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In contemporary Britain, protest has ceased to be a fundamental right. Rather, it has become a privilege that those in power grant or deny at their discretion. This represents the underlying meaning of proposed measures that the current government is advancing, which would dictate the timing and location protests can take place, with possible imprisonment for those who disobey these limitations.

Erosion of Civil Liberties

Earlier governments had already undermined this fundamental freedom: the previous Tory administration had granted law enforcement sweeping new authorities, which global rights bodies had censured as "serious and unjustified restrictions" on democratic freedoms. Collectively, these incremental attacks on liberty have practically eliminated the hard-won right to freedom of protest.

Using Atrocity to Rationalize Suppression

The latest limitations are being defended by citing last week's heinous antisemitic assault on a British Islamic center. We can all agree on widespread consensus that the safety of Jewish communities in Britain must be safeguarded. However, using this horrific incident as a pretext to suppress opposition is not only unrelated to that duty but perverts it.

"When you cannot set boundaries at mass killing, you likely can't establish limits at democracy," observed a well-known American author, whose words that rings true for the present administration.

Historical Perspective of Protest

Reflect on Britain's rich history of public demonstration and activism against racial discrimination and authoritarianism, from the historic 1936 Cable Street confrontation to after World War II Jewish groups opposing fascism and the 1970s demonstrations against the National Front. Many of these historical demonstrators were branded as radicals in their era, even while they were fighting for the freedoms of marginalized groups.

Current Reality

In the current complex situation, here's what's actually occurring: The Israeli government – a sovereign nation – is perpetrating acts that international bodies have characterized as systematic destruction. Its military actions have led the global justice body to issue arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and his ex-military leader.

International public opinion has changed significantly against Israel's military campaign. In Britain, a large percentage of the public think Israel has probably committed war crimes. Most people would endorse a total prohibition on arms sales to the state, and back the detention of Netanyahu.

Suppressing Opposition

Having largely lost the argument, pro-Israel advocates are now exploiting a despicable antisemitic crime to try to suppress a mass movement against a ethical disaster. The British government appears to be included in this attempt. Ministers have not enacted comprehensive sanctions on Israel and have permitted arms exports to continue.

People who are demonstrating against the erasure of Gaza have been characterized as hateful extremists. Yet there's a important factor why there hasn't been a more extensive suppression on these demonstrators until now: extremely few protesters have made truly offensive statements about Jewish people, giving law enforcement minimal reason to take action.

Problematic Association

Equating Jewish identity with the actions of the Israeli state is not only manipulative but also dangerous. The official definition of antisemitism, accepted by the British government and numerous institutions, has been appropriately challenged for potentially stifling valid commentary of Israel. However, there should be universal agreement about one of its central illustrations: that "making Jewish people collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel" constitutes prejudice against Jews.

Escalating Restrictions

This is why we've reached a point where law enforcement can suggest that protests opposing Israel's policies should be canceled because they might "inadvertently or deliberately" support anti-Jewish sentiment. Similarly, political figures have declared that acknowledgment of Palestinian statehood has made political parties "complicit" in supposed mistreatment experienced by British Jews.

Inconsistent Treatment

On the very day as the religious center assault, the Israeli military killed dozens of Palestinian civilians in Gaza – adding to the horrific toll from two years of ongoing violence that have taken many thousands of lives. British politicians and media outlets have hardly hidden the minimal importance they assign to Palestinian life. This represents one of the boldest expressions of discrimination in contemporary society.

Crossing Thresholds

Our government has already passed a concerning threshold by banning a specific activist group, a peaceful, human rights-focused activist collective. Thousands of British demonstrators have been arrested, primarily for holding placards opposing genocide and supporting the proscribed group. Many of those arrested are elderly citizens; among them a retired priest and the daughter of a World War II genocide survivor.

Global Comparisons

It's easy to see where this trajectory leads. In the United States, government officials helped vilify demonstrations supporting Palestine: a former House Speaker suggested that some were "connected to" foreign governments, while the current president characterized such demonstrations as antisemitic. In taking these actions, they contributed to normalizing the authoritarian crackdown on such protests – and on free speech in general.

Future Concerns

If a conservative administration comes to power, it would be given extensive authority to control opposition. What might a Reform government do with this repressive toolkit? Our forebears fought, suffered and died to establish our freedoms. We may ultimately regret how easily we allowed them to slip away.