Hi all
Many many thanks to our new signers, sharers and surprise donaters, we'd never ask for your money in these difficult financial times so every donation is a very welcome very lovely surprise.
Thank you also to our continued supporters, we wouldn't be this far without you.
As the meeting on the 8th August which decides the rules is getting closer and closer it is important for all of us who do not want dogs banned (with excemptions) in Edinburgh’s 43 council cemetries to keep spreading the word.
Since the start we have consistently heard "the council will never ban dogs" - this your chance to have your say and help ensure it doesn't happen.
Given how well known and heartfelt the story behind the other petition is we may never catch up with their numbers but that doesn't mean we can't try!
Please continue to share the petition, if you want to please write to your local councillors, the comittee members who will decide the rules or even give a deposition at the meeting. The more they hear from us the better.
List of your local Councillors:
https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=WARD&VW=LIST&PIC=0
List of who is due to be at the committee meeting including comitte members:
https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/mgMeetingAttendance.aspx?ID=7281
Or as always you can contact us to get more involved share your story or for any help or advice:
cemeteries4all@yahoo.com
You can also vote on the issue in the one-sided (in our opinion) article in The Times:
On to our main topic of the day - it's not entirely our campaign but is related to it and is most definitely related to appropriate behaviours in cemeteries which started this whole thing off.
Should you expect privacy in a cemetery?
If we went to a cemetery to watch people and take photos of them without their permission then posted them online what would you all think?
If we watched people in a cemetery from a flat with a camera and took photos of people in the cemetery then posted them online what would you all think?
I personally was brought up in a fairly old fashioned "traditional" way, say please and thank you, ask how somone is, help people out, treat people nicely etc.
A big part of this upbringing was respecting other people's privacy - especially so when they may be experiencing difficult feelings such as grief. As such I believe in the old fashioned view that cemeteries are places of privacy and respect and the old unwritten rule that you do not disturb people in cemeteries in any way.
Whilst only commercial photography is legislated for under cemetery rules there is rule 1.1 which prohibits any behaviour which causes (or in opinion of a Council Officer is likely to cause) annoyance, offence, alarm or distress to any other cemetery user.
We personally feel this rule covers watching people with or without taking photos of them and posting them online as we think this could be extremely distressing and alarming.
The other petition seems to think watching people in cemeteries and taking photos in cemeteries then posting them online is ok and has done so since April, including yesterday https://www.change.org/p/edinburgh-council-to-reinstate-no-dogs-in-cemeteries-rule-that-was-in-place-pre-covid/u/32719925
We struggle to understand the point of yesterday's photo as all dogs seem to be on lead, we can't see any deserted poo, they don't appear to be peeing on a grave and are in fact walking on a path - all within current rules. Maybe we have missed something in the photo though. Maybe they are a commercial dog walker which is against the rules. We apologise profusely if the purpose of the photos is obvious and it's a legitimate expection to have your photo taken in a cemetery, this is just our view.
Furthermore, although you cannot see this person's face this does not make them not identifiable and we feel posting their picture online over such a sensitive issue is potentially putting them at risk of abuse or even assault from people who feel strongly on this matter and the dogs are certainly identifiable so anyone with them or even the digs themselves may be at risk also.
Whilst we understand they may be gathering evidence for their case, however, in order to take photos of those breaking rules they effectively need to watch everyone who is in a cemetery during thwir observation period - and as stated above we are concerned that some photos show people doing things they are allowed to do. We feel this is highly inappropriate and against rule 1.1 and would urge anyone who is in such photographs to email their local councillor or even the police if they are unhappy or feel they have been put at risk.
We would also urge the other petition to remember the ethos behind why they set up their petition - respect for the deaceased and those who love them.
It is an extremely uncomfortable feeling to know you are potentially being watched by a stranger and we feel that grieving people should be able to pay their respects without this. We appreciate you may want evidence but there are other more respectful ways to go about it.
Personally I find it very distressing visiting my loved ones with someone potentially watching and taking photos of me and that if people think this is acceptable then I feel we as a society have lost our way when we can't respect the privacy of people in a place where one would reasonably expect privacy.
We would like to assure all that our evidence gathering has been extremely carefully thought about to minimise upset or disruption to anyone and that no one can be identified in any shape or form in our evidence.
Please feel free to contact us as anytime for more information on our petition or help or advice re how to report issues to your local councillor: cemeteries4all@yahoo.com
You can also view our petition:
https://www.change.org/EdinburghCemetriesForAll