News / Kill the Bill
Two protests in one day bring city streets to a standstill
Hundreds of people took to the streets of Bristol on Saturday for the first ‘kill the bill’ protest of 2022.
It was billed by some as the last legal protest able to be held to oppose the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill which could soon be made law.
The bill has already passed through the House of Commons and will be voted on in the Lords on Monday.
is needed now More than ever
Saturday’s demonstration was Bristol’s fifteenth ‘kill the bill’ protest and followed the so-called ‘swarming’ of several roads and bridges in the city centre from midday.
This direct action in locations including St Phillip’s Bridge and Redcliff Street was coordinated by Youth Climate Swarm.
The environmental activist group were calling for new oilfield development in the North Sea to be halted, the insulation of all UK homes and public transport to be made free.
Youth Climate Swarm activists repeatedly blocking roads for short periods of time to cause disruption and publicise their demands – photo: Rob Browne
Youth Climate Swarm accuse Bristol City Council of failing to deliver on their promise of free public transport for 16- to 18-year-olds as set out in the council’s own One City Plan – photo: Rob Browne
Climate activists start young in Bristol – photo: Rob Browne
After the last of their antics, Youth Climate Swarm activists made their way to College Green for the start of the ‘kill the bill’ demonstration.
Speakers in front of City Hall included Colston 4 defendant Rhian Graham, former lord mayor Cleo Lake and poet Lawrence Hoo, before the hundreds of people gathered set off towards the centre at around 3.45pm.
Led by a band of drummers and protestors holding reappropriated police riot shields, demonstrators weaved through the city.
Two ‘kill the bill’ protesters on College Green – photo: Rose Morelli
While the protest was peaceful, tensions escalated at one point where a car became trapped within the crowds opposite the Hippodrome.
The march also stopped for around 20 minutes outside Bridewell police station but eventually moved on much to the delight of dozens of motorists stuck in their cars.
Protesters ended where they had started on College Green, with the music continuing, candles lit and around a dozen stragglers being watched by almost as many police as they remained until around 8pm.
Hundreds of people gathered on College Green ahead of the march – photo: Rose Morelli
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read more: ‘Kill the bill’ rioter jailed for 14 years
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