Last week, we delivered our petition , along with some festive cheer, to the Home Office

Posted: 20th December 2024

Last week, we delivered our petition (with your name on it), along with some festive cheer, to the Home Office, to oppose new anti-protest laws that are designed to silence the people and protect the powerful.

The Directors of Liberty, Amnesty International UK and Greenpeace came together to hand in the petition, demanding that our right to protest is protected now, and for future generations to come.  

But they didn’t do this quietly. Luckily, they had a group of festive carol singers on hand, to bring joy, harmony, and many protest-theme rewrites of carols. Hits included: “The Twelve Days of Repeal” and “Silent Protest (Hopeless Protest)” and were thoroughly enjoyed by all passersby.  

However, behind the merry spirits of the day was an important message. This Government is clamping down on the ways we can all speak up on important issues. New laws are already criminalising anyone who takes to the streets for causes they believe in, from racial justice campaigners to climate activists to grieving families calling for answers and justice.

They are following in the footsteps of successive Governments who have shut down the ways we can speak up on important issues.

But we know that when we come together to make our voices heard, we change things for the better. From votes for women to Pride, the UK has a rich history of protests that have driven positive change in society.  And we want this to continue for future generations.  

We won’t stay quiet on these issues – even if it means carol singing at the top of our lungs!

Thank you for signing this petition and helping us to show the Government that people care about our rights to protest. Without your ongoing support and participation in these actions, we wouldn’t be able to demonstrate how strongly people feel about this.  

If you want to continue our ongoing campaign to protect protest rights, consider becoming a Liberty member. We have lots up our sleeves for next year, and we would love for you to join us as we challenge those in power and stand up for our rights.

Here are a few more pictures from the day, and some links to other festive-themed mischief we got up to last week…  

Thank you once again for standing up for protest rights and taking the time to add your name to this joint petition, along with 200,000 other signatures. Every signature counts, and we are so grateful for yours.

Stay merry and bright,  

Jodie Goffe

Liberty