CAMPAIGNERS gathered to defend their right to protest yesterday outside of Southend Magistrates’ Court.

Southend Extinction Rebellion joined Rochford Climate Action Group and other campaign groups yesterday on Victoria Avenue from 10am to protest again a government bill..

It was a peaceful vigil against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which includes proposals to increase police stop and search powers for protests. Campaigners claim this would effectively stop the right to protest peacefully.

Jon Fuller, from Southend Extinction Rebellion and South-East Essex Friends of the Earth, said: “It was a great, small-scale protest, which is what I am happy with as they are a great way of making your points to politicians and other individuals.

“We undertook this outside the courthouse, really to send the message to the magistrates’ and to the judges that this is a grave attack upon our democracy and essential freedoms that the British public have enjoyed for years and years.

“I believe this protest will make a difference as every protest does, which is one of the reasons why I think the government wants to stop the right to peaceful protests.

“It is not something that should be given up lightly by this bill being passed through in court.”

Mr Fuller believes that if the bill is passed, only bad can come from it.

He said: “This new bill has the effect of saying that if you organise any large-scale protests, and large number of people turn up to the protest, that you will go to prison.

“If people don’t have the right to peaceful protest, and if they become desperate over an issue, things will no no longer be peaceful.

“It is incredibly important to understand that if you take from people the right to peaceful protest then only bad can come that.”