Is peaceful, socially-distanced protest now illegal?

[Redolent]

Can someone clarify if the change in legislation makes protest illegal, or if this has been the case since March anyway?

I can see that what changed yesterday is that we now have a legal definition of a gathering:

“ There is a gathering when two or more people are present together in the same place in order to engage in any form of social interaction with each other, or to undertake any other activity with each other.”

While the powers are in force, “no person may participate in a gathering which takes place in a public or private place outdoors, and consists of more than six persons, or indoors, and consists of two or more persons”.


Does the government sense social unrest on the horizon? (triggered by mass unemployment) Is this an attempt to quash it?

[GoatyGoatyMingeMinge]

Hi @Redolent,

That's certainly the plain meaning of para 7 of the new regulations. It's delegated legislation though. If it amounts to a disproportionate interference with Art 11 ECHR it can be struck out by a court (or reinterpreted under s.3 HRA, although I can't see how that would be possible in this case).

[BumpBundle]

Protests are not illegal. The HRA 1998 supersedes the Covid laws so socially distanced protests are legal. There's zero debate to be had on the matter.

[BumpBundle]

Also, we don't have "mass unemployment" - calm yourself.

[Redolent]

@BumpBundle

Also, we don't have "mass unemployment" - calm yourself.

But what do you think will happen when the furlough scheme ends? Aren’t we by all counts going to see the grimmest recession on record?

The US unemployment rate has now risen to 40m, to 14.7%. The highest it’s ever been.

[Scotinengland76]

Mass unemployment?

[Redolent]

Also I hate this ‘calm yourself’ retort. It always reminds me of that sexist pig David Cameron and his baying cronies in the HoC.

[Redolent]

“ The Bank of England has forecast the worst economic recession since 1706, with unemployment predicted to increase from 4% to 9%.”

[heartsonacake]

You do need to calm yourself; you’re being hysterical. There won’t be mass unemployment.

[Annoyance]

@BumpBundle

Also, we don't have "mass unemployment" - calm yourself.

What do you consider to be mass unemployment? What percentage would it have to be for you to agree?

[Redolent]

@heartsonacake

You do need to calm yourself; you’re being hysterical. There won’t be mass unemployment.

Again, it’s not me saying this.



“The UK is at risk of returning to the high unemployment levels of the 1980s, according to the Bank of England’s chief economist, Andy Haldane.

“The very reason I got into economics and the reason I got into public policy was because of the scarring experience of the early 80s unemployment, which peaked at three and a bit million – and we’re going back to that basically,” he said in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph.”

[toinfinityandlockdown]

This is a really important issue. I’m very concerned that the emergency of COVID 19 could be used as a route to further governmental control on our lives. Boris hasn’t shown himself to be a great respecter of democracy.