Your right to protest
Learn about your right to protest, and non-violent direct action.
The history of protesting
Civil protesting has been around in one form or another for many hundreds of years. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were carted off to Australia in 1830 for protesting about rich landowners, while Wat Tyler, in 1381, led the original poll tax protestors pre-empting the 1990 protestors by several hundred years. Tyler's band were captured and put to death, their objectives unrealised, while the 1990ers had an afternoon of rioting and the bill was abolished. Mind you they did have Julian Cope on their side, dressed as an eight-foot space alien.
While protests like the May-day riots in London and the protests against the WTO (World Trade Organisation) in the United States and Geneva tend to grab the headlines for all the wrong reasons there has been an emphasis towards peaceful protesting or non-violent direct action as it is also called.
Brian Haw has been protesting against the war in Iraq outside the Houses of Parliament since the conflict begun. The government even introduced a law to try and remove him, although it was thrown out of court. A replica of Brian's colourful protest became a piece of art at Tate Britian.
What is peaceful protesting?
It means that you can take part in public protest but that it does not involve violence against property or people, whether they are rival protestors, objects of your protest or the police. The point of peaceful protesting is to get your point across, whether that is to like-minded others or what is deemed as the opposition. It can be extremely effective as it gets excellent media coverage, increases awareness of your campaign and encourages others to join your campaign.
Jason Green has been involved in both peaceful and violent confrontational protests. He has protested on behalf of Reclaim the Streets, gone on anti-capitalism marches, and has been a hunt saboteur.
"While there is something to be said for confrontational or violent protesting, I think that it is very short-termist, it attracts a bad element and it gets such bad publicity. I think that the May Day riots while showing that so many people are angry also overshadowed the people who were peacefully protesting. Given the choice I would now rather use these methods."
Pressure groups like the league against Cruel Sports, CND, and Drop the Debt have long been advocates of peaceful protests.
As well as national campaigns, local groups often use peaceful protests to make a point. For example, over 1,000 people marched in north London in 2008 to highlight the problems of knife and gun crimes.
What can you do as a peaceful protest?
- You can take part in or organise a rally, march or assembly
- A sit-in
- A blockade
- You can run a stall
Remember, you'll need to get permission from the police to march on the roads. You'll need to tell them how many people you expect to turn up, and the time and place and the route of a march.
Can I still be arrested?
You can be arrested even on a peaceful protest. A sit-down protest or a blockade even with absence of violence can be construed as obstruction as can blocking the streets, pavements or buildings. Chanting racist remarks or remarks likely to incite violence will also lead to arrest.
Article produced by the Choose Action Alliance.
Written by Martin Burrows
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