{"id":15213,"date":"2024-08-30T14:14:13","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T13:14:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/?p=15213"},"modified":"2024-08-30T14:17:33","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T13:17:33","slug":"inside-the-activists-fight-how-uk-protest-laws-were-forged-amidst-environmental-uprisings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/inside-the-activists-fight-how-uk-protest-laws-were-forged-amidst-environmental-uprisings\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the activists&#8217; fight: how UK protest laws were forged amidst environmental uprisings\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Anti-protest laws have sparked global debate, so why did the UK decide to crack down on activism, and what lead to this decision?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Louis sprinted onto the football pitch, his heart racing as nearly 40,000 spectators watched in stunned silence. With a metal zip tie in hand, he quickly fastened himself to the goalpost during the Everton vs. Newcastle Premier League match. His bright orange shirt, reading Just Stop Oil, stood out amongst the blue and white of the angry crowd behind him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This dramatic scene was just one of many eye-catching moments from the environmental protest group Just Stop Oil, which has dominated headlines across the UK since its inception in 2022. Louis McKechnie, 24, joined the campaign that same year. His actions, along with those of others, have sparked intense debate over protest rights and public order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just Stop Oil\u2019s dramatic pitch invasion, in March 2022, was a calculated move designed to maximise impact, \u201cWe thought over previous campaigns and what they were missing and one thing that we&#8217;d always known is to propagate an idea through society most effectively requires two things. It requires the idea to be controversial and heard by the most people possible. If everybody agrees with what you&#8217;re saying, it&#8217;s not going to be propagated. People aren&#8217;t going to talk or debate if they agree,&#8221; says Louis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"799\" height=\"416\" loading=\"lazy\" data-id=\"15228\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52926777514-6810067241-c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52926777514-6810067241-c.jpg 799w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52926777514-6810067241-c-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52926777514-6810067241-c-770x401.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52926777514-6810067241-c-293x153.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"799\" height=\"416\" data-id=\"15228\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52926777514-6810067241-c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52926777514-6810067241-c.jpg 799w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52926777514-6810067241-c-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52926777514-6810067241-c-770x401.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52926777514-6810067241-c-293x153.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo by Alisdare Hickson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Between 1 October 2022 and 14 December 2022, the Metropolitan Police made over 750 arrests relating to Just Stop Oil protests costing the taxpayer \u00a37.5 million.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You probably recognise them by their bright orange paint, whether they\u2019re spattering it on priceless art or blocking traffic on the M25. Just Stop Oil has made headlines with their bold and controversial tactics, all in a bid to pressure the British government into ending new fossil fuel licensing and production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The growing visibility and disruptive nature of Just Stop Oil\u2019s protests have prompted a strong government response. The UK government introduced the Public Order Act 2023. This new legislation aims to limit such protests by criminalising many of the methods employed by Just Stop Oil, including high-profile actions like the one Louis staged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Louis views this response as a sign of the group&#8217;s impact, \u201cThese laws and acts were brought as a sort of reaction to our protests and our campaigns. But that I believe in itself that is evidence that the tactics and protesting campaigns we&#8217;re using are effective and actually threaten their power and control. The whole model is generally first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is when Just Stop Oil settled on the perfect target, \u201cSo the idea of cultural disruption was created in our circles and what has the biggest following in the country? It\u2019s football. It is the cultural phenomenon with the highest rate of emotional attachment to something that has regular events and is in the mainstream consciousness more regularly and more strongly than anything else,\u201d Louis says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recognising this, the group decided it was time to escalate their tactics. Louis continues,\u201cWe decided it&#8217;s time to use some new tactics and try some new things. We&#8217;ll try, to throw mud at the wall until something happens. Until something sticks. This felt like it had the potential to have more social influence than any other tactic previously tried by nonviolent protesters, in recent history in the UK, at least.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, Louis sprinted onto the pitch and locked himself to the goalpost\u2014a tactic used by protest groups like Extinction Rebellion and Animal Rising. Louis recalls, \u201cmy aim was get to that post and get locked on as fast as possible, so I just ran as fast as I could at that point, I wasn&#8217;t feeling fear, there was some adrenaline but it felt like pure focus at that point, oddly similar to a meditative state. So I locked onto the post and soon after that, it felt like job done, I guess it was at that point, I couldn&#8217;t even hear the crowds anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For his actions, Louis received a six-week prison sentence and was charged with aggravated trespass. District Judge Wendy Lloyd, who handed down the sentence, described his actions as \u2018reckless\u2019 and \u2018potentially very dangerous.