• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Policing bill breaches human rights laws, MPs warn

Harriet Harman warned that "noisy demonstrations are literally the sound of democracy".

Henry Goodwin by Henry Goodwin
2021-06-22 12:13
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

A senior Labour MP has warned that “noisy demonstrations” are “literally the sound of democracy”, amid concern over the government’s controversial new policing bill.

MPs and peers have said that restrictions on protests in the controversial police, crime, sentencing and courts bill – which has sparked widespread protests – breach human rights laws, and will increase the risk of peaceful demonstrators being arrested.

They claim the bill contains unnecessary provisions that are disproportionate – and hand wide and vague powers to curb demonstrations on the home secretary and police.

Parliament’s joint committee on human rights (JCHR) says clauses which enable police to place restrictions on protests because of the noise they generate and increase penalties on people who breach conditions placed on protests should be scrapped.

Harriet Harman, the committee’s chair, said: “One of our most fundamental rights is to protest. It is the essence of our democracy. To do that, we need to make ourselves heard. The government proposals to allow police to restrict ‘noisy’ protests are oppressive and wrong.

“The government put forward new powers in areas where the police already have access to powers and offences which are perfectly adequate. The government has served up confusion where clarity and precision is essential.”

Speaking to Kay Burley on Sky News on Tuesday morning, Harman added: “Demonstrations are annoying, they’re inconvenient, they’re disruptive. But that’s the whole point of them – and noisy demonstrations are literally the sound of democracy. It’s literally about our democracy.”

RelatedPosts

Labour shadow minister quits Starmer’s top team

Putin hits back at Boris Johnson’s pecs jibes

Former MP jailed for pocketing donations

Rory Stewart’s Feynman-esque Yale talk is a must-watch

#KayBurley – What are your concerns about the #PolicingBill?

Harriet Harman – "Noisy demonstrations are literally the sound of democracy… the right to demonstrate is literally about our democracy… this is about our values & human rights" pic.twitter.com/H9SmGdskT2

— Haggis_UK ?? ?? (@Haggis_UK) June 22, 2021

In a report published on Tuesday, the JCHR said proposals to allow Priti Patel, the home secretary, to define “serious disruption” to communities and organisations – which police could then use to curb protests – are “unacceptable”.

MPs said: “If there is a particular clarification of ‘serious disruption’ that the Home Office considers is currently needed, perhaps as a result of the Extinction Rebellion (XR) protests of 2019, it should be made clear now so that it can be considered while the bill is being scrutinised. If no need for particular clarification has yet been identified, then we struggle to see how the powers contained in the PCSC bill can be considered necessary.”

The JCHR added that “current rhetoric focuses on the inconvenience sometimes caused by protest rather than its value to society”, suggesting that any interference with non-violent protests would infringe on rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly under the European convention on human rights.

A Home Office spokesperson told the Guardian that proposals “are in line with human rights legislation and in no way impinge on the right to protest.

“Public order legislation is out of date, and the use of disruptive and dangerous tactics – including obstructing emergency vehicles or blocking the free press – costs millions to the taxpayer and causes misery to businesses and local communities.”

Related: PM claims to be ‘restoring Britain’s place as a scientific superpower’ – scientists respond

Tags: Metropolitan PolicePolicing Bill

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

EU votes to let Brits enjoy visa-free travel even in no-deal Brexit

The Whigs are back!

Darkness Falls This Sunday For UK Workers, But Do We Need Daylight Saving?

‘White Lives Matter’ sprayed on memorial to black tennis star Arthur Ashe

Older generations are too busy at the weekends for breakfast in bed

A royal good time in Windsor – Hotel review

‘Huge rise’ in child suicide bombers by Boko Haram

Spurs fan beats Covid after 110 days with support from Kane & Mourinho

Indonesia sends back waste containers to Western nations

First pictures released of specialist Covid-19 vaccine freezers as roll-out begins

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.