Steve Bray has had his megaphone taken away.
The activist known as “Stop Brexit Man” has had equipment seized by police officers attempting to shut down his regular protest near parliament, as a new protest law came into force.
Steve Bray, a former coin dealer and failed Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, posted videos on Twitter showing police officers approaching him near Parliament Square on Tuesday. His sound system was seized.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which came into force on Tuesday, introduced an offence of intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance, in an effort to crack down on disruptive guerrilla protests.
It’s tempting… Really tempting, to say ‘good’ for the man is an annoying arsehole. Likewise Extinction Rebellion and its various offshoots will fall foul of this law. They have taken the right to protest and pushed the boundaries to the point where there is going to be little in the way of public support when the police descend. Yet oddly, we should be supporting them. Not because they are annoying arseholes and not because their disruption might finally come to an end, but because this law is deeply draconian and unnecessary. But, then, whenever there is an excuse for more laws, that’s what our parliament does.
I’ve watched Bray regularly harass pro Brexit MPs. It makes uncomfortable watching because this is not legitimate protest, it’s outright harassment and despite my low opinion of our political class, I cannot stand the sight of this buffoon following someone and haranguing them as they try to go about their business. That is not legitimate protest. Likewise, I have no sympathy for XR and its aims, but I do support their right to legitimate protest, but blocking roads for days at a time or sitting on motorways strays across that line.
We didn’t need this law to stop these activities, for there are already suitable remedies that would not have involved cracking down on protest. Anyone blocking the roads is breaching road traffic law and should be immediately removed and prosecuted under those laws. MPs being harassed by that knob Bray may seek redress via restraining orders. I understand why they might choose not to, but when people don’t understand the difference between protest and harassment, sometimes, that is the only solution.
As it is, right now, my commitment to civil liberties for all is being put to the test. Frankly, despite having to hold my nose, it’s not a difficult one. I object to this law.
As an aside…
Bray posted videos of himself setting up his protest on Tuesday morning, acknowledging he was doing so “despite police warnings”. He tweeted: “The police are harassing hell out of this protest today.”
The lack of self-awareness going on is staggering. The man is harassment on legs. Vile, obnoxious little man.
Personally i would have dealt with this sanctimonious creep ages ago.
If it was me being harassed, I’d have taken out a restraining order on the bastard.
I object to this law too and to the Online
SafetyCensorship BillLord Frost too
https://dailysceptic.org/2022/06/27/nadine-dorries-online-safety-bill-highly-damaging-to-free-speech-says-lord-frost/
Of course the usual “Don’t mention it’s a UN / WEF Law” and that’s why Aus, Can, EU, NZ, US… all doing same
In fact, I object to almost every law this allegedly Conservative Gov’t has introduced since 2010 and all the 1997-2010 Blair era laws
Rabb’s coming Bill Of Rights another bad law, it’s a Bill of No Rights
I used to think it was a choice between tyranny and chaos. I’m starting to think it might end up being both!
It’s almost as if these people have pushed the envelope with that outcome in mind. Both they and the government are the enemies of liberty after all.
I always object to more laws, but I don’t believe in the right to protest for something that you’re never going to get or something that would adversely affect other people if you did get it. (Unless you do it quietly and out of the way)
XR and that Brexit moron both fall into these categories and in my opinion, should have been dealt with a long time ago
That argument could have been used against Brexit campaigners.
The right to protest is a fundamental one. The right to disrupt and harras is not. We don’t need new laws to deal with the latter.
Regarding the XR morons, there is a video doing the rounds of Police officers just pulling up the hands of protesters who have glued them to the road. What is funny is that a female just looks at the skin damage on her hand, while some bearded bloke falls back, screaming in supposed agony. In both cases, the Police officers ignore them and move on to the next glued protestor. Assume they’re not English cops.
Link please