We call on the Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Justice to scrap damaging proposals in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, including those which:
- Threaten freedom of expression and assembly.
- Increase sentences and police powers aimed at restricting protestors
- Criminalise the way of life of the Gypsy and Traveller communities and harms access to the countryside.
Why is this important:
The Government is about to scrap our right to peaceful protest by rushing draconian proposals through Parliament without proper scrutiny.
Women and girls globally have a long and successful history of protest. From the Suffragettes to the ANC women’s marches in South Africa against Apartheid, protest has been essential to highlighting injustice and making the world a better place.
For 50 years, ActionAid has been calling for an end to injustice around the world and policies that threaten fundamental democratic rights. Now we’re coming together with 150 organisations across the UK to stop the bill — which will result in criminalising and over-policing already marginalised communities.
Will you add your name to the petition to stop this attack on our democratic rights? Healthy democratic governments have nothing to fear from peaceful protest.
Riot police officers "kettle" protesters at the Bishopsgate Climate Camp, London, 1 April 2009. Photo: Charlotte Gilhooly