Thousands of ‘Kill the Bill’ activists march through central London

Thousands of ‘Kill the Bill’ protesters have marched through central London today as crowds mass in 40 towns and cities across the country against increased police powers.

Demonstrators were seen pouring through Trafalgar Square on Saturday with little care for social-distancing to demand the government scrap a new bill which criminalises marches deemed a ‘public nuisance.’

Hundreds also rallied in Brighton, Bristol, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Truro and Sheffield despite the continued threat of coronavirus.

The legislation was the subject of widespread dissent in March, particularly in the student area of Bristol where police were subjected to abuse which Boris Johnson described as ‘disgraceful.’

Demonstrators take part in a protest against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021 in central London on May 1, 2021. Previous ‘Kill the Bill’ demonstrations have turned violent, with protesters demanding the withdrawal of the legislation, which critics say harshly restricts the right to peaceful protest

A protester holds a smoke canister during a ‘Kill the Bill’ protest in central London today

Demonstrators hold signs outside the Home Office, as they take part in a ‘Kill the Bill’ protest in London, Britain, May 1

Police officers stand guard outside the Home Office on Saturday as hundreds of people arrive to demand the bill is killed

Protestors march past Admiralty Arch on the Mall in central London during a ‘Kill the Bill’ protest on Saturday. Among the flags flying is the black banner of Antifa 

Protesters are joined by a bus rigged up with a tannoy system during today’s protest in the capital

A coalition of activist groups are staging the demonstrations today as the bill progresses through parliament this month.

Sisters Uncut, a feminist group helping to lead the action, have condemned the legislation as ‘authoritarian.’

Dani Cane, a youth worker who plans to attend the protest on Saturday told The Big Issue: ‘The police have repeatedly proven that they are drunk on power, and will always use violence against us, not just against the most vulnerable people they routinely target, but anyone who they deem to be not behaving in a way they approve of.

‘It is vital that we prevent this bill from being passed in order to keep ourselves safe and resist the authoritarian abuse of state power. We must be able to hold the police accountable for the violence they relentlessly cause.’

Jess Sharp, a domestic violence worker who was also heading to the demos, said: ‘The police are bullies and perpetuate endless violence, giving them more power puts us at more risk and so we cannot allow this bill to pass.’

Protestors march down the Mall in central London during a ‘Kill the Bill’ protest on Saturday, May 1, 2021. The demonstration is against the contentious Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. The Bill was drafted partly in response to previous disruptive action by Extinction Rebellion and also the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill would see the police handed greater powers to tackle demonstrations.

The Bill was drafted partly in response to previous disruptive action by Extinction Rebellion and also the Black Lives Matter movement.

The proposed legislation would give police in England and Wales more powers to impose conditions on non-violent protests – including those deemed too noisy or a nuisance, with those convicted liable to fines or jail terms.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy, but over recent years we have seen an increase in the use of disruptive and dangerous tactics.’

He added: ‘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.’