London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Protests in London against more police powers continue, with progressive sections of the UK government stepping up their opposition. Last week, Sisters Uncut organised a demonstration outside the Old Bailey, following the conviction of Wayne Couzens for the murder of Sarah Everard. Mr Couzens had been found guilty of her murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. In response, the police chief said that his actions were justified, and he would not be allowed out of prison.
The bill also includes other contentious curbs on protests, including the power to impose conditions on noisy protests. The law has faced intense criticism in recent weeks, after a young black man named Sarah Everard was murdered while attending a vigil. The police broke up the vigil and a number of people were arrested. Many critics believe that the bill could lead to the arrest of young black men, and have a chilling effect on the right to protest peacefully.
The bill will also extend police stop and search powers. Traditionally, such powers were used only in cases of crime. Now, police can stop anyone without any suspicion if they believe they’ll disrupt public life in a significant way. If you’re a peaceful protester, you don’t have to be holding a placard or banner to cause trouble. In fact, police may be stopped without a warrant.
Protests in London against more police powers and the Crime Courts Bill have also resulted in arrests. These protests have been well documented and captured the attention of the world. They’ve been described as one of the largest forms of civil disobedience in the city in decades. As Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Cressida Dick, has been promoting the Crime Courts Bills, she’s already spoken about changes to police powers in the city. However, these plans may make protesting even more precarious.
The new legislation is aimed at increasing the amount of police powers. The Bill also includes more language to criminalize trespass, but these provisions do not mention these crimes. Nevertheless, the bill does give police more power to crack down on protesters. The current laws don’t allow the government to centralise such conditions. In addition, the laws will only be applied at each scene.
Despite a recent increase in police power, the bill has faced fierce opposition from the opposition. Labour members in the House of Lords have said that the bill will only increase the police’s power and enslave civilians. But protesters have said that they do not want to limit their rights, which they say is unconstitutional. This is contrary to the principle of democracy.