We all saw the news. The crowds lining the banks of Clapham Common. The women, young and old, standing for their rights. Standing in memory of another who fell victim to the violence and brutality of male oppression. This is not my battle cry – not yet. This is however, an analysis into the efficiency of our own police force and the extremities of the newly re-evaluated Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Court Bill that aims to silence us.

On the evening of Tuesday 16 March, the House of Commons passed the new bill with 359 votes to 263. This bill is 300 pages in length and contains a detailed account of new measures introduced and old measures re-assessed. This revised bill has certainly re-evaluated – and rightly so – its approach to crime and policing to provide a safer and more legally cautious country. Key measures include: the introduction of Whole Life Orders for the premeditated murder of a child; an increase in the maximum penalty for criminal memorial damage from 3 months to 10 years; and reversing current bail procedures to prevent criminals who are a danger to public health and safety from early release.

“we are being silenced”

This however, is not the problem. The limitations imposed upon our own freedom of expression and rights to protest have been given the green-light by MPs and are certainly set to pave the way for a rocky future. This is the problem…we are being silenced.

Providing this bill comes into force, police will have the power to tackle non-violent protests which are viewed as significantly disruptive to the public. “Intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance” is now an offence under this bill: if protestors cause “serious harm to the public…serious annoyance, serious inconveniences or serious loss of amenity”, a heavy fine or prison sentence awaits the accused.

But this new bill has agitated thousands across the UK, angry and apprehensive as to the ramifications of this bill on our ability – or should I say right – to express ourselves freely through protesting. David Lammy, Labour MP for Tottenham, claimed these limitations to be “draconian” and argued that 20th century progressive protests would not have had such a revolutionary – and practically life-changing – impact had restrictions been placed on protestors. The campaign for women’s suffrage, the trade union strikes, and the miners’ strikes were all quintessential to the creation of the society we have today.

Yet our government wants to stop that.

“97% of women claimed to have been sexually-harassed at some point in their lives”

Despite the vigil held in memory of murder victim Sarah Everard being a peaceful affair, agitated police officers stormed the masses and instead vowed to inflict violence and terror upon innocents fighting for their own rights as women. Whilst mass gatherings are a violation of current Coronavirus restrictions, the violence that pursued and the subsequent arrest of four women was unjustified and quite frankly barbaric.

Despite the outdated and clearly misled view that the patriarchy collapsed in the 20th century, women across the UK are still facing restrictions upon their own lives and most crucially, their movements. If asked, the majority of women would probably agree that walking the streets alone in the dark is terrifying and to some extent, soul destroying. Yet it doesn’t just have to be a late night stroll that entices such fears. Even walking home in the dark after work at 5pm in the winter is a dangerous experience for many. In a recent survey conducted by UN Women UK, 97% of women aged 18-24 claimed to have been sexually harassed at some point in their lives – now that is a disgusting figure. To then be silenced in a peaceful vigil aimed to memorialise the murder of Sarah Everard and vocalise the all-too-real injustices that women face on a daily basis is more than anything, saddening.

Whilst women are not the sole victims of this new legislation, the timing is certainly questionable. The mass gathering of thousands over the past week has certainly placed the UK Government in the limelight.

“new legislation would ‘make a dictator blush'”

The UK has long-since prided itself on its democratic autonomy and concerns over its people by aiming to provide a safe space for freedom of expression and therefore, freedom to protest. What MPs were presented with on Tuesday, however, did not provide such freedom. This then begs the question: Is the UK beginning to take a step back from democracy into a twisted path towards a more controlled state?

Opposition MPs told the Prime Minister that this new legislation would “make a dictator blush” and he was well on the road to achieving “authoritarianism.” Whilst this is certainly a controversial claim, it must be said, they make a valid point.

Madeleine Raine

@RaineMadeleine

Featured image courtesy of Edrece Stansberry via Unsplash. Image license is available here. This image has in no way been altered.

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