The Home Office in England and Wales has announced new powers for police to arrest protesters engaged in disruptive and dangerous disorder.Offenders will face up to three months in prison and a £1,000 fine. Climbing on war memorials and carrying pyrotechnics like flares and fireworks at protests will be banned, and offenders will no longer be able to get away with disruptive offenses such as blocking public highways. Police will be given powers to arrest demonstrators who cover their faces in an attempt to avoid prosecution. Home Secretary James Cleverly emphasized that while the right to protest is fundamental to democracy, disrupting the lives of hard-working people will no longer be tolerated. The amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill, currently being considered by Parliament, will see those who climb national monuments facing up to three months in jail and a £1,000 fine. The introduction of a new offence for possession of pyrotechnics and penalties for demonstrators wearing face coverings, as well as a clampdown on disruptive offences, are all part of the measures being proposed by the Home Office.
Essex Police Chief Constable BJ Harrington, who leads the National Police Chiefs Council’s work on public order and safety, welcomed the plans, stating, “There is a difference between protest and criminal activism, and we are committed to responding quickly and effectively to activists who deliberately disrupt people’s lives with reckless and criminal acts.” However, human rights group Liberty said the measures were a “threat to everybody’s right to protest” and the government should reverse its decision. Director of Liberty Akiko Hart said ” it is extremely concerning that the government is trying to impose even more conditions on not only when people can protest, but how they protest too. We all have the right to make our voices heard on issues that matter to us, but this government has continually made it harder for us to do that.”
The Campaign Against Antisemitism, as well as Home Secretary James Cleverly, have welcomed the proposal. Civil rights group Liberty has criticized the move, saying that the government is trying to impose even more conditions on not only when but how people can protest.