🔗 Share this article

In today's Britain, public demonstration has ceased to be a basic freedom. Rather, it has become a conditional permission that authorities allow or withhold as they see fit. This represents the implication of proposed measures that the ruling administration is advancing, which would determine when and where protests can occur, with potential prison sentences for those who disobey these limitations.

Erosion of Civil Liberties

Previous administrations had already weakened this essential right: the former Conservative government had given law enforcement sweeping additional powers, which international human rights organizations had condemned as "significant and unjustified restrictions" on democratic freedoms. Taken together, these progressive assaults on liberty have practically abolished the historically earned right to freedom of protest.

Exploiting Atrocity to Justify Suppression

The most recent limitations are being defended by citing last week's terrible antisemitic attack on a Manchester mosque. We can all agree on widespread consensus that the security of British Jews must be safeguarded. However, employing this atrocity as a pretext to suppress opposition is not only unrelated to that responsibility but perverts it.

"If you cannot set boundaries at genocide, you probably can't establish limits at democratic principles," observed a prominent American author, whose words that rings true for the current government.

Historical Context of Protest

Consider Britain's rich history of protest and activism against racial discrimination and authoritarianism, from the historic 1936 Cable Street confrontation to after World War II Jewish anti-fascist movements and the 1970s demonstrations against the far-right organization. Many of these historical demonstrators were branded as extremists in their time, even while they were fighting for the rights of marginalized groups.

Present Situation

In today's complex situation, here's what's truly occurring: The Israeli government – a foreign state – is perpetrating acts that international bodies have characterized as genocide. Its warfare have led the International Criminal Court to issue legal indictments against Israel's prime minister and his former defense minister.

Western public opinion has shifted dramatically against Israel's military campaign. In Britain, a large percentage of the public think Israel has likely committed international law violations. Most people would support a complete ban on arms sales to the state, and approve the arrest of the Israeli leader.

Silencing Dissent

Having largely failed the public debate, pro-Israel advocates are now seizing on a vile antisemitic crime to attempt to silence a popular campaign against a moral catastrophe. The British government seems included in this effort. Government officials have failed to implement comprehensive sanctions on Israel and have permitted weapon shipments to proceed.

People who are demonstrating against the erasure of Gaza have been characterized as dangerous radicals. Yet there's a important factor why there hasn't been a broader suppression on these demonstrators until now: very limited protesters have made genuinely hateful statements about Jewish people, giving law enforcement little justification to take action.

Dangerous Conflation

Merging Jewish heritage with the actions of the Israeli state is not only manipulative but also harmful. The standard interpretation of antisemitism, adopted by the British government and many organizations, has been rightly challenged for potentially stifling legitimate criticism of Israel. However, there should be universal agreement about one of its central illustrations: that "holding Jewish people generally accountable for actions of the state of Israel" constitutes prejudice against Jews.

Increasing Limitations

This is why we've reached a point where police authorities can suggest that demonstrations criticizing Israel's actions should be canceled because they might "inadvertently or deliberately" endorse antisemitism. Similarly, political figures have stated that recognition of Palestine as a nation has made political parties "complicit" in supposed mistreatment faced by Jewish communities.

Double Standards

On the very day as the religious center assault, the Israeli military killed dozens of Palestinian civilians in Gaza – increasing the terrible count from two years of daily atrocities that have taken many thousands of human lives. British political leaders and media outlets have barely concealed the minimal importance they attach to Palestinian existence. This represents one of the most brazen demonstrations of racism in contemporary society.

Crossing Thresholds

Our government has already crossed a dangerous boundary by proscribing a specific activist group, a non-violent, human rights-focused direct action organization. Multiple thousands of British demonstrators have been arrested, mostly for carrying signs against genocide and endorsing the proscribed group. Many of those detained are elderly citizens; among them a former clergyman and the daughter of a World War II genocide survivor.

International Parallels

It's easy to see where this trajectory leads. In the United States, government officials helped vilify demonstrations supporting Palestine: a ex-political leader implied that some were "linked with" foreign governments, while the sitting leader characterized such protests as anti-Jewish. In taking these actions, they helped legitimize the repressive measures on such demonstrations – and on freedom of expression in general.

Looking Ahead

If a hard-right government comes to power, it would be given sweeping powers to suppress opposition. What might a new administration do with this repressive toolkit? Our forebears struggled, suffered and died to secure our liberties. We may eventually rue how casually we permitted them to be eroded.