"For The Greater Good"

Like many, I saw the Instagram posts and Facebook shares about ‘Kill the Bill’, its impact, and what the movement aims to do. The protests have been broadcast all over the world, from the UK to the ‘political utopia’ of the USA (sarcasm, of course). Despite getting regular news updates on the protests, I didn’t know exactly what piece of legislation the movement was referring to. The only opinion I had on it was a negative one; it must be a bad piece of legislation as it smothers an individual's right to have their voice heard through the criminalisation of protesting. So, I decided to do some research and make my own mind up on this divisive piece of legislation.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (2021) is a list of promises the Conservative Party set out in their 2019 manifesto. Amongst the list of proposed changes, they are hoping to:

• “Back our police by equipping officers with the powers and tools they need to keep themselves and all of us safe.

• Introduce tougher sentencing for the worst offenders and end automatic halfway release from prison for serious crimes.

• Improve the efficiency of the court and tribunal system by modernising existing court processes.” (Gov UK, 2021) On the surface, these promises aim to lessen crime by introducing greater punishments to those who offend, costing £46 million more than the current legislation included in UK law. Most of the bill applies to English and Welsh legislation, with a smaller impact felt in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Weaved throughout the policies that increase criminal penalties and extend the scope of offences in prewritten legislation, such as the Sexual Offences Act (2003), are ones that have fewer positive applications to the community. Two key examples of this are the following clauses:

• “Strengthen police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments, where trespassers cause distress and misery to local communities and businesses.

• Strengthen police powers to tackle nonviolent protests that have a significant disruptive effect on the public or on access to Parliament.” (Gov UK, 2021)

From my own experience of nonviolent protests (which I admit are limited), the feeling of all being stood together to fight for a cause was electric, but not dangerous. If I had seen increased numbers of police officers or felt their presence more, the experience of the day would’ve been completely different. The police can instil fear and anxiety in individuals, especially after hearing the deadly consequences of some of the Force's actions on the news. The Government aims to diminish the disruption they have on the wider community, which I do appreciate. However, individuals take part in protests to disrupt normality. The very definition of ‘protest’ is “a statement or action expressing disapproval of or objection to something.” By disrupting the normality of everyday life, individuals are making a statement about the cause they believe in. By strengthening police power, there is a large chance the government will instil more fear in communities they are meant to protect; the groups they have historically targeted as ‘problem groups’.

The wording of these clauses also leads me to think that some communities will turn into the townspeople in Hot Fuzz- discriminating against certain groups “for the greater good.” What constitutes as objective ‘distress’ and ‘misery’? Is it traffic disruptions and littering, or just music being played two clicks too loud? My answer: there is no such thing as objective feelings of ‘distress’ and ‘misery’. It changes drastically between individuals, communities and social groups. Including this highly subjective vocabulary is a divisive move from the government, and a tactical way to place responsibility in the hands of the community who feel invaded by ‘trespassers’.

So- what do I think of the Police, Crime, and Sentencing Bill (2021)? Honestly, I believe that it is a strategic move from the government to silence opposition and move towards a more societal ‘normality’. The divisive and subjective language used by policy makers to give the police greater levels of power alongside the literal power boost will increase fear and anxiety in individuals who hope to make a difference to causes that matter to them. Yes, I accept that some aspects of this Bill will have a positive societal impact if the promises are not broken. However, this policy positively influences those in power. Maybe, like in Hot Fuzz, a handful of individuals will fight against “the greater good” and show the importance of free speech and difference in society. Ironically, the individual in Hot Fuzz who goes against the townspeople is a police officer- in real life it is the very structures built up to protect us that we need protection from.

All information sources were correct at time of writing. To view the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill (2021) in more detail visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-crime-sentencing-and- courts-bill-2021-factsheets.

If you would like to make a difference, visit the @killthebill_official Instagram page, and the ‘Kill the Bill’ social media nearest your place of residence. Please stay safe and read up on your rights before protesting. If you are unable to physically protest, there are petitions that can be signed and social media campaigns that you can get involved in.