Sunday
14
December
Protestors descend on town centre
16/01/2022 @ 08:53
More than 100 protestors descended on Newtown High Street to protest about the UK government's ‘Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts’ (PCSC) Bill.
Individuals and groups from political and other organisations met in the town centre before marching around the town, finally gathering in the Town Hall Grounds as part of the "Kill the Bill" protest.
The protestors claim, amongst other things, that the Bill will create stricter laws around protests.
Attendees from groups including Montgomeryshire Labour Party, Plaid Cymru Maldwyn, Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Extinction Rebellion all gathered in Newtown High Street before marching.
"The restrictions to protest are excessive, the penalties are excessive and the powers the Bill grants to the Home Secretary are wholly unacceptable in a healthy democracy. We must not be silenced."
Ann-Marie Evans, activist for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller rights, said: "When I was a child, as strikes raged and interest rates soared, many people had their homes repossessed.
"That’s why my parents sold their house and bought us a boat. My parents and I would have been criminalised by section 4 of this PCSC Bill.
"Unless the PCSC Bill is voted down on 17th January, it will be our new authoritarian state law. When the Government asked the Police if they would like these new powers to seize homes, property, pets and children, 130,000 said "No!"
"I have six beautiful grandchildren. Being locked up and unable to be with them is a terrible threat, but we can't change the systems causing destruction without standing up and speaking out. Telling the truth should never be a crime.’
Cathy Brooks from Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: "In the 12 months since we formed Montgomeryshire Palestine Solidarity Campaign we have held a number of rallies and protests about what's happening in Palestine.
"Our right to carry out such peaceful demonstrations, to inform people who are willing to listen, is under threat should this legislation be passed."
Jeremy Thorp from Montgomeryshire Green Party said: "This Bill is just pandering to the Government's supporters that don't want their consumerist lifestyles inconvenienced by groups like XR and IB.
"If the Government told the truth about the devastating effects of climate change if we do not drastically cut our carbon emissions, the public would all be pressing the government to do just what XR and IB are asking.
"Public protest is essential to challenge bad decisions made by the Government and overcome injustice and inequality.’
David France, Extinction Rebellion activist, said: "These may have been some of the last legal protests we see in England and Wales. Boris Johnson’s Government knows they’re too corrupt to stay in power legitimately - just look at the party fiasco - so they’re basically breaking democracy so they can continue to profit from their positions, regardless of public opinion.
"I am overwhelmed by the sheer volume of terrifying legislation coming from this Government: the PCSC Bill, the Nationality and Borders Bill, the Elections Bill, the Overseas Operations Bill. I imagine there are more I don’t know about, but I don’t really want to look.
"This is how a democracy turns into a dictatorship, and the only thing that will stop it is the collective will of all of us. Please talk to your loved ones about what is happening."
Individuals and groups from political and other organisations met in the town centre before marching around the town, finally gathering in the Town Hall Grounds as part of the "Kill the Bill" protest.The protestors claim, amongst other things, that the Bill will create stricter laws around protests.
Attendees from groups including Montgomeryshire Labour Party, Plaid Cymru Maldwyn, Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Extinction Rebellion all gathered in Newtown High Street before marching.
Kait Duerden of the Montgomeryshire Labour Party said: "The town I grew up in has a memorial to the workers shot in the 1842 Chartist uprising. The plaque on it reads: Remember that progress towards justice and democracy has not been achieved without great sacrifice. Remember to defend vigorously the rights given to you and strive to enhance those rights for those who follow."
"The PCSC Bill must be resisted. The torch is passed from previous generations to us. Oppose the bills. Keep protesting. Our future and the future of our planet depend on it.’
Alison Alexander of the Liberal Democrats and BRACE Llanfyllin said: "There is a balance to be struck between the inconvenience protesters cause to the public and the value of protest to society. This Bill fails to strike the correct balance.
"That's not just the view of the Liberal Democrats, that's the view of former Prime Minister Theresa May, of Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights and of 109 Professors of Law from top UK universities."The restrictions to protest are excessive, the penalties are excessive and the powers the Bill grants to the Home Secretary are wholly unacceptable in a healthy democracy. We must not be silenced."
Ann-Marie Evans, activist for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller rights, said: "When I was a child, as strikes raged and interest rates soared, many people had their homes repossessed.
"That’s why my parents sold their house and bought us a boat. My parents and I would have been criminalised by section 4 of this PCSC Bill.
"Unless the PCSC Bill is voted down on 17th January, it will be our new authoritarian state law. When the Government asked the Police if they would like these new powers to seize homes, property, pets and children, 130,000 said "No!""I have six beautiful grandchildren. Being locked up and unable to be with them is a terrible threat, but we can't change the systems causing destruction without standing up and speaking out. Telling the truth should never be a crime.’
Cathy Brooks from Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: "In the 12 months since we formed Montgomeryshire Palestine Solidarity Campaign we have held a number of rallies and protests about what's happening in Palestine.
"Our right to carry out such peaceful demonstrations, to inform people who are willing to listen, is under threat should this legislation be passed."
Jeremy Thorp from Montgomeryshire Green Party said: "This Bill is just pandering to the Government's supporters that don't want their consumerist lifestyles inconvenienced by groups like XR and IB.
"If the Government told the truth about the devastating effects of climate change if we do not drastically cut our carbon emissions, the public would all be pressing the government to do just what XR and IB are asking.
"Public protest is essential to challenge bad decisions made by the Government and overcome injustice and inequality.’
David France, Extinction Rebellion activist, said: "These may have been some of the last legal protests we see in England and Wales. Boris Johnson’s Government knows they’re too corrupt to stay in power legitimately - just look at the party fiasco - so they’re basically breaking democracy so they can continue to profit from their positions, regardless of public opinion.
"I am overwhelmed by the sheer volume of terrifying legislation coming from this Government: the PCSC Bill, the Nationality and Borders Bill, the Elections Bill, the Overseas Operations Bill. I imagine there are more I don’t know about, but I don’t really want to look.
"This is how a democracy turns into a dictatorship, and the only thing that will stop it is the collective will of all of us. Please talk to your loved ones about what is happening."
Photos by Paul Williams, H18-PDW Photography
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