"Both Human Rights Watch and the cross-party law reform organisation Justice say recent legislative changes have created a chilling effect on lawful protest and should be repealed. Their reports, simultaneously published on Thursday, also say that proposals for more curbs should be halted. They highlight the arrest of Republic anti-monarchy protesters during King Charles's coronation, charges and arrests of pro-Palestinian demonstrators and long sentences for climate protesters as examples of the crackdown on the right to peaceful dissent."
"Both reports say that the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 were watershed moments, criminalising large amounts of previously lawful protest activity and placing a greater emphasis on preemptive containment of protest through criminal law. The 2022 law granted police authority to impose conditions on public assemblies on grounds such as causing serious unease or being too noisy, described by Human Rights Watch as vague and subjective."
Laws in England and Wales have expanded police powers and criminalised large amounts of previously lawful protest, emphasising preemptive containment of dissent through criminal law. Police can impose conditions on public assemblies for vague grounds such as causing 'serious unease' or being 'too noisy', creating a chilling effect. Arrests have included anti-monarchy protesters at a coronation, pro-Palestinian demonstrators, and climate activists receiving long sentences. Police powers are increasingly framed as privileges, empowering the state to silence voices and eroding democratic safeguards. Proposals for further curbs on protest are pending and repeal of recent acts is urged.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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