Blacknews.uk Thousands of demonstrators attending the ‘Kill The Bill’ protest met at Trafalgar Square on Saturday. It w...
Blacknews.uk Thousands of demonstrators attending the ‘Kill The Bill’ protest met at Trafalgar Square on Saturday. It was the latest in a series of protests against the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill which proposes to give police greater powers to shut down overly noisy or disruptive protests. Later in the afternoon, the demonstrators headed towards the Home Office. Protesters let off flares and wore placards reading “destroy power not people” and “no more police powers”. The protest, which was spearheaded by anti-domestic violence charity Sisters Uncut, also featured many placards supporting environmental activists Extinction Rebellion (XR) and the Black Lives Matter movement. The Bill was drafted partly as the Government’s response to previous action by both groups Extinction Rebellion activists staged a number of “protest of one” road blocks to demonstrate against the Government’s lack of action on climate change. Five men and four women were arrested for obstructing various roads across London including Westminster Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge, Tower Bridge and Clapham Common West Side. Morgan Trowland, 38, glued himself to London’s Tower Bridge, prompting City of London Police to close it to southbound traffic. Mr Trowland, a civil engineer from Hackney, east London, said: “I’m terrified that billions will die because of the climate crisis, humans and non-humans. “I’m freaking out that many people are accepting this, or feel powerless to change the course. I want to show onlookers that we each have phenomenal power.” Mr Trowland was later arrested and charged with obstruction of a highway. Another person blocked Blackfriars Bridge holding a placard reading: “I’m terrified billions will starve while our Government refuses to act on the climate crisis.” Commander Simon Dobinson, of the Metropolitan Police said ahead of the protests: “We have attempted to make contact with the organisers of Saturday’s demonstrations. “It is their responsibility to comply with the regulations and ensure their gathering is safe. “Officers will be present to try to engage with protestors, to explain the restrictions, encourage compliance and take steps to enforce the restrictions if it is necessary to do so. Similar protests were staged in Sheffield, Manchester and Newcastle. In Newcastle, demonstrators faced off against officers who blocked them from accessing a police station. One witness told the PA news agency: “Police closed the road and stopped access, there were a couple of scuffles and a few protestors were detained. “After 30 minutes or so the protestors seemed to realise they wouldn’t get through so moved on.” Protesters in Manchester occupied Portland Street in the city centre. Some protests have been seen in Bristol – where the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was pulled down last summer – with 42 people arrested following a demonstration in March. The Government stated “These new measures will not stop people from carrying out their civic right to protest and be heard, but will prevent large scale disruption – enabling the silent majority to get on with their lives.”
Black News 
Blacknews.uk Thousands of demonstrators attending the ‘Kill The Bill’ protest met at Trafalgar Square on Saturday. It was the latest in a series of protests against the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill which proposes to give police greater powers to shut down overly noisy or disruptive protests. Later in the afternoon, the demonstrators headed towards the Home Office. Protesters let off flares and wore placards reading “destroy power not people” and “no more police powers”. The protest, which was spearheaded by anti-domestic violence charity Sisters Uncut, also featured many placards supporting environmental activists Extinction Rebellion (XR) and the Black Lives Matter movement. The Bill was drafted partly as the Government’s response to previous action by both groups Extinction Rebellion activists staged a number of “protest of one” road blocks to demonstrate against the Government’s lack of action on climate change. Five men and four women were arrested for obstructing various roads across London including Westminster Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge, Tower Bridge and Clapham Common West Side. Morgan Trowland, 38, glued himself to London’s Tower Bridge, prompting City of London Police to close it to southbound traffic. Mr Trowland, a civil engineer from Hackney, east London, said: “I’m terrified that billions will die because of the climate crisis, humans and non-humans. “I’m freaking out that many people are accepting this, or feel powerless to change the course. I want to show onlookers that we each have phenomenal power.” Mr Trowland was later arrested and charged with obstruction of a highway. Another person blocked Blackfriars Bridge holding a placard reading: “I’m terrified billions will starve while our Government refuses to act on the climate crisis.” Commander Simon Dobinson, of the Metropolitan Police said ahead of the protests: “We have attempted to make contact with the organisers of Saturday’s demonstrations. “It is their responsibility to comply with the regulations and ensure their gathering is safe. “Officers will be present to try to engage with protestors, to explain the restrictions, encourage compliance and take steps to enforce the restrictions if it is necessary to do so. Similar protests were staged in Sheffield, Manchester and Newcastle. In Newcastle, demonstrators faced off against officers who blocked them from accessing a police station. One witness told the PA news agency: “Police closed the road and stopped access, there were a couple of scuffles and a few protestors were detained. “After 30 minutes or so the protestors seemed to realise they wouldn’t get through so moved on.” Protesters in Manchester occupied Portland Street in the city centre. Some protests have been seen in Bristol – where the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was pulled down last summer – with 42 people arrested following a demonstration in March. The Government stated “These new measures will not stop people from carrying out their civic right to protest and be heard, but will prevent large scale disruption – enabling the silent majority to get on with their lives.”
