Insulate Britain and Extinction Rebellion, domestic terrorists?

Caporegime
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Not when they start trying to justify it, especially the censorship.
Who are they justifying it to?

The bbfc, their local mp, editiors and boards of directors of media ompanies?

No, its to you, are you in a position of power and authority to censor the press?

Probably not, so it's cathartic whinging from people with no power to people with no power.


You may have a point if they decide to protest the reporting on IB by blocking the offices and printing facilities of the national papers though.

But would you then support them as just fulfilling thier right to protest?
 
Soldato
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So if I blockaded an A&E is it still a peaceful protest? In all seriousness where do you draw the line?

The Supreme Court seem to have made a ruling on this, though there's no definitive line that can be quoted, it's on a case by case basis.

Supreme Court backs protesters and rules blocking roads can be ‘lawful’ way to demonstrate

Judges say there should be ‘degree of tolerance to disruption’ caused by right to protest

A ruling given on Friday morning said that protesters can have a “lawful excuse” defence against the offence of obstructing a highway, even where they have used “deliberately physically obstructive conduct”.

“There should be a certain degree of tolerance to disruption to ordinary life, including disruption of traffic, caused by the exercise of the right to freedom of expression or freedom of peaceful assembly,” the majority ruling added.

“There must be an assessment of the facts in each individual case to determine whether the interference with article 10 or article 11 rights was ‘necessary in a democratic society’.”

So I guess people can blockade and protest, but whether it's lawful or not can only be decided after the event.

When you start citing more extreme examples of action, then I would say they would likely fall outside of what would be expected of a 'degree of tolerance' and wouldn't be lawful.

It certainly doesn't give people carte blanche to protest wherever and however they like without the possibility of future prosecution.
 
Caporegime
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Try super gluing yourself to something.

Please let me know how you get on.

It’s as good as permanent on skin and will take off far more than just the ‘top layer’

I remember using superglue as a kid and accidentally sticking fingers together, certainly didn't rip skin clean off... I guess it might well do a bit more damage in places but meh...

You'll be left looking at exposed fat and muscle comparable to very severe burns

It would be life changing on the palm of a hand limiting movement and feeling for the rest of thier life

That certainly seems like hyperbole, especially on something like tarmac which isn't exactly a flat surface at the best of times.
 
Caporegime
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I remember using superglue as a kid and accidentally sticking fingers together, certainly didn't rip skin clean off... I guess it might well do a bit more damage in places but meh...



That certainly seems like hyperbole, especially on something like tarmac which isn't exactly a flat surface at the best of times.


Flesh is highly compliant and formative! Rough surfaces aren't a problem!

When you were a kid were you actively trying to attach yourself to something in a way you will maximise harm to yourself if forcibly removed? Or acidiental overspill that mostly air dried?


Think of this more like freezing your self to somethig.


I will attempt to Google for images later but this comes from our safety briefings on structural adhesives at work and the pictures were grim not quite the "hydraulic injection injury" hand photo we all know level of grim but still grim
 
Soldato
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I must admit I kind of want to see a return to 70s style policing where they would just get a beat down, just give me some Chinese style enforcement please. Seriously it's embarrassing to watch the police fumble about whilst the traffic systems get thwarted by a few crusties wearing tea cosies on their heads and going limp. It's time to crack some skulls! :D
Notice they're not having a vigil with candles and stuff to a murdered woman so they seem to be safe from our police farce.
 
Soldato
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Seeing the latest today, I'm very surprised nobody has absolutely lost their crap and ran over one of them yet, Only a matter of time i think when they push the wrong person.
 
Man of Honour
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Seeing the latest today, I'm very surprised nobody has absolutely lost their crap and ran over one of them yet, Only a matter of time i think when they push the wrong person.

Thing that concerns me - in some of their actions there is a high chance for miscalculation resulting in a driver taking avoiding action or someone further back not realising what is going on and they you get maybe a family wiped out in a nasty accident.
 
Caporegime
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When you start citing more extreme examples of action, then I would say they would likely fall outside of what would be expected of a 'degree of tolerance' and wouldn't be lawful.

Is half a dozen people deliberately blocking busy roads day after day disrupting thousands of people in their daily lives not extreme? a degree of tolerance to me would be if you had a large popular protest spilling out onto roads and even then I'm sure they would have the common decency to make way for an ambulance.

This lot could just as easily stand on the pavement holding signs if their primary goal was to protest, they might even rally more people to their cause that way. Their primary goal is very clearly to be a massive nuisance.
 
Soldato
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Is half a dozen people deliberately blocking busy roads day after day disrupting thousands of people in their daily lives not extreme? a degree of tolerance to me would be if you had a large popular protest spilling out onto roads and even then I'm sure they would have the common decency to make way for an ambulance.

That's why it's a judgement call and tbh, I've not paid that much attention to this story to have an opinion. I'm generally of the attitude that a protest should be able to cause disruption, else no-one pays attention, so I'm happy with the Supreme Courts ruling. But I agree with you, if you're intentionally blocking emergency workers in a critical situation then that would go beyond what I would call reasonable.

That's why the SC said it would be assessed on a case by case basis.
 
Caporegime
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That's why it's a judgement call and tbh, I've not paid that much attention to this story to have an opinion. I'm generally of the attitude that a protest should be able to cause disruption, else no-one pays attention, so I'm happy with the Supreme Courts ruling. But I agree with you, if you're intentionally blocking emergency workers in a critical situation then that would go beyond what I would call reasonable.

That's why the SC said it would be assessed on a case by case basis.
And when exactly are these cases assessed?
 
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