Kill the Bill: Thousands listen as Jeremy Corbyn makes Parliament Square speech

2330
#Killthebill

Jeremy Corbyn warned the bill would ‘disempower’ the public at ‘kill the bill’ protests

In the capital, thousands of people marched from Holborn past Downing Street to Westminster, chanting “kill the bill” protesting against the crime and policing bill being voted by the House of Lords on Monday (17 January).

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn spoke at the protest, warning that the laws would “disempower” the public.

He said: “If the right to protest is restricted, if you have to seek police permission to do anything, well, where does that lead to?”

“It leads to every protest becoming a conflict about having the protest, rather than what the protest is about,” he added.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill would toughen measures officers can take to disperse demonstrations, such as imposing time and noise limits, which campaigners and activists fear would be used to curb dissent.

If you have to apply to protest it’s not a protest, it’s a parade

As a friend of mine declared “If you have to apply to protest it’s not a protest, it’s a parade” –David Andrew Gannon

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill would toughen measures officers can take to disperse demonstrations, such as imposing time and noise limits, which campaigners and activists fear would be used to curb dissent.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill would toughen measures officers can take to disperse demonstrations, such as imposing time and noise limits, which campaigners and activists fear would be used to curb dissent.

Members of a wide range of social, racial and environmental justice groups joined the rally, demanding that peers stop the bill from becoming law.

The bill would put protesters at risk of lengthy prison sentences and hefty fines for actions that cause “serious annoyance”, which could be done just by making noise.

It would expand stop and search powers, and new laws against residing on land without authorisation with a vehicle would effectively criminalise Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

Amendments added to the Bill by the Government in the House of Lords in November make obstructing major transport works a criminal offence and would equip police with the power to ban named people from demonstrating.

#KillTheBill

Support Labour Heartlands

PLEASE HELP US KEEP GOING AD-FREE

This is a "Pay as You Feel" website.

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by. If you've enjoyed reading the articles on Labour Heartlands so far, We would be incredibly grateful if you could consider making a small donation. Labour Heathlands is not your typical news outlet. We are not here to simply regurgitate the daily news cycle, that's for the rest of them. Our focus is on delving deeper, uncovering the untold stories and shedding light on the issues that the mainstream media chooses to ignore.

Our unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity means that we are not influenced by any external forces. We are not beholden to PR companies, advertisers or press barons, and we refuse to let anyone dictate what we report on. Our editorial independence is sacrosanct, and our only allegiance is to the truth.

While we do not align ourselves with any particular political party, we stand firmly against corruption, injustice and the erosion of truth and the rule of law. We believe that accurate information is the lifeblood of a democracy and that facts are not up for debate.

Once again, thank you for your support – We truly couldn't do this without you!

PLEASE HELP US KEEP GOING AD-FREE