Environmental campaign groups have criticized the draconian. Protest crackdown billDuring the Queen’s speech
The new law seems to be targeted at groups such a Extinction RebellionInsulate Britain, Just stop Oil, and Just Start Oil are two examples of disruptive methods used to raise awareness about the climate crisis.
Priti Patel, the bill’s announcer, stated: As the Queens speech explained, the public order bill supports the police in preventing antisocial protests from disrupting the lives of peoples. The new criminal offenses of locking on to and interfering in national infrastructure and serious disruption prevention orders were praised by the home secretary.
The new criminalization of locking on targets protesters who handcuff and glue themselves to infrastructure. This tactic is popular among green protest groups. Insulate BritainExtinction Rebellion members previously handcuffed and glued themselves onto trains to cause disruption, making them the most prominent demonstrations of the year.
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The new bill will also make it illegal for people to use locks to lock others to buildings, roads, or printing presses. Extinction Rebellion members previously targeted printing presses. Delaying delivery of national newspapersThe Telegraph, Times, and Sun are all included.
Many have pointed out that progressive laws such as the women’s right to vote, legalization of trade unions, and decriminalization of same-sex relationships were unlikely to have been achieved without the type of protest that the government is required to make illegal.
Gemma Rogers, a 49-year-old NHS worker, is the founder of the local protest. campaign group Steve Baker Watch.She is joined by other members in a campaign to get their MP to leave. Global Warming Policy FoundationThe climate contrarian thinktank.
She stated to The Guardian that the new powers proposed in the bill, similar those rejected by House of Lords, were undemocratic and unnecessary. The main reason the environmental movement is so vocal is because there is a huge issue we aren’t addressing. It is absurd to lock up those who raise the alarm.
James Miller, co-founder of Writers Rebel, said: The new draconian public order bill will not prevent us from protesting because climate crisis isn’t going away, it’s only getting worse.
Our government has chosen to favor the short-term profit of rightwing media and fossil fuel industry backers over the long term interests of the people. These policies will be unpopular, as they are reckless, harmful, and wrong. That is why the government criminalizes our right to protest.
Greenpeace claimed that the government has the wrong priorities and should not criminalize those who highlight the climate crisis.
Megan Randles, Greenpeace UK’s political campaigner, stated: The right of protest is one of our democracy’s safety valves. It allows ordinary citizens to protect their homes, families, and health from harm when all other safeguards fail. All citizens have the right to speak out for what they believe and the government is trying to criminalize peaceful dissent. It is its activism that has dragged the UK government into confronting vital issues like the climate crisis or women’s rights.
Ministers who are so eager to talk about freedoms at all costs should reconsider this attack against one of our most fundamental freedoms.
Insulate Britain spokesperson said: While the government continues to criminalize ordinary citizens, the criminals in control of our government are destroying this nation. 41 new oil and gaz licences are an act of war against the poor people in the global south and those living here in the UK. The new laws won’t change anything. How many people will be held until society realizes the problem?
Protesters hope there will be enough opposition in parliament to ensure that the bill is defeated or at least diluted.
Some MPs have already spoken out against it. Caroline Lucas, Green MP, pledged to work with other parties in order to defeat the legislation.
This is not an order bill, it is a law of public oppression. We will be working cross-party again to defeat. Our right to peaceful protest must be protected, not rescinded. Shame on the Government for bringing these dangerous proposals back. #QueensSpeech https://t.co/w4asVeSpFd
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) May 10, 2022
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This is not an order bill, it is a law of public oppression. We will continue to work cross-party to defeat. Our right to peaceful protest must be protected, not rescinded. Shame on the Government for bringing these dangerous proposals back. #QueensSpeech https://t.co/w4asVeSpFd
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) May 10, 2022
Peter Grant, SNP MP, said: Q What do votes to women, legalization of trade unions, the abolition and legalization of slavery have in common with decriminalizing same sex relationships? A None of them would have been possible if people had not protested in a manner that the Tories want to make illegal.
Jon Trickett, Labour MP, stated that the Tories plan to further restrict protest rights with a new bill on public order. They suppress dissent rather than tackling injustice.
