To think there shouldn't be a right to *protest*

I disagree OP.

Workers, e.g. doctors, need to voice their dissatisfaction with pay/conditions. If they don't, in a few years no-one will want to be a doctor in the UK, we will have even greater GP shortages, and we all suffer.

The same with nurses, teachers, fire service. They are the subject experts and we need them to say so (tell us) when things are becoming unacceptable.

I am taking bets on when the OP returns to strengthen their point, I suspect they won't as this was written by AI.

I am that cynical that I believe it could even be a Russian chat bot

I think the assumption that those in charge are largely working in our interests is naive, if you look at the history of civil rights, from rights for the working classes, women, those who want religious freedom and the rights of minority ethnic groups, nothing of substance was won by writing letters. The right for peaceful direct action and protest is fundamental in a democracy.

Ah see, I was listening to you then, when you put “bandwagon” it diminishes your argument.

It's partly why voting rights got extended to working men in UK.
It's partly why women got the vote in UK.
It's partly why trade unions and working rights exists and we're not in the shit place american workers are in UK.
It's partly why the poll tax which was crippling my parents when I was young went away.

I do feel though that since New Labour - and the big stop the war or going into IRAQ protests even big ones are just getting ignored - some even not covered.

I've been round country for uni vsists last few years and we seen loads of peaceful Gaza protests - I only see them on news when they turn bad - they seem pointless longer they go on I can't see they've had any effect.

The endless reinventing themsleves loose coalition behind “just stop oil" with poorly thought though aims have felt more like a cynical attempt to turn the population against the supposed causes and even against protest itself.

I think it a sign of how disconnected population increasingly feel from poltical class - yet another example of how people's concerns are being ignored.

Better policed perhaps - less tolerated but done away with that may be short term poltically nice for the government in power and long term leathal to both democracy and wider society.

The inconvenience it causes to others is kind of the point. Similar to going on strike.

YABU

This 😉 😀

Why, is it making you feel bad that you never get out anywhere with your DOWN WITH THIS SORT OF THING placard?

People are often protesting to change the law.

They are not, there are laws about how they should behave whilst protesting that does not change their right to protest

What are the current protest laws in the UK?
An individual’s right to freedom of expression and assembly are protected by Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which is enshrined in UK law. Together, the Articles safeguard the right to peaceful protest. However, these rights are not absolute, and the state can implement laws that restrict the right to protest to maintain public order or to protect the rights and freedoms of others.
In the UK, several pieces of legislation provide a framework for the policing of protests. The Public Order Act 1986 provides the police with powers to place restrictions and conditions on protests. These powers were strengthened by part 3 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
The Public Order Act 2023 established several protest-related criminal offences, including causing serious disruption by ‘locking on’ (attaching oneself to another person, an object or to land), serious disruption by tunnelling underground, obstructing major transport works and interfering with key national infrastructure.
There are several other criminal offences that could apply to a person’s conduct during a protest, despite not being offences that are specific to protests. These include wilful obstruction of a highway, public nuisance, and aggravated trespass.

I dunno....I suppose it depends whether you value being able to vote, having a weekend and an 8 hour work day, the existence of gay and disabled rights and being paid as much as men.

None of which came about without protest.

😀😀

People should not be allowed to break the law just because they are "protesting".

Not this.

The irony that you’re annoyed about being inconvenienced by people protesting the loss or threat of losing rights..do you know what’s REALLY inconvenient? Losing your sodding rights, that’s what.

Put down the Daily Mail, good lord.

I think protesting nowadays is counterproductive. It's always the same people that protest everything, there's always people with socialist worker placards at every protest, and it just gets peoples backs up and doesn't achieve anything except annoying people.

Then you are missing the point of protesting.

I agree with this.
Inconvenience MPs, CEOs, Head offices etc.
Sitting in a road whilst ordinary minimum wage people beg you to move so they can get to work and get paid isn't ever going to endear folks to your latest bandwagon cause.

All of that is legitimate and entirely compatible with democracy.

The right to protest is legitimate and compatible with democracy as laid out in the law of this country.

This is right wing chat bot bullshit designed to push an anti democracy agenda

Everyone should have the right to peacefully protest. It's a basic tenet of any democracy and losing that right will have far wider consequences that you've even considered OP.

Ever heard of Emmeline Pankhurst, Emily Davison, or my personal favourite suffragette, Mary Molony, who followed Churchill around for a week and rang a loud bell every time he tried to speak?

@Bathingnow it depends HOW someone is protesting so YABU and YANBU!

Protesting is about making yourself heard and seen and getting your message across.

What it's NOT about is violence, and putting lives at risk.

The example of stopping an ambulance is how NOT to protest as this has a huge impact on a human life.

Anyone who carries out an act of protest and puts lives at risk should be charged and jailed, as this isn't protesting, it's a criminal act.

Everyone should have the right to protest in the correct way.

Of course people should have the right to protest providing it’s done peacefully and does not prevent others from going about their lives, or damages property, violence, inciting hatred etc.

Hmmm, right wing agenda much? What is next, unions, strikes, labour laws?

Heaven forbid somebody suffer … some inconvenience 🙈 How horrifying!