UK Protest Rights "Under Attack," Warn Leading Rights Groups

Two major organizations say the right to protest in England and Wales is being severely weakened. They warn that new laws are damaging fundamental freedoms. Human Rights Watch and the law reform group Justice published separate reports on Thursday. Both conclude that recent legal changes are having a "chilling effect." This means the laws discourage people from joining lawful protests for fear of arrest or harsh penalties. The groups state these new measures override long-standing human rights protections. They are calling for the recent laws to be cancelled, or repealed. Both reports also warn against proposed new restrictions. They argue these planned measures should be stopped immediately. The organizations say the combined effect is that the right to peaceful protest is now under direct attack.