THE SNP have announced they will use an opposition day debate to demand that the “shameful” anti-protest laws implemented by the UK Government are scrapped.
It comes after several arrests were made during the coronation weekend as new powers were used for the first time to clamp down on protesters.
The SNP have said that the actions of the police have vindicated the concerns they raised during the passage of the legislation.
The Public Order Bill was rushed through Parliament shortly before the coronation.
The party’s home affairs spokesperson, Alison Thewliss, said: “This shameful piece of legislation clamps down on our basic democratic right to protest, and is quite clearly one of the most draconian pieces of law to pass through Parliament in recent memory.
“The anti-protest law can be used to stop the public from seeking to hold placards in the street, see people being arrested for just standing near protesters, and see journalists detained.
“The appalling scenes at the coronation are a chilling insight into what could now become the norm.”
📢What is the Public Order Bill and why won't Labour repeal it?📢 Our political reporter @xanderescribe explains this anti-protest legislation (which doesn't apply to Scotland), the UN's position and Labour's strange stance on it all. pic.twitter.com/MakfVTBmLd
— The National (@ScotNational) May 8, 2023
During the coronation weekend, Australian royal superfan Alice Chambers was arrested after standing near Just Stop Oil protesters and detained for 13 hours before being told no further action would be taken.
The Public Order Bill does not impact protests in Scotland. For example, over coronation weekend, the Our Republic rally at Calton Hill in Edinburgh went ahead without any disruption.
During the debate, the Labour Party will also be challenged to demonstrate their commitment to upholding basic democratic rights.
Ex-Labour MSP Neil Findlay previously said that David Lammy, the party’s shadow foreign secretary was living in “living in cloud cuckoo land” after he said the party would not repeal the anti-protest legislation.
Lammy said that it would take up “too much parliamentary time” to repeal the law and that his party couldn’t simply come into office “picking through all the Conservative legislation and repealing it”.
Keir Starmer echoed his colleague’s thoughts and said that he is not preparing to rip up the new police powers.
Although he accepted that Scotland Yard got some of their “judgements wrong”, he said it was “early days” for the Public Order Act and suggested that fresh guidance could make improvements to existing legislation.
Labour originally voted against the legislation, which gives police the powers to shut down protests before any disruption is caused, as it made its way through Parliament.
MSP Monica Lennon meanwhile offered an alternative view from within Scottish Labour, calling on her colleagues to be “bold and progressive”.
The UK Government, meanwhile, has previously said that there are no plans to to U-turn on the legislation.
Thewliss added: “Labour appear to have abandoned their roots and their principles on this issue, but we are giving them the opportunity to right that wrong and stand with us in trying to repeal this awful legislation on Tuesday.
“Only by voting SNP will the people of Scotland ensure that they have MPs who are willing to stand up for their rights and back actual change for the people of Scotland at the next General Election.”
Former home secretary Priti Patel, who first introduced the bill, previously said: “What we have seen in recent years is a rise in criminal, disruptive and self-defeating guerrilla tactics, carried out by a selfish few in the name of protest.”
Coronation weekend saw dozens of people arrested for protesting against the King’s crowning, including Republic chief executive Graham Smith.
