The Government's Anti-Protest Bill reveals where it really stands on climate change

Legitimate protests are being directly targeted by the Government

It is hugely worrying and disappointing that in a crucial year of UK leadership on the world stage in respect of climate and environmental issues, the UK government has chosen to target climate protesters with dangerous anti protest legislation. It is beyond doubt that the protests of 2019 shook up the status quo on climate thinking and was pivotal in finally ‘provoking’ the beginning of political action on this issue. Covid has effectively let the government off the hook during 2020 (with climate protesters respecting the lockdown effort) but it knows full well that 2021 will be a different story once the lockdown ends. ER has made no secret of its intentions and the government are attempting to stifle them before they get started again. It won’t of course work because the whole reason for success of ER and affiliated groups is that they are prepared to get arrested etc. But the protesters cannot be left to fight this alone. Right thinking people from across all parties must not let the government get away with thinking that they can ‘send’ protesters down for long stretches for causing ‘annoyance’. The government has drawn the battle lines and made their intentions clear. This approach must and will be challenged at every stage and exposed for the blatant attack on the right to protest and the right to protect the environment, that it is.

Read the Guardian article here https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/14/new-anti-protest-bill-raises-profound-concern-human-rights-groups-say