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Criminal Justice Bill demonstration

01 January 1991

Criminal Justice Bill demonstration
artdoc August=1994

Over 50,000 people joined a protest march against the Criminal
Justice Bill in London on 24 July. The Bill has created a large
coalition against it from civil liberties groups through to
environmentalists. Leading barrister Michael Mansfield has
described it as `the most draconian act this government has put
through'. Although there were some minor scuffles between
demonstrators and police the demonstration was mostly peaceful
and good-humoured.
The Criminal Justice Bill proposes over thirty new offences,
including the criminalisation of squatting and the banning of
`raves' (described in the bill as unlicensed events involving the
playing of amplified music at night). Music is defined as `sounds
wholly or predominantly characterised by the emission of a
succession of repetitive beats'. The bill also abolishes the
right of silence and creates a new offence of `Aggravated
Trespass' specifically designed to prevent hitherto legal forms
of protest such as hunt sabotage.
The Coalition against the Criminal Justice Bill can be contacted
c/o 265 Seven Sisters Road London, N4.

Statewatch, Vol 4 no 4, July-August 1994