Freedom of speech and assembly are essential pillars of a thriving democracy. As an organisation committed to democratic renewal and meaningful public participation in the decisions affecting communities, we believe these rights are essential for addressing the challenges of the 21st century. Yet we are deeply concerned about their erosion in the UK. Whatever your issue, protest is an essential part of democratic participation, allowing ordinary people to hold institutions to account. When these freedoms are undermined, our democracy is also undermined.
This weekend’s arrests during a non-violent protest, are not the actions of a healthy democracy, nor the sound use of public resources. Our democratic space is already unnecessarily curtailed, through sweeping restrictions on protest rights in The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This act grants the police powers that create a chilling effect on UK residents ability to speak out. The broad application of terrorism legislation to criminalise non violent direct action represents a further erosion of basic democratic freedoms.
This reflects a worrying trend. In 2023, the Civicus Monitor – which provides a global rating on civic freedoms – downgraded the UK from ‘narrowed’ to ‘obstructed’, placing the UK alongside Hungary and South Africa. Civicus describes a world where democracy is in crisis, with countries including the USA and Italy imposing extensive restrictions on human rights civil society’s ability to operate. A recent Bond report on civic space in 2025, highlights concerning developments, including penalties for climate protestors and concerns over policing of pro-Palestine demonstrations. As a nation once seen as a defender of democratic values, the UK should be leading efforts to protect civic space rather than contribute to its erosion. This is about more than protest — it’s about the glue that holds society together.
When people feel ignored between elections, frustration builds. Without safe, legal ways to express that dissent and demand change, this frustration can erupt into more extreme actions, deepening social divisions.
Democracy is strongest when people can learn about an issue, engage in genuine dialogue with those who disagree, and work together on solutions. If government created more meaningful opportunities for public participation between elections –through deliberative processes that bring diverse voices together – , we can build trust, foster mutual understanding, and develop shared purpose across communities and institutions.
The freedoms to protest, speak, assemble, and challenge power are not luxuries. They are the foundations of our democratic society. Defend them, and democracy flourishes. Allow them to erode, and fractures will deepen.