🔗 Share this article

In today's Britain, protest has ceased to be a basic freedom. Rather, it has become a privilege that those in power allow or withhold at their discretion. This represents the underlying meaning of proposed measures that the ruling administration is putting forward, which would dictate when and where protests can take place, with potential imprisonment for those who defy these restrictions.

Gradual Weakening of Civil Liberties

Previous administrations had already undermined this essential right: the former Conservative government had given law enforcement extensive additional powers, which international human rights organizations had condemned as "serious and undue restrictions" on democratic freedoms. Collectively, these incremental attacks on liberty have effectively abolished the historically earned right to freedom of protest.

Using Atrocity to Rationalize Crackdown

The most recent restrictive measures are being justified by citing last week's terrible antisemitic attack on a Manchester mosque. There should be widespread consensus that the security of British Jews must be protected. However, employing this atrocity as a justification to stifle opposition is not only disconnected to that duty but distorts it.

"If you cannot set boundaries at mass killing, you likely cannot establish limits at democratic principles," observed a well-known American author, a statement that applies equally for the current government.

Historical Perspective of Demonstration

Consider Britain's rich history of public demonstration and activism against racism and authoritarianism, from the historic 1936 Cable Street confrontation to after World War II Jewish groups opposing fascism and the 1970s mobilizations against the far-right organization. Many of these early protesters were labeled as extremists in their time, even while they were advocating the freedoms of minorities.

Current Reality

In today's complicated landscape, here's what's actually occurring: The Israeli government – a foreign state – is perpetrating acts that international bodies have described as systematic destruction. Its warfare have prompted the International Criminal Court to release arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and his ex-military leader.

Western popular sentiment has changed significantly against Israel's military campaign. In Britain, a large percentage of the public think Israel has likely committed war crimes. Most people would endorse a complete ban on weapons exports to the state, and back the detention of the Israeli leader.

Silencing Dissent

Having essentially failed the argument, pro-Israel advocates are now seizing on a vile antisemitic crime to attempt to suppress a popular campaign against a ethical disaster. The British government appears to be included in this attempt. Ministers have failed to implement comprehensive sanctions on Israel and have permitted arms exports to proceed.

People who are protesting against the erasure of Gaza have been labeled as dangerous radicals. Yet there's a important factor why there hasn't been a more extensive crackdown on these protesters until now: extremely few protesters have made truly offensive statements about Jewish people, giving law enforcement minimal reason to take action.

Dangerous Conflation

Merging Jewish heritage with the actions of the government of Israel is not only cynical but also dangerous. The official definition of anti-Jewish prejudice, adopted by the British government and numerous institutions, has been appropriately challenged for potentially stifling valid commentary of Israel. However, there should be no disagreement about one of its central illustrations: that "making Jewish people collectively responsible for decisions of the state of Israel" constitutes prejudice against Jews.

Increasing Limitations

This is why we've arrived at a situation where law enforcement can propose that protests criticizing Israel's policies should be called off because they might "accidentally or deliberately" support anti-Jewish sentiment. Similarly, government officials have stated that acknowledgment of Palestine as a nation has made organizations "implicated" in supposed mistreatment faced by Jewish communities.

Inconsistent Treatment

On the same day as the synagogue attack, the Israel's army killed numerous of Palestinian civilians in Gaza – increasing the terrible count from 24 months of daily atrocities that have claimed tens of thousands of lives. British political leaders and news organizations have barely concealed the limited value they attach to Palestinian existence. This represents one of the most brazen expressions of discrimination in our time.

Crossing Thresholds

Our government has already crossed a concerning threshold by banning a specific activist group, a non-violent, anti-genocide activist collective. Multiple thousands of British protesters have been arrested, mostly for carrying signs against genocide and supporting the proscribed group. Many of those detained are pensioners; including a retired priest and the child of a Holocaust survivor.

International Parallels

It's not difficult to see where this trajectory leads. In the United States, government officials helped vilify demonstrations supporting Palestine: a ex-political leader suggested that some were "connected to" other nations, while the sitting leader characterized such protests as anti-Jewish. In doing so, they helped legitimize the authoritarian crackdown on such protests – and on freedom of expression in general.

Future Concerns

If a hard-right government comes to power, it would be granted sweeping powers to suppress opposition. What might a new administration do with this repressive toolkit? Our forebears struggled, endured hardship and sacrificed their lives to establish our liberties. We may ultimately regret how easily we allowed them to be eroded.