the eviction is because the council wants to sell the site and convert it into flats. Police had previously been called by the school but left, saying it was a civil matter.

One occupier, band road manager Mystique Holloway, 43, said: “The poster concerned genital mutilation and it’s astonishing what the council is saying because it was the council that encouraged us to offer the service.

"There was nothing explicit in the poster. It was a portrait of a girl stating that a service concerning female genital mutilation can be accessed at this centre.”

Relations between the women and the Labour-run council were strained in April when the authority accused them of refusing to repay £10,000 it had sent them in error. They insist the money was promptly handed back.

A council source said: “The group has never abided by the rules. It has risked the safeguarding of the pupils who use the school building and has not paid any service charges. This includes leaving sexually explicit material in areas where pupils can see them.”

LWP provides a range of services to women, including victims of domestic violence. It pays a peppercorn rent to freehold owner Lambeth council.

The council said: “This is between LWP and the primary school, whose governing body is dealing with it.”

Stockwell Primary School and Children’s Centre refused to comment.

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