Extinction Rebellion and BLM campaign against anti-protest bill

The Government has unveiled plans to hand the police more powers to tackle and disperse protests as part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (PCSC), which many have warned is an ‘attack on our democracy’.

Members of a number of environmental and social justice groups in the county came together in Abingdon to protest against the bill.

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Abingdon resident Jenny Hirst commented: “This bill is hugely concerning because it would completely undermine the right to protest peacefully.

“If passed, it will lead to police having more powers during peaceful protests and being able to imprison attendees for ten years for peaceful civil disobedience.

“This is a direct attack on both climate protesters like Extinction Rebellion and anti-racism protesters like Black Lives Matter.”

XR protest bill Abingdon protest

If the controversial legislation goes ahead, police will be able to put more conditions on static protests, such as imposing a start and finish time - currently only possible on marches - and setting maximum noise limits.

Forces will also be able to apply these rules to a demonstration by just one person.

The groups protesting the Bill in Abingdon yesterday included the CEE Bill Alliance Oxfordshire, XR Youth Oxfordshire, Oxford Youth Strike, Abingdon Black Lives Matter, Abingdon Queer Action, Abingdon Carbon Cutters, XR Abingdon, Wallingford & Wantage, Abingdon Green Party, Abingdon Peace Group and Reading Industrial Workers of the World.

Another attendee Feng Ho said: “As a parent, I do not want my children to have their freedom of speech taken away from them. The idea is utterly terrifying.”