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The protest sparked widespread debate and media coverage across the UK. However, public opinion was largely against the group. A 2023 YouGov survey found that while 17% of respondents viewed Just Stop Oil\u2019s actions favourably, a significant majority of 64% held an unfavourable opinion of the campaign group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"452\" loading=\"lazy\" data-id=\"15231\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52504195816-04318fed31-c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15231\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52504195816-04318fed31-c.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52504195816-04318fed31-c-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52504195816-04318fed31-c-770x435.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52504195816-04318fed31-c-293x166.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"452\" data-id=\"15231\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52504195816-04318fed31-c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15231\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52504195816-04318fed31-c.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52504195816-04318fed31-c-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52504195816-04318fed31-c-770x435.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/52504195816-04318fed31-c-293x166.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo by Alisdare Hickson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">The UK Government reported the total cost of policing Just Stop Oil protests is now over \u00a314.5 million, as of 2023.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tom Harris, who is an activist, sees this public backlash as a calculated move by the government. \u201cI think they (the Government) saw a great opportunity to turn the public against radical protests or any more protests because it stops us looking at what they&#8217;re doing; it&#8217;s far easier to kind of point the finger at Just Stop Oil being the problem rather than to acknowledge that the people Just Stop Oil are protesting about are literally setting our world on fire,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Tom, protest is deeply ingrained in the UK&#8217;s cultural and historical identity. \u201cThe kind of working-class radical history of Britain is something we should be proud of,\u201d he says, reflecting on movements like the suffragettes, the Luddite revolution, the miners&#8217; strikes, and the founding of the RSPCA. People now see protests as like a dirty word, even like unionisation and striking\u2014working-class people are against these things that we should be so proud of, and we have to defend it, verbally and physically,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite this, as Just Stop Oil continued to escalate their protests, the government was already taking steps to tighten its grip on public demonstrations. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (PCSC) marked the beginning of this clampdown, which culminated in the more stringent Public Order Act 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kevin Blowe, a member of The Network for Police Monitoring (NETPOL), explains the broader context that led to these laws. He notes that the groundwork for the government&#8217;s tougher stance on protests was laid back in 2019, a time when political turmoil over Brexit dominated the Conservative Party\u2019s agenda, and Labour was in disarray. Simultaneously, there was a growing urgency to address climate change, leading to a surge in civil disobedience. \u201cThis culminated in the huge protests organised by Extinction Rebellion in April and October that year,\u201d says Kevin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Extinction Rebellion are an environmental campaign group who occupied many key areas of London in 2019. Over 60,000 people attended in an act of mass civil disobedience. They demanded the government \u2018act now\u2019 in order to tackle the climate emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"799\" height=\"533\" loading=\"lazy\" data-id=\"15233\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15233\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c.jpg 799w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c-770x514.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c-293x195.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"799\" height=\"533\" data-id=\"15233\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15233\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c.jpg 799w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c-770x514.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/32713944487-6d2556b8a9-c-293x195.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo by Alexander Savin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">The UK government reported that Extinction Rebellion&#8217;s 2019 action had a disproportionate impact on commuters and small businesses, with the policing operation for the two extended protests costing \u00a337 million.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Extinction Rebellion\u2019s bold tactics\u2014blocking roads, \u201clocking-on,\u201d and embracing mass arrests\u2014pushed the authorities to their limits and exposed significant flaws in their response strategy. Kevin explains, \u201cthe protests were significant because it was a humiliation twice for the Metropolitan Police. Firstly, they got a mauling from senior police and from the right-wing media for failing to crack down on the demonstrations in April. Then when they did decide to crack down, the High Court said that they\u2019d acted unlawfully, and that became the catalyst for immense pressure from the senior levels of policing to introduce this legislation,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This intense pressure resulted in the introduction of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. However, as Kevin observes, the government&#8217;s response didn\u2019t end there. \u201cThe government then fails to get everything it wants and just introduces another piece of legislation; it\u2019s just a knee-jerk reaction,\u201d he explains. This led to the passing of the Public Order Act 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Critiquing these new laws, Kevin argues, \u201cMost of the legislation is poorly worded. It really felt as though it was a reaction; the government was simply looking to have something done because it had, in particular, a cultural war, a kind of aggressive opposition, firstly to climate change activists, but this was also partly due to the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-06wixbqhs-a-unsplash-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15289\" style=\"width:766px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-06wixbqhs-a-unsplash-1.jpg 640w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-06wixbqhs-a-unsplash-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-06wixbqhs-a-unsplash-1-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-06wixbqhs-a-unsplash-1-293x195.