Throughout history, protest has been an essential part of the fight for justice.
We’re joining nearly 250 organisations to condemn the new Policing, Crime and Sentencing Bill being rushed through Parliament by the UK government.
The bill not only threatens our right to protest, but contains new laws that would increase racist stop and search powers and criminalise Gypsy and Traveller ways of life.
This bill is about increased police and state power and not protection of people. 350 rejects the proposals in this bill that infringe on our human rights and our ability to organise for climate justice.
Full text of open letter:
Dear Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Justice,
We write to share our profound concern and alarm over the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill published last week. Not only does this Bill contain numerous threats to the right to peaceful protest and access to the countryside, criminalise Gypsy and Traveller communities’ way of life, as well as a whole host of expansive policing powers, but it is being rushed through parliament during a pandemic and before civil society and the public have been able to fully understand its profound implications.
Contained within this 307-page bill are plans to:
- Introduce draconian new police powers to decide where, when and how citizens are allowed to protest and have their voices heard by those in power;
- Increase penalties for those breaching police conditions on protests and the ease with which they can be found to have done so;
- Create a new trespass offence that criminalises the way of life of nomadic Gypsy and Traveller communities, while the government manifestly fails to provide adequate sites and permitted stopping places, and has implications for the public’s right to protest, access to the countryside and people experiencing homelessness.
This is a huge bill, both in length and in potential consequences – for young people calling for social change facing greater criminalisation by the state, for Gypsy and Traveller communities facing threats to their way of life, and for anyone who values freedom of expression and the right to make yourself heard against the powerful.
This in itself is enough to cause alarm, but the government is also trying to rush this Bill through parliament, with less than a week between publication and second reading. This is deeply inadequate and provides no time for MPs and their staff, let alone the communities it stands to affect so profoundly, to understand what the consequences of this wide-ranging Bill may be.
For a country that so often prides itself on civil liberties, this Bill represents an attack on some of the most fundamental rights of citizens, in particular those from marginalised communities, and is being driven through at a time and in a way where those who will be subject to its provisions are least able to respond.
We urge the government to fundamentally rethink its approach.
Yours sincerely,
Gracie Bradley, Interim Director, Liberty
Hugh Knowles & Miriam Turner, Co-Executive Directors, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Sarah Mann, Director, Friends, Families and Travellers
Guy Shrubsole & Nick Hayes, Co-Founders, Right to Roam Campaign
Len McCluskey, General Secretary, Unite the Union
Fiona Colley, Director of Social Change, Homeless Link
Kate Ashbrook, General Secretary, Open Spaces Society
Tom Platt, Director of Advocacy & Engagement, The Ramblers
Louise Hazan & Harpreet K Paul, Co-Founders, Tipping Point
Andrew Simms, Co-Director, New Weather Institute
Anna Vickerstaff, UK Lead, 350.org
Kevin Blowe, Campaigns Coordinator, Network for Police Monitoring (Netpol)
Dave Turnbull, Head of Access, Conservation & Environmental Sustainability, British Mountaineering Council
Roger Geffen, Policy Director, Cycling UK
Kristiana Wrixon, Head of Policy, Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations
Stephanie Draper, Chief Executive, Bond
Minnie Rahman, Campaigns and Communications Director, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
Ellie Mae O’Hagan, Director, CLASS
Frances O’Grady, General Secretary, Trades Union Congress (TUC)
Rebecca Baron, Head of Activism, Ben & Jerry’s Europe
Siân Summers-Rees, Chief Officer, City of Sanctuary
Colin Hines, Convenor, Green New Deal group
Leo Murray, Co-Director, Possible
Tom Brake, Director, Unlock Democracy
Professor Natalie Fenton, Chair, Media Reform Coalition
Yvonne MacNamara, CEO, The Traveller Movement
Rosie Lewis, Deputy Director & VAWG Services Manager, The Angelou Centre
Maari Nastari, Interim CEO, The Outside Project
Maurice Mcleod, Chief Executive, Race on the Agenda
John Sauven, Executive Director, Greenpeace UK
Nick Dearden, Director, Global Justice Now
Neal Lawson, Executive Director, Compass
Rowan Mataram, mPOWER Project Manager, Platform
Silkie Carlio, Director, Big Brother Watch
