Britain is one of the world’s oldest democracies, but some worry that essential rights and freedoms are under threat. Source: Galveston County
The United Kingdom, one of the world’s oldest democracies, is now facing growing concerns that fundamental rights, especially the right to protest, are diminishing. Source: Aftenposten
Objective:
- Students will identify and analyze the main arguments and evidence in the article about the erosion of the right to protest in the United Kingdom.
- Students will discuss the implications of the right to protest for democracy and its role in holding governments accountable.
- Students will apply critical thinking skills to evaluate arguments and evidence presented in the article and develop their own informed conclusions.
Standards:
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of how an author uses examples or details to create tension or suspense.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1: Engage in collaborative discussions with diverse partners about texts, clarifying, extending, and evaluating ideas.
Materials:
- The article from PBS and text below
Warm-up
- Begin by asking students to brainstorm about the right to protest and its importance for democracy.
- Facilitate a class discussion on the significance of peaceful protests in raising awareness of social and political issues, influencing public opinion, and holding governments accountable.
Reading and Highlighting
- Ask students to read the article silently or in pairs.
- Encourage students to annotate the text with brief notes, such as summarizing key points
Discussion and Analysis
-
Divide students into small groups of 3-4 students.
-
Provide each group with sticky notes and chart paper.
-
Pose the following questions for discussion:
- What are the main arguments and evidence presented in the article to support the claim that the right to protest is under threat in Britain?
- What counterarguments or alternative perspectives could be considered in response to the author’s arguments?
- How does the article’s central message about the right to protest relate to the current political landscape in your own country or region? Do you agree or disagree with the author’s point of view?
-
Instruct each group to select one example from the article, and prepare a brief presentation.
Magna Carta
- Have the students answer these questions:
- What was the significance of the Magna Carta in the development of constitutional law?
- How did the Magna Carta influence the American Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution?
- What were some of the immediate and long-term effects of the Magna Carta on English society and politics?
- What were some of the key differences between the Magna Carta and other medieval charters, such as the Charter of the Forest?
- How did the Magna Carta contribute to the evolution of human rights and democracy?
- Have the students answer these questions:
Reflection
-
Conclude the lesson by asking students to reflect on the following questions:
- What key takeaways did you gain from the article and the discussion?
- What are the implications of the erosion of the right to protest for democracy and its role in holding governments accountable?
- What actions can individuals or groups take to protect and uphold the right to protest in their own communities?
Extension Activities
- Encourage students to research and present case studies of protests that have effectively influenced social or political change.
Essay Question 1:
In the article “The Right to Protest is Under Threat in Britain, Undermining a Pillar of Democracy,” the author argues that the government’s actions to restrict protests are a threat to democracy. To what extent do you agree with this argument? Support your answer with evidence from the article and your own knowledge of democratic principles.
Essay Question 2:
The right to protest is a fundamental pillar of democracy, but it is not without its challenges. How can governments balance the right to protest with the need to maintain public order and safety? Discuss potential solutions that could address this delicate balance.
The article
A protester sits outside The Old Bailey courthouse during a trial against activists. Demonstrators with placards gather outside The Old Bailey courthouse in London on December 4. Some experts believe that Brexit initiated a trend challenging democracy.
Activists from the group Just Stop Oil block a street in London on October 27, 2022. In recent years, the British authorities have intensified penalties against environmental activists who block roads and engage in activities that disrupt peace and order. An activist from Just Stop Oil is removed during a golf tournament in Hoylake, England, in July last year. Demonstrators protest against the monarchy in connection with King Charles’ celebration of Commonwealth Day on March 13 last year. An activist from Just Stop Oil is arrested by the police in London on October 30. A protester sits outside The Old Bailey courthouse during a trial against activists. Demonstrators with placards gather outside The Old Bailey courthouse in London on December 4.
A pensioner faces up to two years in prison for standing outside a courthouse with a sign reminding the jury of their right to acquit the accused. An engineer has been sentenced to three years in prison for hanging a banner with the slogan “Just Stop Oil” from a bridge. Even walking slowly down the street as part of a protest can lead to arrest.
