Disruptive protests clampdown.

[malificent7]

I am torn. I am worried that this will erode our rights to peaceful protest but don't agree with blocking ambulances.

I think this government will use this as an excuse to clamp don on civil unrest that THEY have caused.

What do you think?

The difference is, their are already technologies being developed to help combat the climate, and also what gives the protesters the right to be holding up emergency services and the public,

Blocking ambulances is just unforgivable. I would have no issue with forcibly removing someone who stood in the way of an ambulance

This. 100% this.

If it was proven a person died due to them blocking the e.g. Ambulances, could the protester or protesters be charged with manslaughter ?

Much as I would vehemently disagree with them, provided there is no intimidation of staff or clients, then yes they should. As much as I have the right to protest against their views. The second we have no right to protest then we have no democracy. Protest should not deliberately endanger life. But pissing people off or inconveniencing them is fair game.

Since people seem obsessed with protesters letting ambulances through View here to hear from an actual paramedic.

I think the new anti protest laws are scary.

Tell that to Nelson Mandela....

"Mandela was a controversial figure for much of his life. Although critics on the right denounced him as a communist terrorist and those on the far left deemed him too eager to negotiate and reconcile with apartheid's supporters, he gained international acclaim for his activism. Globally regarded as an icon of democracy and social justice, he received more than 250 honours, including the Nobel Peace Prize. He is held in deep respect within South Africa, where he is often referred to by his Thembu clan name, Madiba, and described as the "Father of the Nation".

he may have achieved Nobel activities later in life, but it's also debated that he was also a "communist terrorist"

admittedly I know nothing about him, apart from a quick read on Wikipedia.

@Hawkins001 Writing numerous responses to overwell the thread doesn't mean you're right. Your response to me was ludicrous and patronising to me and any protesters. You have no information about my personal subject knowledge or theirs.

That's why I try to phrase my comments as questions most of the time, same as I did with yours why is it patronizing, to ask you questions ?

I wonder if the protests are more or less disruptive to ambulances than:

• big events like state funerals, the London marathon, air shows, concerts etc where roads are closed and there's gridlock

• the huge lorry queues to the Dover port

• crashes caused by other drivers' inattention and bad driving

• the sheer unecessary volume of cars on the road

I know which one my money would be on. But for some reason everyone is just fine with the latter groups.

Big luxury show off run in London which closes miles of roads? Fantastic!

Handful of protests about a fairly crucial issue closing small sections of roads? Bastards!

@Hawkins001 nothing and they should absolutely not be stopping emergency services or services to the public.

Why do they not go to the source and disrupt parliament.

I don't understand why not.

They should crack down on them 100%. If they block the road, allow drivers to run them over with impunity. How is blocking the road reducing global warming? It actually causes more global warming due to all the traffic being stuck for hours with engines running. Not to mention all the protesters travelling to London using fossil fueled transport, I highly doubt any of them walk. IMO they are stupid idiots.

Turn your engine off if you are stuck - if you dont it's not the protestor fault you use too much fuel

People are dying due to climate change and traffic pollution but that's ok ? but it's not ok that someone in the ambulance dies ? Two faced

A right to protest should never trump someone’s right to medical attention. They can protest elsewhere. A person in need of an ambulance has no other choice.

@midgetastic its not two faced at all, that’s a horrific over simplification. ‘People are dying in scenario a) so why should we care if they die in scenario b)’.

climate change is a complex issue. Protestors blocking an ambulance is not. The protestors may protest without blocking the road and causing more unnecessary death.

I agree with peoples right to protest

or it will become like Iran or China

I think the measures the government is introducing are excessively authoritarian, I am not in favour.

Much of it is criminal damage. If it was your home or car or shop that was smashed or splattered, would you be fine with it as long as the perpetrators said it was in the name of a cause? (And any cause they fancied??). I wouldn't.

Would you be fine with someone blatantly obstructing your way? So you miss your job interview or a big meeting at work or a hospital appointment you've waited months for? Or your kid or pet gets distressed in a four hour traffic jam? I wouldn't.

Peaceful protest - fine. Economic or political protest even better. This is not that.

Those against how would you feel if it blocked you in an emergency situation

This is just facile. Not sure you can call other people 'stupid idiots' with views like this.

MarshaBradyo - I suspect they would have a completely different view. Especially if it was their child.

It is already against the law to block the road. They don't need to make new anti protest laws. I assume all this press coverage is to help the government get support for more laws cracking down on protests.

I've been at protests (not about climate change) where people were forcibly pulled from the road by police, police horses were used to move people away and people were arrested for blocking the highway.

I'd feel fucking pissed off, and potentially devastated/murderous if it directly affected me in an emergency situation, but I do personally believe the government's position is too authoritarian.

Me and my relatives are at FAR higher risk of not getting an ambulance in time in the first place, the government is winding this issue back up delierately to distract from the real threats to the economy, our health etc.

Exactly
the police aren’t enforcing the law as it stands already

The police are struggling to enforce current laws due to the cuts... there are just not enough police.

Never expected the Tories to be the ones to defund the police!

These laws are for headlines.