Priti Patel wants to ban protest. Bill going through this week.

[flashbac]

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is some scary looking stuff. 10 year sentence for being at any protest that, amongst other things, causes or is at risk of causing 'serious annoyance'. That's all protests then is it?
The right to protest is the cornerstone of every democracy.
Aibu to be scared about where this is heading?

blocking a bridge or road to stop pedestrians and/or traffic from getting through;

That one in itself is sufficient to never allow a march or occupation though

And that's the vast majority of protests I've ever been on

Protests are meant to cause some disruption, it is frequently a part of what marks the event as not just a normal day

Does she want to ban protests in the context of the current time to protect the health of others? Or just protests full stop?

@YoyoRiot
As explained upthread this is nothing to do with the pandemic. This is about curtailing people’s right to protest generally.

In that case, that's really scary how our freedom is being chipped away at

@Theluggage15

This doesn’t surprise me. The government have been watching with great pleasure the way in which a large proportion of the population have loved all the authoritarian measures that have been brought in as a response to covid. Look at all the many comments about locking people up for breaking a rule, refusing NHS treatment for rule breakers and for people who don’t want the vaccine. Virtually frothing at the mouth that U.K. lockdowns have been half hearted and should have been like China’s, they seem to love being told what they’re ‘allowed’ to do.

I think the past year has shown that the U.K. population really doesn’t care about free speech and human rights, if the government says it will keep them ‘safe’ they happily nod along to anything they’re told.

Wow, what a great post. I honestly don't know what the problem is here. As you rightly say people have been begging for this, for months, now it looks like they may get what they want!! How many times have we heard posters on here encouraging other posters to report a neighbour for flouting lockdown rules? Yet, as I type this, there are thousands of women doing just that in London, which appears to be supported by many on here. Such hypocrisy. Given the events from yesterday and today, I fear that this bill may just get through. If anyone on here, attended today's events, you should hold your head in shame. These protests have been hijacked and have nothing to do with poor Sarah.

I don't think that many people want it I just don't think many consider the full implications or care really

Was this not drafted in response to the BLM and extinction rebellion protests in which numerous statues and memorials were damaged, including the cenotaph? Labour supported it at the time.

I have no real issue with it. As much as I support people's right to protest, I feel there has to be balance because that shouldn't trump everyone else's right to a peaceful existence either.

And isn't it applying the same standard to static protests as exists for marches?

@Chanjer

I don't think that many people want it I just don't think many consider the full implications or care really

To be fair, I think you are right on that one.

I've emailed my MP to ask them to vote against it. Make your voice heard, what more can we do.

I’ve shared my concerns on my Facebook today. Predictably three people (the usual suspects) are outraged. No one else has reacted.

@Donotfeedthebears

“People should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of their people.”

I’m getting serious V for Vendetta vibes from this.

They are afraid of us - that's why they're doing this. They're hoping that if they make it illegal to protest they will just get away with the unnecessarily high death toll, the track and trace fiasco, the dire brexit deal, the crashing economy, the destruction of peace in NI ...

they are just so fucking stupid that they can't think their way to the natural conclusion of a ban on legitimate, democratic protest.

'Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable' - JFK

I won't cry for them when their day comes.

We're in a pandemic. Any protests are irresponsible and unlawful unless they conform to the Covid rules. Simple as that.

@YoniAndGuy

They’re seriously getting to the point where there will be another Poll Tax situation - full on rage and non-compliance. Don’t push people too far. Especially not after the year we’ve had. Although... I kind of hope they do, and the Tories end up as tainted, despised and scorned as they did in the 90s.

No. They're flying in the polls at the moment.

No. They're flying in the polls at the moment.

Possibly because the Opposition is non existent

@BonnieDundee

No. They're flying in the polls at the moment.

Possibly because the Opposition is non existent

Or maybe we're just a Conservative country and people like Boris.

Thanks for raising awareness OP, I'd not even heard of it.

Or maybe we're just a Conservative country and people like Boris.

I dont mind people voting for Boris. I just dont expect Keir to back Boris all the time

Anybody deliberately calling Keir Keith just looks like an idiot and undermines any argument they might raise.

Aww bless, ill make sure I make extra effort to call him keith from now on then

I've written to my MP, but my MP is Kit Malthouse and I'd bet my house on him voting with government on this. I still feel I have to write because if we all give up he can imagine everyone is fine with it.

I find it so depressing that Boris is ahead in the polls currently. People are asleep surely?

I did really think that fundamentally Johnson was a libertarian and wouldn't seek to reduce freedoms, looks like I was wrong.

The whole situation is very scary indeed, and there is complete lack of a meaningful opposition.We are being marched into a police state

Scary

I'm with you OP. Started a similar thread (sorry, missed yours).

Thanks to everyone contacting their MP.

Whichever side of the left -right debate you're on, this is about our democratic rights. Everyone's democratic rights.

Yes I’m finding it all very scary too. I’ve been concerned about the suspension of civil liberties since the start of the pandemic, but have been regarded as a melodramatic crank by most of those I’ve discussed it with. And I’m now very wary of being dismissed as a crazy covid denier, which seems to have been the case with anyone who even remotely questions the wisdom or utility of lockdown measures.

Relieved that Labour look to be actively voting against rather than their usual fence-sitting shenanigans, but I’m so disappointed in Keir Starmer, who seems to be afraid of his own shadow.

Even more frustrated by the unquestioning apathy of most of the British voting population. My friends are well educated, kind and socially engaged - far from the rabid Daily Mail commenters mentioned upthread. But they are also almost completely disengaged from politics and unable to see beyond their comfortable middle class bubble. I doubt many of them even know about this bill, let alone oppose it.

I just wish we as a country would wake up.

Priti Patel, is actually evil. I mean, proper evil.

There Re few people on this earth who are actually evil, but I swear to god, she is one of them.