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Sheffield Against the Policing Bill
Our open letter
To whom it may concern,
We, the undersigned, are a new Sheffield-based coalition group gathering power locally in opposition to the Policing, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (or Policing Bill) which was voted through its second reading in the House of Commons on Tuesday 16th March. We are a coalition of local organisations, businesses, groups and individuals across the city declaring our opposition this draconian bill.
The Policing Bill grants the police enhanced powers which will, among other things, limit the right to peaceful protest, grant the police further stop and search powers, criminalise trespass, target the way of life of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, and result in a longer prison sentence for defacing a statue than r*pe. We reject this bill as we reject the idea that further criminalisation across communities and increased power in the hands of the police and the Home Office will succeed in building a more equitable, just society.
The rushing of this bill through the Commons is a sign that the Tories want to silence the public, and is a vindictive response to the Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion protests of recent years. The government are now scrambling to look like they have answers to misogynist and gendered violence, but they do not.
This bill is being rushed through parliament, but we have an opportunity to stop it becoming law. The bill will be revised in committee before going back to Parliament for a final vote; giving us a window in which to make the public and lawmakers aware of the threat that it presents to our society. Sisters Uncut and Netpol have been leading the way on this, and demonstrating the vital role that protest plays in the democratic process. Our coalition in Sheffield aims to contribute to this opposition movement.
The rights and freedoms we enjoy today are the product of struggle and protest. Sheffield has played its own part in this, from the mass trespass of Kinder Scout in support of the right to roam, to the miners’ strikes, and the recent Black Lives Matter protests. We’re reaching out to you right now to uphold this proud tradition and lend your power to our movement. Will you publicly oppose this bill as one of many organisations and individuals in Sheffield?
If you’re on board, please add your support via the contact form on this webite, follow us and keep up to date with our campaign on twitter.com/shefagainstpb, facebook.com/sheffagainstpolicebill and instagram.com/sheffagainstpolicebill, and consider sharing our posts.
Signatories
Extinction Rebellion Sheffield
STAR (Student Action for Refugees) Sheffield
Sheffield Against Asylum Evictions
Sheffield UCU (University and College Union)
Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign
University of Sheffield Student Rent Strike
Sheffield Trans Solidarity Network
Socialist Party - Sheffield Branch
Sheffield Labour for a Green New Deal
South Yorkshire Socialist Alternative
South Yorkshire People Before Profit
Sheffield Counterfire
Sheffield NEU (National Education Union)
Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) Sheffield
South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group
Green New Deal UK - South Yorkshire
Red Fightback - Sheffield Sub-Branch
Youth Strike 4 Climate Sheffield
Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Rotherham TUC (Trade Union Council)
University of Sheffield Palestine Society
Young Communist leage - South Yorkshire Branch
South Yorkshire Communist Party
Sheffield TUC (Trade Union Council)
Sheffield Creative Action for Peace
Yorkshire Campaign Against Prisons
Sheffield Black Lives Matter
University of Sheffield Sustainability Committee
Sheffield Alliance for Workers' Liberty
Educate your Sons UK
Olivia Blake - MP for Sheffield Hallam
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