Are you prepared to accept this?

THE NEW LAW WILL AFFECT EVERYBODY'S FREEDOM OF SPEECH

On 1 July the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act comes into force bringing with it draconian restrictions on the freedom to protest in a large area around Parliament. Permission to protest near any government building must now be given by the Metropolitan Commissioner who can impose severe, ridiculous and possibly unworkable restrictions on any protest that is allowed to continue.

This amounts to the police making political decisions around our fundamental rights of freedom of association and expression. It is part of a wider attack on the freedom to protest over the past few years. The SOCP Act also changes harassment and trespass laws in a way that could make protest anyway very difficult.

During the parliamentary debate earlier this year the government assured critics of the proposals that they would consult on the extent of the designated area to which these restrictions will apply. Yet, with the exclusion of Trafalgar Square, the recently announced designated area is as wide as it could be - the government have taken the opportunity to effectively stop protest outside any government building. Opposition MPs are now expressing concern about the extent of these measures so this is an opportunity to build on this concern.

These restrictions are contrary to long established laws and traditions in this country and this Government's own Human Rights Act.

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