THE GUARDIAN: Measures in Queen’s speech would have outlawed protests that won votes for women and legalisation of unions, say critics
Environmental campaign groups have hit out at the “draconian” protest crackdown bill announced in the Queen’s speech.
The new law appears to be targeted at groups such as Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil and Insulate Britain who have used disruptive methods to draw attention to the climate crisis.
Announcing the bill, Priti Patel said: “As the Queen’s speech outlined, the public order bill backs the police to prevent antisocial protests from disrupting people’s lives.” The home secretary hailed the “new criminal offences for ‘locking on’ and interfering with national infrastructure, and serious disruption prevention orders for reoffenders”.
The new criminalisation of “locking on” is aimed at protesters who handcuff or glue themselves to infrastructure, a favourite tactic of green protest groups. Insulate Britain demonstrators made headlines last year after glueing themselves to major roads, and Extinction Rebellion members have previously handcuffed and glued themselves to trains, causing disruption.
People who go equipped to lock themselves or others to buildings, roads or printing presses will also be committing an offence under the new bill. Extinction Rebellion members have previously targeted printing presses, delaying deliveries of national newspapers including the Telegraph, the Times and the Sun. » | Helena Horton, Environment reporter | Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Inane and Orwellian: a Queen’s speech to improve the life of Boris Johnson: Prince Charles cut a pathetic figure, selling a flimsy, sinister package designed to protect the prime minister, not to address Britain’s problems »
In full: Prince Charles delivers Queen’s Speech for the first time »
Video: Keir Starmer responds to meagre Queen's Speech »
Queen’s Speech ohne Queen: Erstmals lässt Elizabeth II. das Programm der Regierung in London von Thronfolger Charles vortragen. Im Mittelpunkt stehen dabei die Preissteigerungen im Königreich. »
Der Premierminister muss jetzt liefern: Boris Johnson wollte etwas für die „kleinen Leute“ tun. Viel hat er noch nicht geschafft – was auch an der Pandemie lag. Aber zur Halbzeit der Legislaturperiode muss der Premierminister allmählich liefern. »
GUARDIAN EDITORIAL:
The Guardian view on the Queen’s speech: Boris Johnson fails to deliver for voters: The prime minister’s programme seeks fights to mobilise his base instead of tackling the cost of living crisis »
Showing posts with label right to protest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label right to protest. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Monday, December 20, 2021
The Guardian View on the Police Bill: A Fight for the Right to Protest
THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: Labour and the Lords must take a stand against the draconian crackdown on demonstrators proposed by ministers
Insulate Britain activists protest in London last month. Photograph: Belinda Jiao/Sopa Images/Rex/Shutterstock
An already illiberal police and crime bill threatens to become even more so, if 18 pages of amendments added to it by the government in the House of Lords last month are accepted. A new criminal offence of obstructing major transport works, the expansion of stop and search powers and a new power for police to ban named people from demonstrations are clearly intended to strangle off what ministers are worried could be a new line in disruptive climate protests, after two months of roadblocks organised by the direct-action group Insulate Britain – and a decision by the supreme court earlier this year reaffirming the right of protesters to cause disruption.
Emboldened by the angry response to Insulate Britain from some members of the public, and criticism from paramedics about delays to ambulances, the home secretary, Priti Patel, and her colleagues have calculated that they can risk bypassing the scrutiny by MPs that is an essential part of our parliamentary process. In January, the Lords will have the opportunity to prove them wrong by rejecting these tacked-on, kneejerk measures.
The police, crime, sentencing and courts bill was bad enough before, as was vividly illustrated by criticism of it from David Blunkett and Theresa May – neither of whom remotely resembles the stereotype of the out-of-touch-with-public-opinion, human-rights-obsessed liberal that some on the right love to hate. The bill, wrote Lord Blunkett earlier this year, would make Britain “more like Putin’s Russia”. More than 600,000 people signed a petition objecting to it. » | Editorial | Sunday, December 19, 2021
An already illiberal police and crime bill threatens to become even more so, if 18 pages of amendments added to it by the government in the House of Lords last month are accepted. A new criminal offence of obstructing major transport works, the expansion of stop and search powers and a new power for police to ban named people from demonstrations are clearly intended to strangle off what ministers are worried could be a new line in disruptive climate protests, after two months of roadblocks organised by the direct-action group Insulate Britain – and a decision by the supreme court earlier this year reaffirming the right of protesters to cause disruption.
Emboldened by the angry response to Insulate Britain from some members of the public, and criticism from paramedics about delays to ambulances, the home secretary, Priti Patel, and her colleagues have calculated that they can risk bypassing the scrutiny by MPs that is an essential part of our parliamentary process. In January, the Lords will have the opportunity to prove them wrong by rejecting these tacked-on, kneejerk measures.
The police, crime, sentencing and courts bill was bad enough before, as was vividly illustrated by criticism of it from David Blunkett and Theresa May – neither of whom remotely resembles the stereotype of the out-of-touch-with-public-opinion, human-rights-obsessed liberal that some on the right love to hate. The bill, wrote Lord Blunkett earlier this year, would make Britain “more like Putin’s Russia”. More than 600,000 people signed a petition objecting to it. » | Editorial | Sunday, December 19, 2021
Saturday, April 03, 2021
‘Kill the Bill’ Protesters Rally across England and Wales on Saturday
THE GUARDIAN: Demonstrations against crackdown on right to protest are organised in 25 cities including London
Protesters are rallying in central London and 24 other towns and cities in England and Wales on Saturday against a crime bill that critics say will severely restrict the right to stage demonstrations.
The police, crime, sentencing and courts bill, which passed its second reading in parliament last month, will modify existing public order legislation to make it easier for police to ban or shut down peaceful protests if they are considered too disruptive or likely to lead to disorder.
Opponents of the bill have called it an attack on the right to protest and a step towards authoritarianism. They warn that in conjunction with new laws giving agents of the state licence to commit crimes while undercover and changes to the judicial system, the balance of power is being tipped towards the authorities, eroding individual freedoms. » | Damien Gayle | Saturday, April 3, 2021
Protesters are rallying in central London and 24 other towns and cities in England and Wales on Saturday against a crime bill that critics say will severely restrict the right to stage demonstrations.
The police, crime, sentencing and courts bill, which passed its second reading in parliament last month, will modify existing public order legislation to make it easier for police to ban or shut down peaceful protests if they are considered too disruptive or likely to lead to disorder.
Opponents of the bill have called it an attack on the right to protest and a step towards authoritarianism. They warn that in conjunction with new laws giving agents of the state licence to commit crimes while undercover and changes to the judicial system, the balance of power is being tipped towards the authorities, eroding individual freedoms. » | Damien Gayle | Saturday, April 3, 2021
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