Say no to the new Policing Bill
SPSC Aberdeen condemns the Policing Bill, which recently passed its second reading in the UK Parliament. Although the Bill largely only impacts on England and Wales, not Scotland, it sets a very dangerous precedent. It would impact on demonstrations that we would join in other parts of the UK, and it's important that we show solidarity with those fighting for social justice elsewhere. The legislation would also negatively impact marginalised groups such as Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, amongst others.
SPSC Aberdeen stands in solidarity with the grassroots movement opposing the policing bill, known as ‘Kill the Bill’. Needless to say, we reject the patronising advice on protest tactics by Tory ministers, such as Priti Patel, who have an appalling track record of setting legislation which erodes human rights of immigrants and marginalised communities.
The new Policing Bill is in keeping with the British State’s long-standing tradition of the use of policing to advance specific political agendas of a reactionary nature, both at a national and international level. While this tactic is of course not confined to the British State, civil society should stand firmly against this undemocratic collusion between State and police forces.
We know too well from our experiences in Aberdeen the ways in which the police act to prevent legitimate protest and to deny rights to free speech and assembly. We take this opportunity to remind readers of the abuse and protest-silencing attempts by Police Scotland faced by SPSC Aberdeen. In 2017, PIRC (Police Investigations and Review Commissioner) warned police in Aberdeen they risked "breaching the human rights of political activists". Police actions that were criticised included:
knocking on a door late at night to warn activists against attending a pro-Palestine protest the following day;
walking into a political campaigning workshop and asking to sit in;
barring an SPSC group from observing a political trial in Aberdeen Sheriff Court while allowing entry to pro-Israel activists.
The findings received coverage in the local and national news.
It is outrageous that such actions are to be legislated for, at least in parts of the UK. Citizens here and around the world should have the right to raise public awareness and express their anger against injustice and oppression through a range of legitimate tactics including direct action. For example, SPSC Aberdeen supports the tradition of protest involving damage to arms companies’ property to prevent massacres of civilian populations. Over and over, activists charged for damage of arms companies have been acquitted by British and Irish Courts on the basis that their actions were aimed to prevent greater crimes. Most notorious is the case of the actions of Derry protesters that eventually drove out the arms giant Raytheon from the city. In keeping with that tradition, SPSC Aberdeen stands in solidarity with the activists facing charges for drenching in red paint one of the Elbit Systems UK buildings in London. Elbit Systems supplies 85% of Israel’s military drone fleet, which is regularly ‘tested’ on Palestinians in Gaza.
The Network for Police Monitoring (https://netpol.org/Charter/) have a petition calling for the Police to adopt a new, eleven-point Charter for Freedom of Assembly Rights. We encourage groups and individuals to sign.
Further reading & resources
For information about the right to protest in Scotland, visit: https://www.scottishactivistlegalproject.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/SCALP-Legal-Guide-14.01.2021.pdf
Liberty's briefing on the Policing Bill here: https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/issue/