Europe's most senior human rights official has called on Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to review UK protest laws following mass arrests under a ban on Palestine Action. Michael O'Flaherty, the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, warned that the current legal framework risks imposing “excessive limits” on freedom of assembly and expression.
In a letter to Mahmood, O'Flaherty noted that hundreds of people have been arrested since the ban under the Terrorism Act came into effect on 5 July, mainly for displaying placards reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”. He said domestic anti-terror legislation must not impose restrictions on fundamental rights that are not strictly necessary for national security.
O'Flaherty also criticised proposed provisions in the Crime and Policing Bill that would create a criminal offence for concealing identity at a protest. He argued that the blanket nature of the offence, especially given existing police powers, raises questions of necessity and proportionality. He called for a comprehensive review of protest legislation to ensure compliance with human rights obligations.
The commissioner's intervention comes as the International Federation for Human Rights accused Western governments, including the UK, of “criminalising the right to protest” and “weaponising” counter-terrorism laws to suppress support for Palestinian rights. Civil liberty groups have also expressed concern over Mahmood's plans to give police greater powers to restrict protests based on “cumulative impact”.
