The government’s decision to expand police powers to crack down on repeated protests has sparked a strong reaction from Independent readers.
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the move just hours after hundreds were arrested at a Palestine Action demonstration in London.
She had previously called on protest organisers to pause the demonstrations as a mark of respect for the Jewish community following the terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester, during which two people were killed.
But her warnings were ignored – and she has now announced plans to change the law to give the police additional powers to restrict repeated protests which cause communities to feel “scared to leave their homes”.
It comes as Sir Keir described the pro-Palestine university protests planned for Tuesday as “un-British,” saying they demonstrate a lack of respect for others.
Many readers criticised the crackdown as an attack on civil liberties, arguing that peaceful demonstrations are being unfairly suppressed and that the home secretary is conflating opposition to Israel with antisemitism.
Commenters highlighted that most protesters are targeting the actions of the Israeli state, not Jewish communities, and stressed that free speech and the right to protest are fundamental in a democracy.
Some acknowledged that certain protests may be disruptive or linked to criminal activity, but the overwhelming sentiment was that the state’s response has been disproportionate.
Here’s what you had to say:
Peaceful protest is a fundamental right
I totally oppose the police or government being given the right to ban demonstrations. Such powers would inevitably be abused and have no place in a democratic society. Every time a politician says they support the right to protest, they immediately then propose restrictions that could prevent it.
The Jewish community are not to blame for the Israeli Government’s offensive in Gaza and have the right to feel safe in their own country. What Hamas did on 7 October 2023 was grotesque, but so has much of the Israeli Government’s response. Banning protest in this country and downplaying the slaughter in Gaza, as until recently the Government has, are both immoral and wrong.
ex post office
Designated protest zones
As has been said by a number of people, we need designated protest zones. This could be a spot outside of town properly set up with stages for speakers, facilities, security, an area for marching, etc.
If you want to protest something, you can book the protest zone; everything will be set up for when you arrive.
saghia
Hysteria is getting out of hand
If anyone wants to protest over Gaza, there are regular events they can attend. The right to protest isn’t being suppressed. If Palestine Action has been banned, the home office probably has evidence that it is a threat to security in some way. There are legal cases currently in the pipeline, which is presumably why that evidence can’t be released yet, but if and when it can be made public, it should be.
The hysteria surrounding this group is getting out of hand.
Tanaquil2
People have a right to protest
Communities in Britain, including the Jewish community, do not support genocide. Until things change, people have a right to protest.
It was the government that banned a peaceful organisation under law, forcing police to make these unnecessary arrests. It’s not the police’s job to arrest people peacefully protesting.
Kate
Time to stand up
All very well to say that the protests should be stopped due to the tragic killings of Jews. But if there are no protests now as a deal is at last in sight, we will soon see Gaza being sliced up as real estate as Trump wants, or the Palestinian people yet again being sidelined and made stateless.
Sometimes the most difficult challenges are the ones we should grasp; otherwise, this conflict will go on for another 80 years and blood will be shed every few years in pointless military actions.
Adrian Fox
Peaceful protest over-policed
The overwhelmingly peaceful, seated London protest could have been policed by half a dozen officers.
The other 500 were there for the sole purpose of arresting decent people with strongly held views. This is what happens when you start to delegitimise freedom of assembly and peaceful protest.
SteveHill
My heart has ached every day
For two years my heart has ached every day with the latest news from Gaza, as with most normal people. It’s just heartbreaking! I do not understand when the demonstrators want peace for all parties, for Israelis and Palestinians alike, and for those responsible to be held accountable for the war crimes they have committed. We just want peace and dignity for the Palestinians. What is so wrong with wanting justice?
Maggie20
Conflating protest and antisemitism
Dealing with pro-Palestine protests is separate from the issue of rising antisemitism, but the government’s attempt to conflate the two is troubling.
Rising antisemitism is an issue, but we need to be clear-eyed about the current causes – a major one of which is Netanyahu. He commits antisemitic acts every day. By conflating antisemitism and Israel, he reduces some complaints about Israel’s actions and makes life easier for himself.
DanFrost
Boxed in
The government has boxed itself in on this protest issue. The more they crack down, the less support they will have. Labour voters are traditionally centre and left-wing and do not like authoritarianism or being ordered what to do. So Labour will not gain support; they will lose it through this action.
RichardtheLionheart
Draconian legislation
So the home secretary wants to put through draconian legislation that would ban repeated protests. Under such legislation, the Chartists’ protests of the 19th century, which won the franchise for working people, and the Suffrage protests that gained women the vote – and put this home secretary into parliament – would have been banned.
Clobber2
Massive overreach
The government wanting to enact legislation to further restrict our rights to protest is a massive overreach. As has been stated many times, this power will be abused in the future to suppress further free speech. The continuing protest against the banning of Palestine Action can be brought to an end by providing evidence that it was necessary to prevent terrorist activity.
Chuckiethebrave
Right to call out genocide
Antisemitism has no place in this country, but surely it is right for people to call out the genocide that Israel is pursuing in Gaza. The word genocide is not being used carelessly but echoes the opinion of respected UN institutions. To change the law to ban protests is worrying. Why is this government so reluctant to call out and take action to stop the actions of Israel?
Speculator
Undemocratic
Expanding police powers to stop peaceful protest is wholly undemocratic, unlawful, and I would wager, with comfortable confidence, that it will kick-start a far greater public backlash on the streets than anticipated. No one wants to live in a police state; of that I am pretty confident.
Moo100
Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.
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