A proposed law would criminalize demonstrations outside MPs homes with penalties of up to six months in prison
Protesting outside the homes of MPs could land offenders in jail for up to six months under a proposed new UK law ostensibly aimed at tackling harassment of politicians.
Demonstrations across the country have risen in recent months amid growing public frustration with government policies.
Under the Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in February and now before Parliament, police would be granted expanded powers “to clamp down on toxic behavior,” the government announced on Tuesday.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said the level of abuse faced by those involved in British politics was “truly shocking” and “a threat to our democracy.” A parliamentary survey found that 96% of lawmakers had experienced harassment, while the Electoral Commission reported that more than half of candidates in the last general election faced threats or intimidation.
Before taking office last year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer was personally targeted by pro-Palestinian activists who left children’s shoes and a banner outside his London home, urging him to back an arms embargo on Israel. His government has since faced mounting public anger on multiple fronts, with an Ipsos pollshowingthat nearly 80% of Britons now disapprove of his performance.
Demonstrations have gripped the UK in recent months – from protests against migration to rallies condemning what critics call a crackdown on free speech. In September, right-wing groups held a large ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally in London, voicing discontent with Starmer’s leadership. Police estimated attendance at between 110,000 and 150,000, while organizers claimed up to three million protesters took part.
Rights groups warn the measure could further criminalize peaceful protest. Amnesty International has condemned the proposed bill as “an alarming assault on the right to peacefully protest.”
Last week, Greenpeace activists placed metal bars around the statues of Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and suffragist Millicent Fawcett in London’s Parliament Square to protest what they called the government’s attempt to portray demonstrators as criminals and terrorists.
“When we criminalize protest, we don’t just attack activists – we attack democracy itself,” said Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales.
