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In today's Britain, protest is no longer a basic freedom. Rather, it has become a conditional permission that authorities allow or deny at their discretion. This constitutes the underlying meaning of proposed measures that the current government is putting forward, which would dictate the timing and location demonstrations can occur, with potential imprisonment for those who defy these restrictions.

Erosion of Democratic Rights

Previous administrations had already weakened this essential right: the former Conservative government had given law enforcement sweeping new authorities, which international human rights organizations had censured as "serious and undue restrictions" on democratic freedoms. Taken together, these progressive attacks on freedom have effectively eliminated the hard-won right to freedom of protest.

Using Atrocity to Rationalize Suppression

The latest restrictive measures are being justified by citing last week's terrible antisemitic assault on a Manchester Islamic center. We can all agree on widespread consensus that the safety of British Jews must be safeguarded. However, employing this horrific incident as a pretext to suppress opposition is not only unrelated to that duty but distorts it.

"If you cannot draw the line at mass killing, you probably cannot draw the line at democracy," observed a prominent American author, whose words that applies equally for the current government.

Historical Perspective of Protest

Consider Britain's long tradition of protest and activism against racial discrimination and authoritarianism, from the historic 1936 Cable Street confrontation to after World War II Jewish groups opposing fascism and the 1970s demonstrations against the National Front. Many of these historical demonstrators were labeled as extremists in their time, even while they were advocating the freedoms of minorities.

Present Situation

In today's complex situation, here's what's truly happening: Israel – a foreign state – is committing what United Nations investigations have described as systematic destruction. Its warfare have prompted the global justice body to issue legal indictments against Israel's prime minister and his ex-military leader.

Western popular sentiment has shifted dramatically against Israel's violent actions. In Britain, a large percentage of the public think Israel has likely committed war crimes. Most people would endorse a complete ban on weapons exports to the nation, and approve the arrest of Netanyahu.

Suppressing Opposition

Having largely lost the argument, Israel's supporters are now seizing on a vile anti-Jewish attack to attempt to suppress a popular campaign against a ethical disaster. The British government seems included in this attempt. Ministers have failed to implement extensive restrictions on Israel and have allowed arms exports to continue.

People who are protesting against the erasure of Gaza have been characterized as hateful extremists. Yet there's a important factor why there hasn't been a broader crackdown on these protesters until now: extremely few protesters have made truly offensive statements about Jewish people, giving law enforcement little justification to take action.

Problematic Association

Merging Jewish identity with the actions of the Israeli state is not only cynical but also dangerous. The standard interpretation of antisemitism, adopted by the British government and numerous institutions, has been appropriately questioned for potentially restricting valid commentary of Israel. However, there should be no disagreement about one of its central illustrations: that "making Jewish people generally accountable for decisions of the state of Israel" constitutes prejudice against Jews.

Increasing Limitations

This is why we've reached a situation where police authorities can propose that protests criticizing Israel's actions should be canceled because they might "accidentally or deliberately" support antisemitism. Similarly, government officials have stated that recognition of Palestinian statehood has made political parties "implicated" in supposed mistreatment experienced by Jewish communities.

Double Standards

On the same day as the synagogue attack, the Israel's army killed dozens of Palestinians in Gaza – increasing the horrific toll from 24 months of daily atrocities that have taken many thousands of lives. British politicians and news organizations have barely concealed the minimal importance they assign to Palestinian life. This represents one of the most brazen demonstrations of racism in our time.

Breaking Boundaries

Our government has already passed a concerning boundary by proscribing Palestine Action, a non-violent, anti-genocide direct action organization. Multiple thousands of British protesters have been arrested, primarily for holding placards against genocide and supporting the proscribed group. Many of those arrested are pensioners; among them a former clergyman and the daughter of a World War II genocide survivor.

Global Comparisons

It's easy to see where this trajectory leads. In the United States, government officials helped vilify pro-Palestinian protests: a former House Speaker suggested that some were "connected to" other nations, while the sitting leader described such protests as antisemitic. In taking these actions, they helped legitimize the authoritarian crackdown on such protests – and on freedom of expression in general.

Future Concerns

If a hard-right government comes to power, it would be given sweeping powers to suppress dissent. What might a new administration do with this repressive toolkit? Our ancestors struggled, suffered and sacrificed their lives to secure our liberties. We may ultimately rue how easily we allowed them to be eroded.