Free speech and freedom in general were, not more than 7 years ago, the highest principles of democratic societies. Civil rights were considered universal and inalienable, untouchable. (The foundation of civil rights is protecting the minority from the majority, protecting the doing and expressing of uncomfortable things. Now Orwellian rhetoric used by the Reactionary movement talks about the 'rights' of the majority, resulting in anti-rights - the rationalization of oppression.)<p>Nobody speaks for them now. I think much of the world yearns for a leader who will stand up for them. Somehow they are cowed - by what? What is the overwhelming movement that has silenced them and cowed all these free people?
Protests are like backburning/hazard reduction burns of forests. Banning them to prevent minor disorder tends to lead to major disorder further ahead.<p>Democracy by its nature poorly represents minorities and protest is an important backchannel of information that some group isn't being appropriately represented, a reminder that society only functions with almost universal participation of the minorities as well.
Similar nonsense going on the UK with the new "Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act"[0]. Ostensibly it's been written to crack down on the type of attention-grabbing climate protests we've seen recently with people blocking motorway traffic, disrupting major public events etc., but (leaving aside the question of whether these types of protests should be stopped, or whether the existing legal structure isn't enough to stop them anyway) the law contains some preposterously vague wording that should alarm anyone who cares about the right to protest in a democracy. For example, it outlaws "intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance" - a protest that doesn't cause "nuisance" isn't much of a protest, is it?<p><a href="https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Big-Brother-Watch-briefing-on-the-Police-Crime-Sentencing-and-Courts-Bill-House-of-Lords-Report-Stage-Fi7039.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Bi...</a>
The title here is misleading (the original wasn’t great, but calling it a “ban” is even worse). It looks like this just ramps up penalties for already illegal activities, such as blocking major roads (as recently happened). Pretending this bans something new is disingenuous.
At the heart of the issue is the fact that <i>car traffic</i> has been disrupted. To say this is an insult to the people of Australia gives the interlopers more respect than they deserve. Do not let the terrorists win. They are without honour.<p>Protests in Australia are for weekends and footpaths, like bicycles.
In other words, the democratic backsliding throughout Western countries continues at a steady pace; the freedom of assembly seems to be now at the forefront. Australia and the UK will certainly drop in the next V-Dem measurement round (both countries are already in a slight downward spiral).
For some extra context: anti vaxers and fascists have been allowed to protest freely in SA for years, especially on the same street. As soon as an environmental protests target the gas company where there are connections to the current party in power, this comes in.
Protests that are not disruptive are pointless. Politicians simply ignore them. I watched millions march in an organised, peaceful, manner against the Iraq war, Tuition fees and a dozen other issues. Nothing changed, it was barely reported.
It's anecdotal, but the people I know who absolutely support this kind of speech and these "disrupptions" are the first in line to complain about the speech of others. They're the ones who have campaigned for years to ban any kind of speech they deem offensive or hurtful. And they wouldn't allow the same kind of "disruptions" when it comes to topics they don't support. They'd ask for laws to restrict that. At least here in Germany these protestors are the whiniest people when it comes to dealing with others while crying the loudest about anything and everything.<p>Maybe it's different in Australia but that's what I noticed over here.
Unfortunately with social media we live in an age of unparalleled narcissism. Gluing yourself to a major motorway has become a quick way to gain attention and feel morally superior so you can keep feeling like the main character.<p>Now, I'd be happy to support your gluing yourself to footpaths and freeways, as long as I have the right to remove you for obstructing my way. The problem is my options are fairly limited if I'm stuck in traffic for three hours because you're "demonstrating".<p>A common argument in favour of these disruptive tactics is "yeah but the planet is DYING, this is an EMERGENCY!" OK, go do something about it - other than gluing yourself to the road. Go study science and engineering. Please. Because the more people working on the problem, the quicker we'll get solutions. Don't you CARE?