There is a small, but worrying, groundswell of opinion developing at present that suggests that the whole of the government's anti-protest legislation is simply an attack on the activities of Steve Bray, who has been a persistent nuisance to the government with his one-man campaign against Brexit and Tory abuse since 2016. Standing outside parliament and broadcasting with powerful amps, he has undoubtedly been deeply annoying. There can be no surprise that Steve has been the target of the first police action since they gained new powers on Tuesday this week:
Bella Ciao on the amp at Parliament …. We are not going away and we are never giving in to fascism. #UpYoursPriti pic.twitter.com/lKEQcgM6Bd
— 4th July - Tory wipe Out (@snb19692) June 29, 2022
However, to pretend that Steve was the sole focus of this legislation that seeks to control protest is very dangerous. He clearly was not. This government is stupid, but not that stupid. And what they know is that if they can secure their case by making an example of someone, especially someone as divisive as Steve Bray, then the resulting powers that they can give themselves can be used against others. To pretend otherwise is to deny that the whole motivation for this new legislation is fascist.
The motivation for the crackdown on protest is not Steve Bray. The motivation is to stop the women peacefully protesting about the death of Sarah Everard. And to stop Extinction Rebellion. Trade unions are also, of course, inevitably, a target. Any picket line could now be subject to police action under these new powers, even if legal under trade union law. And don't doubt there will be political uses as well. I wonder how many protests in favour of Scottish independence might be banned using these new laws?
Steve Bray is annoying. That's why he is successful. But let's not for a moment pretend that he is the sole focus of legislation. It's a denial of political reality to suggest that he is. Fascism is not that selective. First, they come for one individual or group, but it never stops there.
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In view of the fact that The Met has just been placed in ‘Special Measures’ I am surprised that they think that going after him, or others is an appropriate use of resources
if someone had electrified amps making a hell of a noise outside your house you’d want them removed. Normally called anti-social behaviour.
This is outside parliament
And free speech and opposition are fundamental human rights
Indeed, it’s part of the job politicians do. It goes with the badge, as they say.
Before there was Steve Bray, there was Brian Haw (RIP) and the attempt of the Labour government to ban permanent protests in the vicinity of parliament under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. Ostensibly because the installation could be a used by terrorist to hide bombs, but we know the real reason. Many politicians just don’t like to see or hear protest.
Extraordinary how many uniformed police are available, day after day, to impede and intimidate Steve Bray. No wonder there is little capacity to deal with real crime.
All a woman in fear of attack now needs to get police attention is a big amp and an anti-Brexit slogan and up to twenty officers will turn up
I am being ironic, of course
Steve Bray needs bigger amps. Sky News is reporting this morning: “The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee said government complacency and a failure from ministers to take effective action meant Russian assets ‘laundered’ through the City of London were being used to finance Vladimir Putin’s war chest.
A highly critical report said ‘inadequate preparation and foresight’ by the leadership of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FDCO) meant the government was slow to impose sanctions, adding that it was ‘shameful’ it had taken a war for ministers to introduce the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022.”
This is sickening. Sickening.
Only last week the Government sanctioned yet another Russian oligarch (who two years before funded an Oxford scholarship). There seems to be an endless list of oligarchs now buried deep in the intenstines of the British state.
Meanwhile Douglas Ross and his Scottish Conservatives think we should all concentrate on looking anywhere else; supporting this appalling PM (that he wants out, or not, or out, or …) and vile Government, because however sickening it all is; the best Scotland can do is suck it up.
Frankly, I had never heard of Steve Bray until the other day. Now, the Streisand effect?
“ I wonder how many protests in favour of Scottish independence might be banned using these new laws?”
Does this legislation apply in Scotland? I thought policing was devolved.
Policing
But what about the law?
You may be right though
Scots law is not devolved; its authority is enshrined in the Treaty of Union – there would have been no Union without it. The oddity is that the Treaty of Union does not ‘sound’ in international law; but Scots law does.
Your comments here and in previous posts is quite right about fascism. I re-read ‘Fascism – A Warning’ by Madelaine Albright recently. As I read it, I found I could substitute various names and phrases with alternatives such as ‘Boris Johnson’ and ‘tory party’. It was quite unnerving and obvious to me that we heading steadily to a fascist state. The book is well worth reading.
Added to my list – thanks
This Madeleine Albright?
“We have heard that half a million [Iraqi] children have died. I mean, that is more children than died in Hiroshima,” asked Stahl, “And, you know, is the price worth it?”
“I think that is a very hard choice,” Albright answered, “but the price, we think, the price is worth it.”
Now imagine if Trump had said that.
I don’t agree with all of her political views but I believe her understanding of fascism is valid given her history (a refugee twice, in 1939 and then again in 1948) and connections with other countries leaders as Secretary of State.
Last night there was a flight taking off with supposedly lots of women onboard from the Derwentside/Hassockfield IRC. In the end only 1 woman and one gay man were put on the flight to Nigeria. The man was being sent back to a country where homosexuality is illegal.
https://northeastbylines.co.uk/protest-against-forced-deportations-of-women-at-10-30pm-tonight/
Over 20 people objected outside Hassockfield. Five of them were arrested for stopping the coach getting into the prison. This wouldn’t have happened before yesterday. Fortunately ten women were stopped from boarding the coach/plane because of lawyers being able to get there and do their work.
It’s definitely not just against Steve Bray.
Agreed
The five who were arrested were given fixed penalty notices and released. So Durham police can give FPNs if they want to.
They were charged with ‘suspicion of obstructing a highway’. Is that a new crime? Worse than having parties during lockdown? I’m sure they thought they were really obstructing a highway.
On Monday weownit and KONP are doing lots of demos about the new ICS reorganisation of the NHS. I expect to see lots of arrests then. Although maybe the police have been told to lay off any NHS demos as they want the reorganisation to go through under the radar.
By the way, the change is happening today.
Rob McCracken mentions antisocial behaviour. There is adequate legislation to combat ASB which could have been used to control persistent annoyance. What the govt have done is immediately criminalize ‘annoyance’ such that the threshold for taking action is now left to subjective decision making by police officers against those who wish to air their views in demonstrations and such like. Annoyance is not a well established concept in law – unlike nuisance. The bar has been lowered to accommodate the intolerance of this govt who cause intense annoyance to many law abiding citizens!