Britain has seen a shift toward treating political protest with greater repression, especially for climate activists and pro-Palestine campaigners. New legislation has expanded police powers and enabled courts to impose sweeping restrictions. Activists face lengthy prison sentences, months in jail before trial, and more punitive court tactics. The change began with crackdowns on protests by groups such as Extinction Rebellion, Black Lives Matter, Insulate Britain, and Just Stop Oil, and has continued with prosecutions tied to Palestine solidarity actions. Some actions target British factories operated by Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer. The result is a more restrictive legal terrain for civil disobedience and direct action since 2019.
"A new report warns that Britain is undergoing a deeply troubling transformation in how it treats political protest as climate activists and pro-Palestine campaigners increasingly face lengthy prison sentences, sweeping legal restrictions and months in jail before trial."
"The report, Britain's Political Prisoners, copublished by researchers at the Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice at Queen Mary University of London and the campaign group Defend Our Juries, said the UK has witnessed an increase in anti-protest powers granted to the police and the courts through legislation that has created a significantly more repressive legal terrain for activists engaging in civil disobedience and direct action."
"It traces the shift from crackdowns on protests by Extinction Rebellion, Black Lives Matter, Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil to more recent prosecutions linked to Palestine solidarity actions, including campaigns targeting British factories operated by Elbit Systems, Israel's largest weapons manufacturer."
"The report found that a combination of new laws, broader police powers and increasingly punitive court tactics has reshaped Britain's protest landscape since 2019."
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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