Hundreds of environmental and climate activists have been arrested during peaceful demonstrations. The reason is legal changes that, according to experts, significantly curtail the right to protest.
The conservative government argues that these are extreme actions damaging the economy and disrupting daily life. Others are seriously concerned about the British democracy.
“The government has been very clear about what they want to achieve, namely, fundamentally suppressing legitimate and legal protests,” says Jonathon Porritt, former leader of the environmental organization Friends of Earth.
Patchwork Democracy The United Kingdom is one of the world’s oldest democracies. Over 800 years ago, Magna Carta was signed here—an agreement considered the foundation of both Parliament and the country’s independent judiciary.
The system is based on an “unwritten constitution”—a collection of laws, rules, conventions, and legal decisions accumulated over the years.
“The result is that we rely on the government exercising self-restraint,” says political scientist Andrew Blick at King’s College in London, who has also written the book “Democratic Turbulence in the United Kingdom.” “You hope that people in power behave properly,” he adds.
But what if they don’t? During his three years in power, Boris Johnson pushed the prime minister’s powers to the limit. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is also accused of overstepping. Among other things, he asked Parliament to override the Supreme Court after the court rejected sending asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Critics argue that these actions have led to cracks in the foundations of the UK’s democracy.
It is the treatment of environmental activists, in particular, that has raised alarms. To draw attention to the climate cause, they have blocked roads and bridges, glued themselves to trains, thrown paint on artworks, sprayed buildings with blood-red paint, and sprinkled orange powder on athletes.
Groups like Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil, and Insulate Britain argue that civil disobedience can be justified due to the massive consequences of climate change. Sunak, on the other hand, believes the activists are “ideological fanatics.”
In 2022, the authorities passed a new law that allows disorderly conduct to be punished with up to ten years in prison. In 2023, the definition of disruptive protests was expanded. Additionally, the police have been given increased powers to search people. It has also been decided that protesters blocking roads or other vital infrastructure can be sentenced to up to one year in prison.
In recent months, hundreds of Just Stop Oil activists have been arrested based on a new law criminalizing slow-walking protests. Some have also been sentenced to prison for this.
Engineer Morgan Trowland was one of two activists who climbed onto a bridge over the Thames in October 2022, leading to the road below being closed for 40 hours. He was sentenced to three years in prison but was released on December 13 after serving 14 months.
UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change and Human Rights, Ian Fry, believes the new laws are a direct attack on the right to peaceful assemblies. However, the British government dismisses the criticism.
“Those who break the law should feel its full force,” Sunak responds.
Some legal experts also point out that legal practices appear highly arbitrary. Half of the charged environmental activists have been acquitted by juries after explaining themselves in court. Others have not been allowed to speak about climate change or their personal convictions in court. If they refuse to follow the judge’s instructions, they risk being charged with contempt of court.
Environmental activist and former government lawyer Tim Crosland thinks this resembles how protesters are treated in Russia and China. Similar to when retired social worker Trudi Warner was charged for holding a sign outside a London court with the inscription “Jury members – you have the full right to acquit a defendant according to your conscience.”
Is Brexit to Blame? Many legal experts believe that the developments indicate that political leaders have increasingly taken a lax attitude toward British democracy. Some argue that Brexit is among the causes, and the fact that someone like Boris Johnson became prime minister.
“People were promoted to high positions, where they behaved in ways that are difficult to reconcile with maintaining a stable democracy,” says Andrew Blick from King’s College.
The populist instinct still seems to influence the government. In November, the Supreme Court ruled that it would be illegal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda because the country is not safe for refugees. The government responded by announcing a new law stating that Rwanda is safe. Some compare this to saying “all dogs are cats.”
Several proposals have been made on how to address what many see as the democratic deficit in the UK, but concrete legislative proposals are currently lacking. In the meantime, climate activists are not only fighting for the environment but also for the right to protest.
Anglican priest Sue Parfitt (81), a member of Christian Climate Action, says she has been arrested several times. However, it does not make her stop being an activist. She believes protests are important, also to keep democracy alive. The risk of imprisonment is less important to her.
“It will be difficult for me to go to prison at the age of 81. But I am ready to go,” says Sue Parfitt. Translated from Aftenposten 08.01.2024
