Dorset Trades Union Council, Stand Up to Racism Dorset, Kushti Bok, Black Lives Matter, Unite, Hunt Saboteurs Association and Extinction Rebellion joined forces today, Saturday 17 April to protest the newly proposed Police and Crime Sentencing Bill. The alliance of groups and individuals met at 11am at the Town Pump in Dorchester with over a hundred people carrying out a march through the town centre. This peaceful protest joined a national day of action against the bill across many cities and towns in the UK.
The groups are urging all those who are concerned about what is happening to our basic civil liberties to come together to stand up for our democratic values. The Bill is a deeply worrying step towards becoming an authoritarian police state, where the voices of ordinary people, particularly those most marginalised and disadvantaged, are silenced by state sanctioned penalties. All the groups, movements and individuals involved are acting in solidarity to resist this.
The right to peacefully assemble and protest are a fundamental part of any democracy, empowering people to have their voices heard, in addition to holding the government to account. The government’s Policing Bill is a draconian piece of legislation that seriously threatens the integrity of our democracy, breaking the UN Covenant on Human Rights.
Jenny Lennon-Wood from Dorset Trades Union Council said “The government has exploited key workers, putting their lives at risk throughout the pandemic. The “reward” is an attack on their jobs and pay – renewed austerity to make workers pay for the Covid crisis while the chumocracy continues to pour public funds into the pockets of the super-rich. Now the Police and Crimes Bill aims to rob us all of our right to protest against the injustices of poverty pay, insecure jobs and discrimination in workplaces and all aspects of our daily lives. Dorset Trades Union Council says a resounding NO to this undemocratic assault on our democracy!”
Lynne Hubbard from Stand up To Racism Dorset said: “The government wants to criminalise people who protest against racism – like those who’ve joined demonstrations called by the Black Lives Matter movement. The Home Secretary described these as ‘dreadful’. What’s dreadful is the attack on our rights and on all those who want to see social justice.”
A spokesperson from Kushti Bok, a local Dorset charity supporting Romany, Gypsy and the Traveller movement gave a speech which pointed out “This bill is targeting travellers- it’s racism. Families on the road in their caravans and tents can be fined up to £2,500. They can go to prison for up to 3 months. Their vehicles can be taken away from them. We are being criminalised, yet there’s is no room for more traveller encampments”.
Andrew Smith from Extinction Rebellion said “As groups we all have our individual campaigns but this bill will affect us all and that is why we are joining together- people united are stronger and an alliance of movements and individuals is real people power and what the authorities that seek to repress us are most in fear of”.
The peaceful protest has been advertising guidelines in order to ensure it is Covid-safe, with attendees requested to wear face-masks and maintain social distancing. Anyone who has covid symptoms was asked not to attend the protest.
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