Peers block moves to ban demos that bring town centres to a standstill

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PEERS have blocked moves to ban demos that bring town centres to a standstill.

Laws aimed at stopping climate change extremists glueing themselves to roads have been watered down.

Peers are also trying to thwart plans to outlaw protests which use mega-powered amplifiers to create a deafening noise
Among opponents was Labour peer Baroness Chakrabarti, who said the Bill was a ‘clampdown on non-violent dissent’

Hopes of a ban on street barricades — favoured by Extinction Rebellion (XR) and Insulate Britain — have gone from the Policing and Crime Bill.

Peers are also trying to thwart plans to outlaw protests which use mega-powered amplifiers to create a deafening noise.

Sources say the Bill has been “gutted” in its final “ping-pong” session between the Commons and the House of Lords.

Ministers are furious that more than 90 Tory peers failed to turn up for some crucial votes during the Bill’s passage through the Lords.

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Among opponents was Labour peer Baroness Chakrabarti, who said the Bill was a “clampdown on non-violent dissent”.

Former Green Party leader Baroness Bennett, who spoke at an XR protest in London, said: “When the political process fails, non-violent direction steps in and it works.”

Labour peer Baroness Bryan of Partick claimed the reforms seemed to view the world as being “full of dangerous people”.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was said to be “disappointed” that measures to protect the public’s everyday lives from disruption had been rejected.

An insider said: “It’s not entirely right to blame all this on the Left.

“There isn’t one government defeat in the Lords on this Bill that could not have been prevented had they all turned up.”

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.hellofaread.com/politics/priti-patel-slams-labours-synthetic-hysteria-over-her-plan-to-fly-thousands-of-asylum-seekers-to-rwanda/