The last government kicked off a massive crackdown on democracy and the right to protest, and Labour has picked up right where they left off.
They’re trying to put even more restrictions on our rights, including:
- Banning face coverings at protests.
- Powers to deport protesters on limited visas if they get a police caution.
Thanks to the last government we’ve seen the longest-ever jail sentences for peaceful protest. Some activists got four years in jail for joining a zoom call!
The crackdown will affect everyone who wants to make their voice heard on an issue they care about – not just environmental activists. So Greenpeace has teamed up with Amnesty, Friends of the Earth, and Liberty to fight back. And these ads are just the start.
The right to protest is vital – even if you’re not an activist
Even if protesting isn’t your thing, we all benefit from other people’s right to do it.
When official channels fail (as they often do), protest is one of the best tools we have to change things for the better.
3 good things won through peaceful protest
The weekend
It wasn’t until the 1930s that the weekend was an accepted part of the working week. But unions and other groups had to fight for it for over a century.
Public footpaths
Peaceful ‘trespass’ protests in the early 1930s won the right to go for a walk in the countryside. Before this, the land was legally only for use by its wealthy owners.
The fight against fracking
For nearly a decade, people across the UK stood against the companies and ministers trying to get fracking off the ground. In 2019, fracking was effectively banned across the British Isles.
Meet the activists
The protesters you see in the ads are real people fighting for causes they believe in. Let’s find out more about who they are and what they do.
