Cracking down on repeat protest means ‘giving succour to haters’ – MP

Cracking down on repeat protest means “giving succour to the haters”, MPs have heard.

Referring to these “haters”, Pete Wishart suggested Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was “allowing them to dictate our approach to protest and alter basic freedoms that we have always enjoyed”.

Ms Mahmood has proposed changes to Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, to allow authorities to consider the cumulative impact of frequent and repeated protests, when deciding whether to introduce conditions such as a change of route or the time of the events.

Her announcement earlier this month followed a wave of pro-Palestine demonstrations, which Ms Mahmood previously said had created “considerable fear” among Jewish communities.

One event in London saw 488 arrests for supporting banned organisation Palestine Action, which is on the Government’s list of terrorist groups.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson told the Commons: “Unfortunately, the Government’s decisions recently have led to police arresting pensioners for holding up cardboard signs when they should be protecting all communities, including the Jewish community, from those who would cause harm.

“This undermines the right to protest and, crucially, means that the police are using their time and resources on other things, when they should be protecting people.”

Mr Wilkinson said his party’s MPs were “acutely aware of the fear felt by the Jewish community at the harassment they have felt at some of these marches”.

He warned some demonstrations had been “hijacked by people spreading antisemitism and inciting violence against Jews”, who “must be met with the full force of the law”.

Responding, Ms Mahmood said she “cannot accept and leave unchallenged what he had to say about the protests led primarily by the group Defend Our Juries in relation of the proscription to the group Palestine Action”.

She said: “I think the Liberal Democrats have to ask themselves some serious questions – are they going to stand up for the rule of law in this country?

“You can in this House, in this chamber, and outside – anyone is free to challenge our terror laws, to say that they should be changed, to say that the thresholds are in the wrong place, that they need updating – fair and legitimate comment.

“We may disagree, but it is perfectly legitimate to debate that in this House and outside as well.

“What is not acceptable and what is a crime under the law of our land is to support a proscribed organisation.”

Mr Wishart, the SNP MP for Perth and Kinross-shire, later asked: “Does she not see that by cracking down on our legitimate right to protest, she is simply giving succour to the haters by allowing them to dictate our approach to protest and alter basic freedoms that we have always enjoyed?”

He added: “Surely, that cannot be the intention of this Government.”

Ms Mahmood replied: “The intention of this Government is to make sure that the right balance is struck between our fundamental right to protest and also making sure our communities can go about their business without living in fear of regular, weekly protests on their own doorstep.

“What we are suggesting with the amendments to Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act is to make explicit that cumulative impact is something the police can take into account when imposing conditions.

“That is not a removal of the right to protest, it’s just saying that there are some conditions, that protests can still carry on but not in a way that prevents other communities from being able to go about their business with safety and with security.”

The Home Secretary said her proposals “put us back towards something that looks and feels much more like a balanced situation”.

Ellie Chowns, the Green Party’s Westminster leader, warned “further restrictions on protest” were of “concern”.

Ms Chowns asked: “Will she ensure that every policy measure she takes is focused on building solidarity between communities and countering division in our country?”

Ms Mahmood replied: “There is a balance to be struck between these freedoms. I think it’s in the wrong place. I’m taking measures to bring it back into balance.”

But the Conservative MP for Harrow East, Bob Blackman, warned Londoners are “fed up paying the money for these hate marches and hate demonstrations to take place”.

He continued: “So in addition to changing the routes and the meeting places and the times when these demonstrations can take place, how about another suggestion?

“If they want to organise these hate demonstrations, let them have the bill for the policing that they have to have.”

The Home Secretary was “considering all recommendations that have been made” by advisers, she said.

“One of the difficulties is on implementation rather than a disagreement on the substance of that issue,” Ms Mahmood added.