Masked protesters could soon face arrest, says Home Office
www.theguardian.com
Rights groups say proposed police powers for England and Wales are pandering to ‘culture war nonsense’

"Protesters who wear masks could face arrest, up to a month in jail and a £1,000 fine under proposed measures that human rights campaigners claim are pandering to “culture war nonsense”.

Police in England and Wales will be given the power to arrest people if they are wearing face coverings at specific demonstrations, the Home Office has said."

Been a bad 18 months or so for privacy in the UK. Online Safety Bill passed, the right to take strike action curtailed, people in receipt of benefits (including disabled people) will soon (as from 2025) have their bank accounts open to the government, the right to protest curtailed and now this.

  • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.eeEnglish
    241·
    10 months ago

    it will be interesting to see if we ever get to a point during the next inevitable global pandemic where masks are compulsory in some places and illegal in others

    • Pssdoff@beehaw.orgEnglish
      21·
      10 months ago

      They want it to be illegal to both wear and not to wear a mask so that they can selectivity enforce arbitrary laws against whomever they wish.

        • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.eeEnglish
          3·
          10 months ago

          or like in America, where if the cops want to kick your door in all they have to do is say they smelled something and then it’s on you to prove they didn’t

      • Exocrinous@lemm.eeEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        This is like when online community moderators ban discussion of politics.

        Everything is political. If you ban politics, you can take action against anyone