The government is planning new powers that could seriously restrict your right to protest.
Under these proposals, police could limit or block protests based on the so-called “cumulative impact” of past or future demonstrations in the area. In other words, a protest could be stopped because other protests have happened, or might happen, nearby. That area could be an entire town – or all of central London – and protests could be blocked regardless of whether they’re for the same cause or involve the same people.
The main target of these proposed measures are the marches for Palestinian rights. If passed, these powers could further criminalise people speaking out against genocide and Israel’s brutal occupation of Palestine. But it won’t stop there. A clean water march could be banned because of an unrelated protest months earlier. An anti-racist rally could be blocked because of previous unrest nearby. These sweeping powers could be used to shut down almost any protest.
Protest is not a privilege. It’s a fundamental democratic right. Sign the petition to call on the government to withdraw these dangerous proposals that threaten our freedoms.