The Policing Bill has many objectionable and authoritarian aspects including anti-democratic restrictions on the right to protest, increased stop and search powers, and the criminalisation of trespass. Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, has the powers of a Police and Crime Commissioner.
We the undersigned note that the Policing, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill includes new restrictions on the right to protest and an emboldening of policing powers across the board. We are concerned that the restrictions and ambiguity about what is lawful may deter people from exercising their democratic rights, and risk anti-democratic policing powers being used at an increased rate against members of the public and protesters alike.
We believe that the right to protest and exist without police surveillance or harassment is a cornerstone of democracy and note Greater Manchester’s proud history in this regard. This includes the Chartists, Peterloo, the Suffragettes, the Battle of Bexley Square, the Manchester Black Women’s Co-operative, the Moss Side uprising of 1981, the largest demonstration in Britain against the anti-LGBT+ Section 28, opposition to wars, fascism and racism, and protests for environmental protection, and decent housing. We believe that many of Greater Manchester’s historic protests could have been criminalised by the Bill as they were seen as a nuisance by those in power or responsible for injustice. We believe that huge swathes of Greater Manchester’s population could face increased harassment, surveillance and criminalisation under the proposed police powers.
We call on the Greater Manchester Mayor to pledge that if the Bill is passed, Greater Manchester Police resources won’t be used to implement the repressive measures in the Bill.
Manchester TUC is affiliated to the Kill The Bill Coalition and the Greater Manchester Kill The Bill Coalition, and is hosting this petition on their behalf.