Quakers speak out on Policing Bill
'Quakers are particularly concerned about the ways in which the bill would restrict the right to protest, and its impact on marginalised groups such as Gypsies and Travellers.'
Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) has helped coordinate a joint open letter to the government about the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill signed by over 350 organisations.
The representative body Quakers in Britain is on the steering committee for an alliance of groups campaigning against Part 3 (protest) and Part 4 (trespass) of the bill. The other members of the steering committee are: Bond; Friends, Families and Travellers; Friends of the Earth; and Liberty.
The bill was debated in the House of Lords for the first time last week, where Quakers were mentioned favorably. BYM said that, previously, ‘the bill has passed through its Commons stages without any significant changes to parts 3 and 4… Quakers in Britain and the other members of the alliance have briefed peers ahead of the debate and will continue lobbying for amendments’.
Quakers are particularly concerned about the ways in which the bill would restrict the right to protest, and its impact on marginalised groups such as Gypsies and Travellers.
Oliver Robertson, head of Witness and Worship for BYM, said: ‘We hope that the diversity of organisations signing this joint open letter will convince the government to rethink its plans as the bill continues its passage through parliament. We uphold all those who would be negatively affected by this undemocratic bill.’
Meanwhile, more than 600 health, social work and education professionals have written to the home secretary Priti Patel over the ‘oppressive’ bill. They warn that it risks deepening racial and gender disparities in the justice system while forcing professionals to betray the trust of vulnerable people, particularly young women of colour.
Home Office documents published on 13 September admitted that different groups would be disproportionately impacted by some of the measures, Recent equality impact assessments for the bill show ‘the government’s complete lack of concern about its effect on marginalised groups’, said the Quakers in Britain Facebook page.
Briefing papers can be seen on the Quakers in Britain website.
