People marching toward Parliament Square in London as part of a "kill the bill" rally on April 3. Photo: Hasan Esen/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Hundreds in London and several cities across England and Wales rallied in "kill the bill" protests on Saturday against a proposed law that would broaden police authority for regulating demonstrations, according to Reuters.
Why it matters: Opponents of the bill say it could be used to curb dissent and individual freedoms and could excuse heavy-handed tactics used by police to break up peaceful protests.
Context: The bill was proposed in response to recent sporadic protests that had turned violent.
- People during a protest in Bristol in March bombarded officers and a police station with bricks and glass bottles and set police vehicles on fire, according to CNN.
- But police have also been criticized for using excessive force against protesters, including at a vigil held in London last month for Sarah Everard, whose body was found in March after she disappeared. Wayne Couzens, a London police officer, has been charged with the suspected abduction and murder of Everard.
The big picture: Protests were also held in at least 24 other towns and cities in England and Wales, including Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Derby, Exeter and Oxford, according to The Guardian.
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