Zita Holbourne, National Chair, BARAC UK
Alison Tickell, Director, Julie’s Bicycle
Kerry Moscogiuri, Director of Campaigns and Communications, Amnesty International UK
Kate Hudson, General Secretary, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)
Asad Rehman, Executive Director, War on Want
Dr Halima Begum, Chief Executive, Runnymede Trust
Brian Gormally, Director, Committee on the Administration of Justice
Kate Clow, Chair of the Board, Culture Routes Society
Paul Parker, Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain
Jess Turtle, Co-Founder, Museum of Homelessness
Daniel Hale, Campaign Director, Purpose Europe
Siana Bangura, Founder & Producer, Courageous Films
Lynn Jamieson, Chair, Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Amanda Sebestyen, Founder, Asylum Education & Legal Fund
Neil Thorns, Director of Advocacy, Cafod
Aderonke Apata, Founder and Chairperson, African Rainbow Family
Suzanne Jeffrey, Chair, Campaign against Climate Change
Symon Hill, Campaigns Manager, Peace Pledge Union
Guppi Bola & Nonhlanhla Makuyana, Co-Founders, Decolonising Economics
Andrew Scattergood & Gaya Sriskanthan, Co-Chairs, Momentum
Deniz Uğur, Deputy Director, End Violence Against Women Coalition
David Mackenzie, Nukewatch UK
Revd Dr Darrell D Hannah, Chair, Operation Noah
Frances Howe, Co-Director, Biofuelwatch
Leni Morris, CEO, Galop
Hannah Martin & Fatima Ibrahim, Co Directors, Green New Deal UK
Beccy Speight, CEO, RSPB
Vicky Blake, UK President, University and College Union (UCU)
Sarah Hirom, Trustee, One World Week
Andrew Feinstein, Executive Director, Shadow World Investigations
Steve Mason, Frack Free United
Maddy Hodgson, Fuel Poverty Action
Gina Langton, CEO, 80,000 Voices
Jolyon Maugham, Founder & Director, Good Law Project
Helen Tandy, Director, Eco Communities
Michael Chandler, CEO, Union Chapel Project
Tyler Hatwell, Founder & Director, Traveller Pride
Craig Dow, Director, ARC Independent
Tessa Khan, Director, Uplift
Kyne Davis, CEO, Open Food Network UK
Liz Fekete, Director, Institute of Race Relations
Polly Neate, CEO, Shelter
Daniel Tsu, Director, Lyrix Organix
Deborah Coles, Director, INQUEST
Paula Shaw, Secretary, WILPF UK
Mathew Lawrence, Director, Common Wealth
Dr Wanda Wyporska, Executive Director, The Equality Trust
Janet Fenton, Organiser, Secure Scotland
Sabby Dhalu & Weyman Bennett, Co-Conveners, Stand up to Racism
Mary Church, Head of Campaigns, Friends of the Earth Scotland
Lucie Russell, CEO, StreetDoctors
Nick Lowles, CEO, HOPE not hate
Dr Mya-Rose Craig, Founder & President, Black2Nature
Joe Corre, Talk Fracking
Naomi Smith, CEO, Best for Britain
Hannah Couchman, Senior Legal Officer, Rights of Women
Jacqueline Bourne, Founder Member, One World Voice
Jinsella, Co-Founder, Demilitarise Education
Jane Tallents, Core Group member, Trident Ploughshares
Lynne Segal, The Care Collective
Steven McCracken, Co-Founder, The Free Press?
Louisa Davison, Steering Committee, Citizens’ Climate Lobby UK
Alphonsine Kabagabo, Director, Women for Refugee Women
Jyoti Fernandes, Chair, Landworkers’ Alliance
Anthony Johnson, Registered Nurse & Lead Organiser, Nurses United UK
Erin Aniker & Jess Nash, Co-Founders, We Are Here UK
Emma Campbell & Naomi Connor, Co-Convenors, Alliance for Choice NI
Frances Fox, Founder & UK Director, Climate Live
Chaitra Dinesh, National Director, Students for Global Health
Dr Roxana Cavalcanti, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of Brighton
Penny Wangari-Jones, Director, Racial Justice Network
Jen Persson, Director, defenddigitalme
David Cutler, Director, The Baring Foundation
Isobel Ingham-Barrow, Head of Policy, MEND
Barbora Bukovska, Senior Director for Law and Policy, ARTICLE 19
Jess McQual, Director, Just Fair
Christina McAnea, General Secretary, UNISON
Mark Serwotka, General Secretary, Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)
Julie Harmswoth, Director, Unlock
Ben Jamal, Director, Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Sarah Robinson, Director, Hope for the Future
Niamh Eastwood, Executive Director, Release
Bea Millar, Chair, Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Change
Eva Watkinson, Head of Campaigns, Jubilee Debt Campaign
Robbie Gillett, Director, Adfree Cities
Zoe Whyatt, Interim CEO, 38 Degrees
Cat Hobbs, Director, We Own It
Dr Shanon Shah, Director, Faith for the Climate
Matt Hawkins, Co-Director, Compassion in Politics
Jackie Murphy, CEO, TGP Cymru
Trudy Aspinwall, Project Manager, Travelling Ahead
Rocio Cifuentes, CEO, Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team Wales
Isaac Blake, Director, Romani Cultural and Arts Company
Allison Hulmes, Director for Wales, British Association of Social Workers
Louisa Devonish, Advice & Liaison Manager, Gypsies and Travellers Wales
Clare Skidmore, Advice Manager, Race Equality First
Suzanne Duval BEM, BME Mental Health Manager, Diverse Cymru
