Censorship

[jeg3]

It kind of is. This Bill is currently going through the Commons.

Absolutely spot on.

It's exactly the right time for the Government to pass the legislation - pass a law effectively making any form of demonstration punishable with a prison term whilst protests are banned. It's already started!

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

It seems to me that many of these so called protesters don’t care about the law anyway. If they are going to turn up in their thousands in the midst of a global pandemic, set fire to Police vans etc, a law to say you can’t protest peacefully isn’t going to make the slightest difference.

 

[foxy]

There seems to be no such thing as a peaceful protest anymore. They all seem to become infiltrated by the same bunch of mindless morons, intent on violence, destruction and looting.

Some form of legislation that can prevent such scenes, at least for the remainder of the Covid restrictions does seem like common sense.

Spot on, the anti maskers and the anti vaxers were all of the same group over here. Everything is a conspiracy. It only takes a few to call it out and as usual the morons will follow.

 

[jeg3]

Ultimately there no place for violence or wilful destruction such as this.

But, it is a product of years of austerity, which has led to record levels of poverty, cuts in police numbers, cuts to benefits, bedroom tax, universal credit, cuts to the armed forces, cuts to social care and mental health services...the list goes on.

The way to deal with all this isn't to sneak in a law effectively making demonstrations or protests unlawful.

The country had no fight left in it before, it's sad that the populous rhetoric appears to be that any form of protest should be frowned upon.

It's no surprise that there was virtually no media coverage at all in the UK of the repeated gilet jaunes movement in France, even though the protests lasted for months. Heaven forbid that those in the seats of power let us subjects see what was going an across the channel.

I don't agree with those that are perpetrating all the violence and looting, in fact, they make it worse, and they deserve to be punished for it.

But let's not let them make it worse for all of us in the long run.

 

[micklupulo]

I can't see that anyone has raised this yet but apologies in advance if I have missed it but is "Kill the Bill" a purposely ambiguous slogan designed to convey a subliminal message to kill the "old" Bill?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I can't see that anyone has raised this yet but apologies in advance if I have missed it but is "Kill the Bill" a purposely ambiguous slogan designed to convey a subliminal message to kill the "old" Bill?

I thought that the first time i read it a bad choice of words that does them no favours.

 

[The Baron]

I think too many people are making this a political issue when it is plain and simple there is a Pandemic and the rules MUST be followed to eradicate this ASAP so find other legal ways to protest that do not endanger the spread of the virus and break the law

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

I think too many people are making this a political issue

This IS a political issue and maybe the protest IS valid.

 

[Brew_DD2]

Some form of legislation that can prevent such scenes, at least for the remainder of the Covid restrictions does seem like common sense.

The form of legislation we already have to deal with it perhaps?

 

[531Man]

It seems to me that many of these so called protesters don’t care about the law anyway. If they are going to turn up in their thousands in the midst of a global pandemic, set fire to Police vans etc, a law to say you can’t protest peacefully isn’t going to make the slightest difference.

1stly, I'm in total agreement with this assessment, but I am thinking here more about what lies behind the 'protesters' actions.
I suspect their actions were intentionally misdirected - namely to be directly against the Police, both officers and infrastrucure, whereas the causation (riot leaders might try to say 'justification' ) stems from valid democratic concerns and objections to the freedom of peaceful protest being restricted by a bill being put through Parliament. The Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Bill.
I have no evidence for my following suggestion, but these events are redolent of anti-social anarchists fomenting a riot firstly amongst the like-minded, and then encouraging otherwise well internationed protesters to join in.
a.k.a. rabble-rousing.

What makes me think this is likely is what we and they saw last year with the statue toppling in Bristol.
Throughout history people who have a pre-existing grievance can be manipulated to take misguided direct action by cynical exploitation by those activists who have ulterior motives.
Bristol had been seen to have a number of people who were prepared to take such action and I think may have been targeted as a 'resource' to be manipulated as a weapon of riot in this manner.
It's easy to say the correct route would have been to appeal to their (and our) politicians to stop or modify adequately the bill in Parliament, after careful scrutiny, and not to take the protest directly to the Police, (which have no say in the matter before Parliament) .
Unfortunately this is not how anarchists like to do things.
Attacking Police officers and stations - that's what they delight in.
They must be well pleased with themselves and the hornets nest they have managed to stir up. And as for their victims amongst the Police and cannon fodder followers, so much the better.
If this event hardens the political will, and results in the The Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Bill passing through Parliament unaltered, the anarchists win again as they will have stronger arguments for direct violent action because peaceful protest will be more difficult to organise.
Sorry for this long rant but I hate to see the perfectly justifiable action of the many being misguided and subverted by the underhanded and unjustifiable actions of the few.
Democracy is not the aim of the anarchist.
It is chaos from which they profit.