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-06wixbqhs-a-unsplash-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15289\" style=\"width:766px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-06wixbqhs-a-unsplash-1.jpg 640w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-06wixbqhs-a-unsplash-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-06wixbqhs-a-unsplash-1-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ehimetalor-akhere-unuabona-06wixbqhs-a-unsplash-1-293x195.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Black Lives Matter movement was ignited following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@mettyunuabona?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash\">Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/people-standing-on-street-during-daytime-06WiXBqhs_A?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash\">Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet the introduction of these laws didn\u2019t go unchallenged. They sparked a new wave of activism under the banner of \u201cKill the Bill,\u201d as thousands took to the streets to fight what they saw as an attack on human rights. Despite the widespread outcry, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act was enacted in April 2022, quickly followed by the even more restrictive Public Order Act in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both acts specifically targeted techniques utilised by Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion such as \u2018locking-on\u2019. \u201cThe Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 was focused on giving the police the powers and tools to more effectively neutralise, repress and use intimidation tactics on protests or protesters they deem too effective to be allowed to continue existing. Then the Public Order Act 2023 clamped down on protesters even further, taking away as many of our legal rights as possible,\u201d says activist Louis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The factsheet that explains why the government proposed the Public Order Act 2023 explicitly refers to Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil are reasons for the legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/51823474491-b7f2d5a709-c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15229\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/51823474491-b7f2d5a709-c.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/51823474491-b7f2d5a709-c-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/51823474491-b7f2d5a709-c-770x431.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/51823474491-b7f2d5a709-c-293x164.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/51823474491-b7f2d5a709-c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15229\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/51823474491-b7f2d5a709-c.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/51823474491-b7f2d5a709-c-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/51823474491-b7f2d5a709-c-770x431.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/51823474491-b7f2d5a709-c-293x164.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Acts are &#8220;the biggest widening of police powers to impose restrictions on public protest that we\u2019ve seen in our lifetimes,\u201d Chris Daw QC, a leading barrister and author, told The Big Issue. Photo by Alisdare Hickson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Louis knows the stakes firsthand. He used the controversial \u201clocking-on\u201d tactic during the high-profile pitch invasion, determined to make a statement. \u201cI was using a plastic cable tie with strong steel on the inside; it was a bicycle lock that was meant purposely to look like it was a lot weaker than it was,\u201d he reveals. \u201cThat\u2019s why it took them so long to remove me.\u201d This tactic has a long history in protest movements, but the new legislation aims to make it much riskier for those willing to push the boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the Public Order Act 2023 has sparked fierce debate, not everyone sees it as a game-changer for the right to protest. Legal expert David Mead, who specialises in civil liberties and protest, suggests that the impact of the legislation may be overstated.\u201cMost of the things that are in the Public Order Act 2023 were probably captured by other pieces of legislation,\u201d he explains. \u201cIn other words, the gap that it\u2019s filling is very small.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The human rights organisation Amnesty International also hold the view that police already have \u2018sufficient powers to manage protest safely&nbsp;and to prevent violence or other serious criminal activity\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>David acknowledges that protests are by nature disruptive, and finding the right balance is crucial. \u201cIt\u2019s undoubtedly the case that a lot of people do get very inconvenienced and angry at the M25 being blocked for seven hours or people slow marching through London or other major cities. This has obviously caused trouble for people,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the real question, David argues, is whether the solution lies in the expanded powers now available to the authorities. \u201cI think there is a need for balance,\u201d he continues. \u201cI don\u2019t think anyone would disagree on this. The police and the government would always say we protect people\u2019s rights to protest peacefully. The question is, where is that balance properly struck and by whom is it properly struck?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This question of balance has come into sharp focus with the recent, highly controversial decision to impose unprecedentedly long sentences on five Just Stop Oil activists. Roger Hallam, a co-founder of the group, was handed a five-year sentence, while four others received four-year terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They were convicted under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 for conspiracy to commit public nuisance in connection with a video Zoom call that those prosecuted had attended.. These sentences are the longest ever handed down to non-violent protesters in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"745\" height=\"419\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/just-stop-oil-.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15244\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/just-stop-oil-.jpeg 745w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/just-stop-oil--300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/just-stop-oil--293x165.jpeg 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 745px) 100vw, 745px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"745\" height=\"419\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/just-stop-oil-.