Allison Hulmes, Jackie Smith, Doreen Dove, Co-founding members, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Social Work Association (GRTSW Association)
Paul Cook, Head of Advocacy, Tearfund
Sophie Neuburg, Executive Director, Medact
Josh Russell & Tom de Grunwald, Co-Founders, Forward Democracy
Carina Millstone, Executive Director, Feedback
Diarmaid McDonald, Lead Organiser, Just Treatment
Kate Paradine, Chief Executive, Women in Prison
George Dow, Co-Chair, Green Christian
Paul Delaney, Acting Director, Positive Money
Sue Tibballs, Chief Executive, Sheila McKechnie Foundation
Louise King, Director, Children’s Rights Alliance for England
Louisa McGeehan, CEO, Just for Kids Law
Alex Jacobs, Director, Joffe Charitable Trust
Ben Donaldson, Head of Campaigns, United Nations Association UK
Sanchita Hosali, Director, British Institute of Human Rights
Crispin Truman, CEO, CPRE, the countryside charity
Steve Crawshaw, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Freedom from Torture
Chris Jones, Director, Statewatch
Hiba Ahmad, Investigator & Organiser, Foxglove
Gillian Lobo, Head of UK Litigation, ClientEarth
Make Votes Matter
Extinction Rebellion (XR) UK
Christian Climate Action
Campaign Against Arms Trade
Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC)
Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants (LGSM)
Reclaim The Power
Feminist Fightback
UK Nanas
The Rights Collective
Another Europe is Possible
Psychologists for Social Change Cymru
UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN)
Choked Up
Fridays For Future Europe
Rainbow Coalition Against Racism
John Morgan, President, Manchester TUC
East Lancashire CND
Cumbria and Lancashire Area CND
Svetlana Kotova, Director of Campaigns and Justice, Inclusion London
Rachel Berger, Chair, Climate Friends Bradford on Avon
Debby Kennett, Chief Executive Office, London Gypsies and Travellers
Ellie Rogers, CEO, Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange
Josie O’Driscoll, CEO, GATE Herts
Alison Blackwood, Manager, Southwark Travellers’ Action Group (STAG)
Anne Miller, Chair, Carbon Neutral Cambridge
UKSCN London
Dr David Golding CBE, Development Coordinator, North East Call To Action
Richard Solly, Co-ordinator, London Mining Network
Tony Phillips, Branch Secretary, UNISON London Fire Brigade
Bristol Energy Network
Amy Smith, London Renters Union
Our Future Now
Bedfordshire Climate Change Forum
Adela Pickles, Frack Free Ryedale
Frack Free Sussex
Frack Free Dee
Elane Heffernan, Disabled Members Rep, UCU NEC
Patricia McManus, Chair, Brighton UCU
Climate Action Chester & District
Climate Action Lewisham
Blackwater Valley Friends of the Earth
Professor Thomas Acton, Secretary, Brentwood Gypsy Support Group
Ben Greig, Chair, On the Verge Cambridge
Global Justice Now Cambridge Youth
Global Justice Stirling
Sisters Uncut Leeds
Nicki Myers, Secretary, Cambridge People’s Assembly Against Austerity
Deepa Govindarajan Driver, Chair, Camden Momentum
Sarah Joss, Branch Officer, Heriot-Watt Branch UCU
Northern Police Monitoring Project
Caroline Darke, Eliska Bujokova & Carmen Sawers, Co-Directors, Feminist Exchange Network
Sheffield DPAC
Newcastle DPAC
London DPAC
North Staffordshire East Cheshire DPAC
Suffolk DPAC
Cambridgeshire and Essex DPAC
Gillian Kelly, Ambleside Action For Future
Tony Staunton, Chair, Plymouth Climate Council
Jon Woods, Branch Chair, Portsmouth City UNISON Branch
Sandy Nicoll, UNISON Branch Secretary, SOAS University of London
Eco Action Families
Weald Action Group
Wanstead Flats Take the Knee
Cambridge Keep our NHS Public
Sustainable Nantwich
Plastic Free Nantwich
Gloucestershire Climate Action Network
Dr Siobhan Spencer MBE, Trustee, National Federation of Gypsy Liaison Group & Coordinator, Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group
Helen Davies & Cherry Sewell, Co-Chairs, Barnet Stand Up To Racism
Janette Evans, Chair, Barnet Unite Community
Jemima Hartshorn, Founder, Mums for Lungs
Piers Edsall, Environmental Smart
Tamara Micner, Trustee, Kehillah North London
XR Peace
XR Youth Cambridge
XR Sheffield
XR Cambridge
XRUK Justice Steering Group
XR Dumfries and Galloway
XR Cheshire
The Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, Lord Bishop of Salisbury
Jeffrey Newman, Emeritus Rabbi, Finchley Reform Synagogue
Rabbi Danny Newman, Rabbi & Founder, HaMakom
Rabbi René Pfertzel, Kingston Liberal Synagogue
Rabbi Jackie Tabick, West Central Liberal Synagogue
Rabbi Anna Posner, Rabbi, Beit Klal Yisrael, Norwich Liberal
Jewish Community and Student Chaplain, Reform Judaism
Vaughan Jones, Minister, Union Chapel Church
Rabbi Dr Barbara Borts, Associate Lecturer, Newcastle University
Mike Barson, Keyboard Player, Madness
Dr Roxana Cavalcanti, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of Brighton
Michelle Brown, Professor Emerita, University of London
Professor Peter Newell, University of Sussex