Commons vote on peaceful protest 'an unjustified attack on democratic rights'

Cruelty Free International, which works to end animal testing, has issued a statement. This follows the House of Commons voting in favour of proposed amendments to the Public Order Act 2023. The House of Lords will cast its vote on the legislation on Wednesday 21 January. The amendments would criminalise peaceful protest against animal research with penalties of up to 12 months’ imprisonment and unlimited fines.

The statement on peaceful protest

Cruelty Free International strongly opposes the draft regulations, which are illiberal, draconian, unnecessary, and almost certainly unlawful. Criminalising peaceful protest against animal research undermines fundamental freedoms and public accountability. The House of Lords must reject it.

The proposal seeks to classify ’life sciences infrastructure’ (including animal research and breeding facilities) as ’key national infrastructure’ under the Public Order Act 2023. This is a significant overreach: such facilities cannot reasonably be considered critical infrastructure. The measure threatens fundamental rights to protest which are protected under UK law and the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Government has drawn on two justifications. These are pandemic preparedness and preventing life sciences industry retreat. There is no suggestion that protesters interfered in any way with the development of Covid vaccines; and pharmaceutical companies threatening to relocate have cited regulatory or economic pressures, not protest.

Existing police powers already address protest-related concerns and there is no evidence that these are inadequate. No consultation has taken place with animal protection or civil liberties organisations.

We are deeply disappointed that such a major change is being pursued through a process that does not allow for substantive Parliamentary debate or public scrutiny. We urge members of the House of Lords to vote against the motion to approve the regulations when it comes before the House next week.

Furthermore, we would encourage Parliamentarians to seek clarity on the scope of activities intended to be criminalised and to question Ministers on the lack of evidence, the discriminatory nature of the proposal, and its compatibility with the rights of the British people to carry out non-violent protest in relation to a topic on which opinion surveys have repeatedly demonstrated strong public concern.

This measure is an unjustified attack on democratic rights, and risks setting a dangerous precedent towards an ever-growing restriction of peaceful protest. It should have been rejected outright by MPs but now we call on Lords to ensure these regulations do not pass into law.

Currently, ‘key national infrastructure’ includes: