April 3, 2021 4.22 pm This story is over 34 months old

Lincoln Kill The Bill protest makes a stand peacefully

Joining nationwide protest against new policing bill

More than two hundred people gathered in Lincoln city centre on Saturday afternoon to rally against a new government bill that would curtail protesting rights.

Lincoln joined other protests against government’s proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in north London as well as Leeds, Manchester, Southampton, and Bristol — where the first protests started.

In the city, some two hundred people gathered at Speakers’ Corner, including Extinction Rebellion activists, Socialist and Labour supporters, as well as groups representing LGBTQ+.

Protests are now lawful once again after the March 29 lockdown easing, but organisers have to submit a risk assessment and take steps to ensure the gatherings are safe.

Most people wore masks or kept their distance from others. People using the megaphone also sanitised their hands and wiped the microphone.

Several speakers took to the megaphone to air the concerns about the government bill, climate change, fascism and racism — which were cheered by the crowds.

One speaker did try to urge those attending not to wear masks and spoke against COVID vaccinations, but was quickly moved on by people’s jeers.

Below is the full video of The Lincolnite‘s live coverage of the protest from our Facebook page.

ALSO READ: What is the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and how will it change protests? (BBC)

The Lincolnite photographer Steve Smailes also captured these scenes from the protest

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Snowy, the live feed star, the Extinction Rebellion de-escalation and therapy dog. @snowy9796 on Insta | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite