Thousands protest against Police Bill
Further demonstrations expected over weekend
LEGAL: Demonstrators across the country held a further series of ‘Kill the Bill’ protests yesterday, as more people were charged over disorder at the Bristol gathering.
Protests took place in Leeds, Manchester, Southampton and London, against the proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.
DEMONSTRATORS ACROSS the country held a further series of ‘Kill the Bill’ protests yesterday, as more people were charged over disorder at the Bristol gathering.
Protests took place in Leeds, Manchester, Southampton and London’s Finsbury Park on Good Friday afternoon, demonstrating against the Government’s proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.
Police issued warnings in advance against large social gatherings. Although the protests are lawful providing organisers submit a risk assessment and take steps to ensure the gatherings are safe, the Metropolitan Police warned on Thursday the safety of the wider community is paramount.
The force said: “Enforcement action will be taken, if needed, in the interests of public health.”
Meanwhile, Greater Manchester Police sought to avoid a repeat of scenes played out across the country this week by introducing a 48-hour dispersal order for the city centre, to last until 3pm on Saturday, meaning officers may direct anyone acting anti-socially to leave the area.
The proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill would give police in England and Wales more power to impose conditions on non-violent protests, including those deemed too noisy or a nuisance, with those convicted liable to fines or jail terms.
Protesters opposing the Bill, which has raised concerns over the public’s right to freedom of speech, gathered in St Peter’s Square in Manchester, Finsbury Park in London, Millennium Square in Leeds and was due to be held at Southampton’s Guildhall later in the afternoon.
Further protests are due to take place today, including in Portsmouth, Sheffield, Hull, York, Northampton, Norwich, Oxford and again in Bristol today.
The first Kill the Bill protest in Bristol on March 21 descended into a riot, with subsequent rallies on March 23 and 26 also ending in clashes between the police and protesters. A further demonstration on March 30 passed off peacefully.
Avon and Somerset Police said yesterday that a 25-year-old man had been charged with attempted arson with intent to endanger life from the first protest on March 21.
The charge against Ryan Paul Roberts is in connection with a burning item being placed underneath an occupied police van during a riot in Bridewell Street, Bristol. Roberts, of Madeira Road, Plymouth, is also charged with two counts of criminal damage and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, and has been remanded in custody ahead of appearing at Bristol Magistrates’ Court today.