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In today's Britain, protest has ceased to be a fundamental right. Rather, it has become a conditional permission that those in power allow or withhold at their discretion. This represents the implication of proposed measures that the current government is advancing, which would dictate the timing and location protests can occur, with possible imprisonment for those who defy these restrictions.

Gradual Weakening of Democratic Rights

Earlier administrations had already undermined this essential right: the previous Tory administration had given law enforcement extensive additional powers, which international human rights organizations had condemned as "serious and unjustified restrictions" on democratic freedoms. Taken together, these incremental attacks on liberty have practically eliminated the hard-won right to freedom of protest.

Exploiting Atrocity to Justify Suppression

The latest limitations are being justified by referring to last week's heinous antisemitic attack on a British mosque. We can all agree on widespread consensus that the safety of Jewish communities in Britain must be protected. However, employing this atrocity as a pretext to suppress dissent is not only disconnected to that responsibility but distorts it.

"If you cannot draw the line at genocide, you likely can't draw the line at democratic principles," observed a well-known American author, whose words that applies equally for the current government.

Historical Context of Protest

Consider Britain's long tradition of public demonstration and activism against racism and authoritarianism, from the 1936 Battle of Cable Street to after World War II Jewish anti-fascist movements and the 1970s demonstrations against the far-right organization. Many of these early protesters were branded as extremists in their era, even while they were fighting for the freedoms of marginalized groups.

Current Reality

In today's complex situation, here's what's actually happening: Israel – a sovereign nation – is perpetrating what United Nations investigations have described as genocide. Its military actions have led the global justice body to issue arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister.

Western popular sentiment has changed significantly against Israel's military campaign. In Britain, a large percentage of citizens think Israel has probably committed international law violations. Most people would endorse a complete ban on weapons exports to the nation, and back the detention of the Israeli leader.

Suppressing Opposition

Having essentially lost the argument, Israel's supporters are now exploiting a despicable anti-Jewish attack to try to silence a popular campaign against a moral catastrophe. The British government seems involved in this effort. Ministers have failed to implement extensive restrictions on Israel and have allowed arms exports to continue.

People who are demonstrating against the erasure of Gaza have been characterized as hateful extremists. Yet there's a significant reason 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 police authorities little justification to take action.

Dangerous Conflation

Merging Jewish identity with the policies of the government of Israel is not only cynical but also harmful. The standard interpretation of anti-Jewish prejudice, adopted by the British government and many organizations, has been appropriately challenged for potentially stifling legitimate criticism of Israel. However, there should be no disagreement about one of its key examples: that "holding Jewish people generally accountable for actions of the state of Israel" constitutes antisemitism.

Escalating Restrictions

This is why we've arrived at a situation where law enforcement can propose that protests criticizing Israel's actions should be called off because they might "accidentally or intentionally" support antisemitism. Similarly, government officials have stated that acknowledgment of Palestinian statehood has made organizations "complicit" in alleged abuse experienced by Jewish communities.

Double Standards

On the same day as the synagogue attack, the Israel's army killed dozens of Palestinian civilians in Gaza – adding to the terrible count from two years of daily atrocities that have taken tens of thousands of lives. British politicians and media outlets have barely concealed the limited value they assign to Palestinian existence. This represents one of the most brazen expressions of racism in contemporary society.

Crossing Thresholds

Our government has already crossed a dangerous threshold by banning Palestine Action, a peaceful, anti-genocide activist collective. Multiple thousands of British demonstrators have been arrested, primarily for carrying signs against genocide and endorsing the proscribed group. Many of those arrested are elderly citizens; among them a former clergyman and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor.

Global Comparisons

It's easy to see where this trajectory leads. In the United States, government officials helped demonize pro-Palestinian protests: a ex-political leader implied that some were "connected to" other nations, while the current president characterized such demonstrations as antisemitic. In doing so, they contributed to normalizing the repressive measures on such protests – and on free speech in general.

Looking Ahead

If a conservative administration comes to power, it would be given sweeping powers to control opposition. What might a Reform government do with this repressive toolkit? Our ancestors fought, endured hardship and died to establish our freedoms. We may ultimately rue how casually we allowed them to slip away.