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15244\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/just-stop-oil-.jpeg 745w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/just-stop-oil--300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/just-stop-oil--293x165.jpeg 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 745px) 100vw, 745px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Just Stop Oil activists who were sentenced have been dubbed the &#8216;Whole Truth Five&#8217;. Photo by Just Stop Oil<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In comparison, the average sentence in the UK for violence against the person is 1.7 years and theft offences just eight months according to a report published by the data group Statista.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>David describes these sentences as \u201cunbelievably disproportionate.\u201d Reflecting on how the legal landscape has changed, he notes, \u201cA couple of years ago, you\u2019d be advising protesters that even if you go on this action and get arrested, you\u2019ll probably get a suspended sentence; you might get a month inside if you\u2019ve committed two or three offences, as a sort of slightly tokenistic gesture, but you\u2019re really not going to be spending lots of time in prison.\u201d The activists are now expect to appeal the sentences in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). \u201cI\u2019d be absolutely gobsmacked if the ECHR decide they are proportionate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>David further comments on the broader trend over the past two decades, noting that \u201cin the last 20 years, there hasn&#8217;t been any piece of legislation that sort of facilitates or makes it easier for people to dissent and to protest. Everything else since the Human Rights Act came into force in 2000\u2026has been adding layers of criminal offences or policing power.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He continues, \u201cso it seems to me even at the most basic level, it would be fairly easy to suggest that the balance hasn&#8217;t been struck because if you&#8217;re loading one set of scales repeatedly on one side, the balance is going to go. Either the balance was wrong in the first place, was far too favourable to people protesting, or at some stage we&#8217;ve reached an equilibrium and we&#8217;ve now gone past it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Louis expresses his outrage at the severe sentences handed down to his fellow activists, \u201cfive years in prison for going on a Zoom call and thinking about a protest and asking people if they&#8217;d be interested in partaking is absolute insanity. It shows the state&#8217;s desperate; it shows that they&#8217;re losing control and they don&#8217;t know what to do. They were trying to send a message of strength, that they will not stand for us. But what it really is a message of fear, they\u2019re scared of the fact that they&#8217;re not pulling all the strings,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Louis also foresees an increase in imprisonment for activists, he says, \u201cwe\u2019re going to see a lot more of our friends and loved ones go to prison, yeah we&#8217;re going to see a fair amount of people going to prison who didn&#8217;t even really partake in these protests just because by giving us the impression that they don\u2019t care how involved we are, they\u2019ll go for anybody &#8211; it\u2019s an intimidation tactic that they&#8217;ve relied on historically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Given these concerns, Louis has decided to step back from direct action due to the heightened risks, \u201cI\u2019m terrified for the next 5-10 years, even the next year. I expect to see the majority of my friends get sent to prison with heavy sentences for acting out of love and kindness for all beings and all life. Because they can&#8217;t stand the injustice anymore and they&#8217;re gonna get hit hard for it. There&#8217;s a fair chance I am as well at this point. I would probably say I have about a coin flip odds of staying out of prison for the next year or two at best, and that&#8217;s even if I&#8217;m not that&#8217;s even with me not actively participating in protests.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" loading=\"lazy\" data-id=\"15222\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ivory-and-pastel-green-blue-orange-modern-project-timeline-infographic-graph-edited.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15222\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ivory-and-pastel-green-blue-orange-modern-project-timeline-infographic-graph-edited.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ivory-and-pastel-green-blue-orange-modern-project-timeline-infographic-graph-edited-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ivory-and-pastel-green-blue-orange-modern-project-timeline-infographic-graph-edited-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ivory-and-pastel-green-blue-orange-modern-project-timeline-infographic-graph-edited-293x165.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"15222\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ivory-and-pastel-green-blue-orange-modern-project-timeline-infographic-graph-edited.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15222\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ivory-and-pastel-green-blue-orange-modern-project-timeline-infographic-graph-edited.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ivory-and-pastel-green-blue-orange-modern-project-timeline-infographic-graph-edited-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ivory-and-pastel-green-blue-orange-modern-project-timeline-infographic-graph-edited-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/08\/ivory-and-pastel-green-blue-orange-modern-project-timeline-infographic-graph-edited-293x165.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anti-protest laws have sparked global debate, so why did the UK decide to crack down on activism, and what lead to this decision?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1089,"featured_media":15214,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[57,321,366,110,279,7],"class_list":["post-15213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised","tag-activism","tag-environment","tag-environmentalprotection","tag-law","tag-protests","tag-uk"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Inside the activists&#039; 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