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

[Bathingnow]

People constantly repeat that the right to protest is some kind of sacred democratic principle that must be protected at all costs. I genuinely do not understand why this is taken as an unquestionable truth. What about the rights of everyone else? What about the right to go to work, get children to school, attend hospital appointments, or simply go about daily life without being obstructed, shouted at, or intimidated?

I fully support the right to dissent. People should be able to express views that challenge the government, corporations, or any other powerful body. That is a basic part of a free society. Free expression means being allowed to say unpopular things without fear of punishment. It does not mean having a free pass to disrupt other people’s lives or hold them hostage to your cause.

If you believe for example climate change is an emergency and the government should “just stop oil”, fine. Argue your case. Write letters to newspapers. Lobby MPs. Stand in Speaker’s Corner and shout yourself hoarse. Post endlessly on social media. Organise debates, whatever. All of that is legitimate and entirely compatible with democracy. None of it requires blocking roads, gluing yourself to infrastructure, or preventing ordinary people from getting where they need to be.

The idea that making life miserable for strangers somehow advances your cause is absurd. Blocking an ambulance, stopping a parent getting to work, or preventing someone from attending a funeral does not win hearts and minds. It just creates resentment. You are not enlightening people. You are inconveniencing them and expecting applause for it.

This applies to every issue, whether it is climate change, Gaza, housing, or anything else. A cause does not become morally superior simply because the people shouting about it feel very strongly. Once a protest crosses the line into infringing on other people’s civil liberties, it stops being a protest and starts being coercion.

Democracy should protect free speech and peaceful expression. It should also protect the public from disruption imposed by self appointed activists who believe their views trump everyone else’s rights. If exercising a so called right to protest requires trampling over the freedoms of others, then that right needs serious limits. I see no reason why the ability to disrupt daily life should be treated as some untouchable democratic virtue.

I agree with you OP. Massive, expensive and, lets face it, utterly pointless, weekly marches on the same issue (Palestine) are just taking the piss. There is a cost to the rest of society, to victims of crime, to preventing crime and to solving crime, to have massive police resources taken up with these each week. Not to mention the disruption to other citizens, businesses, and in the case of the Palestine marches, intimidation to another minority group.

It used to be that people organised a march on their cause maybe once a year - much more reasonable. Every week is just ridiculous, especially for a cause your host country is not responsible for and can't actually bring about any change to.

Just Stop Oil are just outrageous. They actively endanger other people with their stunts.

Oh dear.

The right to protest does not equate to the right to block ambulances, obstruct roads etc. That’s where public order laws come into play.

The right to protest means you can peacefully express your views without being thrown into jail for disagreeing with the government.

Why would anyone want that taken away?

Yep. The worst corners of the MAGA cesspit think that feminists should be forcibly sectioned - and it's creeping over here, with their weaponised version of 'Christianity'. We must be very very vigilant. Protesting should absolutely remain a protected right.

Strengthen their points? Nah, just repeatedly post "boo" to people you disagree with

Protest means collectively disagreeing with something. You don't think people should be allowed to collectively disagree on things?

Yeah, maybe go live a less tolerant country for a while and see how that works out for you.

I think OP would love Russia.

💯

Only take a look at the batshittery on the threads about Renee Nicole Good who was shot by ICE this week. The threads are populated by some disconcerting authoritarian, gaslighting posts. Very 1984.

What would be useful is a clearer idea/definition of what constitutes "legal protest" and what is breach of peace

Blocking roads and causing a public nuisance, being violent and using hate speach or threats isn't part of the right to protest, nor is weekly marches.
What needs to happen is anyone organising these inappropriate protests should be prosecuted along with those taking part

This

I think we should be more like France and protest even more. They don't tolerate the shit their government tries to impose.

Peaceful, organised protests deliberately dont even get mentioned on the news. The only way to get the government to listen to be a pain in the arse and inconvenience people.

If the right to protest is curtailed we head even deeper into control.

You would damn well sit down in the street if something mattered to you enough OP. I guarantee it.

In poor taste given what is happening in Iran at the moment.

Reform thread, I expect.

They aren't though are they. Breaking the law is breaking the law. There are not different laws that apply if you're protesting. "I was protesting, your honour" is not a viable defence. What makes you think they're being allowed to break the law?

Those just stop oil protesters were like soulless robots when that poor mum was begging them to move so she could get her baby to the hospital. There is a line and I think they crossed it. Absolutely dead inside.

Oooh! Let’s define hate speech and go for that. Wait-we already did. Except we still hear plenty of it from certain quarters.

Are you honestly trying to tell us that the people on Steven Yaxley-Lennon's racist "Raise the Colours" march were the same people as those on the counter-protest on the same day?

Or that Stand Up to Racism protestors are the same people as those shouting abuse outside asylum-seeker accommodation?

I very much doubt that you see SWP placards among those protesting about asylum seekers, and not everyone carrying an SWP placard supports the SWP. The SWP rock up with loads of the fucking things and just hand them out. You see a fair few people ripping the "Socialist Worker Party" bit off the bottom before they carry them, precisely because they don't support the SWP.

A Reform voter perchance?

Of course people should be allowed to have their say. How can they get government to listen. Now, in the past, ever.

I don't want that taken away. That's what I meant when I said I support the right to dissent. You should be able to voice your opinion, even inconvenience Parliament or political institutions, but you should have no right to interfere with my (ie regular civilian's) life.

This argument is always bought out as a gotcha

Its not, it wasnt the protesting that brought about the changes.

If you aren't happy that other people have the right to protest, then you are free to protest yourself to have it abolished.

Sure disagree collectively, but that doesn't equal stopping other people from going about their lives. Organise large rallies in open spaces and protest to your heart's content, but don't block roads or public throughfares.

I could even understand a once a year or six months march (per cause) on public roads, but not daily or weekly marches that block roads. Why does your right to shout trump my right to go about my life?

Does that mean if we want to achieve more social changes of equality we always need a war that kills millions ?

You think pigeonholing someone is enough to dismiss a valid point? Ftr I'm not a reform voter, but that's not relevant anyway.