The resons the police used to deny permission for the candlelight vigil on Clapham Common was under the latest COVID restrictions, which for the first time did not exempt the right to protest.
The right to protest is a human right, and a fundamental one at that.
All through this pandemic we have seen the mouthbreathers and mask deniers allowed to hold domononstrations, marches without sanction. Both Liverpool and Rangers won titles and their fans were allowed to gather, Rangers fans were even escorted on a celebration march by their fans.
Women, who wanted to highlight and mourn the kidnap and murder of a local woman by a serving member of the Metropolitan Police were denied that right under public health laws. The organisers siad it would be socially distanced, not a demonstation, march or anything.
But the same policeforce that the suspect served with, denied them permission.
Many women held the vigil anyway.
It was peaceful, most apart from the Duchess of Wessex who attended earlier, wore masks.
Yet the police turned up.
Charged the women, manhandled them and arrested four.
In the name of public health.
Tomorrow, the Home Secretary puts a bill before the House for a second reading, that would allow any kind of demonstration, in advance, if just one other member of the public could be affected. Tis is a full on assault on our basic human rights, and it will be waved through with minimum scrutiny by a party that has decimated England's legal system, and uses those cuts as a pretex for giving the police more powers, yet there being no capacity for any extra cases.
Brexit wasn't about Brexit, it has been about empowering the Executive to wield power without Scrutiny. Judicial Review, Legal Aid, FoI, laws by SI, castrating the BBC all without scrutiny or removing what little there is left.
Johnson might not be Hitler, but these acts and new laws give PMs who might follow him, and a compliant police force, the power to stifle protest, on pain of ten years in prison.
Be very afraid.
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