Campaigners fight to defend the right to protest. (Pic: Guy Smallman)
A day of action against the Toriesâ protest-smashing police bill has been called for Saturday.
Demonstrations are set to take place in London and other cities to resist the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill.
It is currently going through its second reading in the House of Lords.
The Kill the Bill movement has joined Black Lives Matter groups, anti-racists and climate activists together in a coalition against the Toriesâ repression.
This is because home secretary Priti Patelâs new bill hands the police further powers to limit any opposition to the Toriesâ racism, sexism and denial of rights.
The best way to defend the right to protest is to use it by taking it to the streets.
Under the bill, the police will be able to impose any limitations they arbitrarily deem ânecessaryâ on both static protests and marches
âIntentionally or recklessly causing public nuisanceâ will make a criminal out of anyone who causes âserious annoyanceââor even risks causing it. A protester can be locked up if they ought to have known their action would cause a disturbance.
But causing a disturbance to public life, making a noise, filling public spaces or blocking roads, is the intention of protests. Now the police will shut down protests they âreasonablyâ believe could be too loud.
The punishment? Up to ten years in prison.
Prison
And you could find yourself in prison for ten years if you tear down a statue of a slaver or racist too.
The bill had its second reading in the House of Commons less than a week after it was published, and was given just two days of debate.
Yet resistance to the police murder of Sarah Everard and police brutality in Bristol coincided with this timetable.
Attacks on protesters both in the wake of Everardâs murder and in Bristol showed why powers need to be taken away from the police, not more given.
And itâs not just protests under attack. The policing bill also targets Gypsy, Roma and Travellers.
The bill would give the police powers to fine Travellers up to ÂŁ2,500.
They will even be able to send people to prison, despite a lack of legal stopping places for those living nomadically.
It also makes sentences for certain crimes longer and will see more disproportionate policing of black people and Muslims.
This is seen in the new police power to have the âautomatic right to search those who pose the greatest riskâ and allow for âknown criminals to be stopped at any timeâ.
Police already have powers to limit protest.
Now the Tories want to stop protests from having any impact.
They must be confronted and the law made unworkable.
Source: Socialistworker.co.uk
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