Details of third Kill the Bill Cornwall march to be in Truro: time

The Kill The Bill Cornwall group will be protesting in Truro at 2pm as part of a national day of action against the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill.

This is the third consecutive week that people in Cornwall have protested the bill with hundreds of people voicing their opposition in Truro and Falmouth.

More than 100 people marched through Falmouth and gathered on The Moor last Saturday, coinciding with other protests across the country in Brighton, Manchester, Bristol and Bath.

The previous week hundreds of people gathered on Lemon Quay in Truro for the same reason.

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Speeches were given on The Moor, Falmouth. Picture Bobby Angelove

The parliamentary bill puts forward a range of changes to enforcement and sentencing in both England and Wales and was recently voted through parliament. It is currently going through the committee stage where its clauses and any amendments will be debated.

The bill includes giving the home secretary, a position currently held by Priti Patel, powers to create laws that can define “serious disruption” to communities and organisations, which could then be used by police forces to impose conditions on protests, including if they are too noisy. It also includes a clause to sentence someone who defaces a statue to ten years in prison.

A banner to protest the bill at the Truro event. Picture: Fraser Peebles

A spokesperson said: "People across the country are sending a clear message that we will fight this draconian and racist bill. We are so proud and inspired by the response in Cornwall and hope people join us for a third week of protests.

"There has been some commentary comparing the peaceful protests in Cornwall to those in Bristol. We reject these comparisons especially when used to condemn protesters.

"The difference in Cornwall is there were only a few police officers present. If we'd been met by riot police beating us and our friends, then the scenes in Cornwall would have looked very different."

The protest went through the centre of Falmouth. Picture Bobby Angelove

They added: "We don't want to be taking to the streets during a pandemic. But the immediate threat this bill poses means we don't have a choice. We are aware that protests are now legal under Covid regulations and we have conducted a risk assessment in order to keep this event as safe as it can possibly be.

"We hope as many people join us in Truro to make some noise and show that Cornwall stands strong in the face of police and state oppression. Join us and be part of a growing national movement to kill this bill."