 

[An Ankoù]

I can't see that anyone has raised this yet but apologies in advance if I have missed it but is "Kill the Bill" a purposely ambiguous slogan designed to convey a subliminal message to kill the "old" Bill?

Shame on you for even thinking such a thing. I thought it was something to do with a Tarantino film.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

This IS a political issue and maybe the protest IS valid.

It may be a valid protest but gatherings are illegal under covid restrictions so they should not be gathering to protest.

 

[Saisonator]

The protest in London and the one in Bristol look to me like they were by groups, that for the main part, are from different ends of the political spectrum.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Violent clashes at a demonstration that saw police attacked and vehicles set alight have been condemned as "shameful" and "unacceptable".
Protesters clashed with officers as thousands turned out for the Kill the Bill march in Bristol on Sunday.
Twenty officers were injured, two seriously - one with a punctured lung. Seven people have been arrested.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people had a right to protest but the violent scenes were "unacceptable".
He added: "They should protest peacefully and legally."
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees slammed the rioters as "selfish" for "living out their revolutionary fantasies".
Avon and Somerset Police Chief Constable Andy Marsh said the protest had been "hijacked by extremists", by "people who were determined to commit criminal damage".

Mr Marsh said: "There was a hardcore of serious criminals hidden within those 3,000 people - perhaps 400 or 500 people - and we certainly didn't trigger this."
Crowds had gathered to peacefully protest in opposition to the new Police and Crime Bill but it went in a "violent direction" outside Bridewell Police Station at about 17:30 GMT, Mr Marsh said.
As angry scenes unfolded, demonstrators scaled the station, threw fireworks into the crowd and daubed graffiti on the walls.
Mr Marsh said: "Rest assured, by the end of today we will be releasing pictures of some of the people we want."

Six people have been arrested for violent disorder and one for possession of an offensive weapon.
He said that while it would not have been "practical or possible" to arrest more people on the night, those involved in the violence can expect "very serious consequences".
Officers will be releasing "hours of CCTV footage" to the media.
"We will be asking for the people of Bristol to identify these thuggish citizens so we can bring them to justice," he added.

Full article - Bristol riot: Violent clashes with police 'shameful'

 

[Brew_DD2]

It may be a valid protest but gatherings are illegal under covid restrictions so they should not be gathering to protest.

Agreed.

 

[Galena]

It may be a valid protest but gatherings are illegal under covid restrictions so they should not be gathering to protest.

But if this bill is being brought in during the pandemic when there is no right to protest? Not much point protesting once the bill has passed.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

But if this bill is being brought in during the pandemic when there is no right to protest? Not much point protesting once the bill has passed.

No one said there is no right to protest they said they cannot gather on mass to protest as its against covid restrictions if these people were so determined to get their message across they should have outsmarted the police and thought of other ways to do it burning cars and stoning a police station is only going to turn people against them its this kind of action by them that has caused this bill to be introduced they have only themselves to blame.

I often wonder why protesters who are taking part in a peaceful protest wear balaclavas and face coverings (before covid) its hardly the normal thing you would wear to such a gathering.


Home secretary said this is unacceptable thuggery and disorder -

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Serves the scum right i hope it hurt.

If you see no video refresh the page.

 

[Brew_DD2]

No one said there is no right to protest they said they cannot gather on mass to protest as its against covid restrictions if these people were so determined to get their message across they should have outsmarted the police and thought of other ways to do it burning cars and stoning a police station is only going to turn people against them its this kind of action by them that has caused this bill to be introduced they have only themselves to blame.

I often wonder why protesters who are taking part in a peaceful protest wear balaclavas and face coverings (before covid) its hardly the normal thing you would wear to such a gathering.


Home secretary said this is unacceptable thuggery and disorder -

I don't disagree with you, but quoting the Home Secretary doesn't do much for your point. She's hardly a moral authority or the arbiter of good behaviour.

 

[chopps]

I honestly think it’s time for our police to be routinely armed. The level of willingness to harm those that defend and protect us is rising. I suspect those same brave ‘protestors’ would not be so keen to stamp the lungs out of a police officer if there was a realistic chance of getting shot.