PURPLE RIBBONS PUT UP AS FATHER HELD IN JAIL

10:40 - 03 July 2007

Fathers' rights campaigners have been putting up purple ribbons in the city.Members of Fathers4Justice (F4J) returned to Bristol Prison yesterday to renew their campaign about the imprisonment of Michael Cox, who is serving time in the jail for failing to make payments to the Child Support Agency.

Mr Cox, a barrister for the movement, was sentenced to 42 days in prison last week, but he was moved from Dorchester prison in Dorset to Bristol due to security issues.

On Sunday around 60 campaigners gathered outside the prison in Horfield and even stormed the entrance.And yesterday they tied a purple ribbon around the sign for the prison as a sign of their support for Mr Cox, before heading to the Clifton Suspension Bridge to tie ribbons on the landmark.

Nigel Ace, Bristol spokesman for F4J, said: "We went to the bridge because it is the symbol of F4J in Bristol because we carried out action there before."It also shows that we are trying to bridge the gap that exists for equality. Purple is the colour of unity."F4J is to continue its campaign of protests over Mr Cox, who they claim has been made a "Guantanamo dad", and an example for other fathers.

Pictured is Mr Ace putting up purple ribbons on the Clifton Suspension Bridge.