Trade Unions speak out about the Policing Bill and the violence in Bristol

A statement has been agreed by the main trade unions representing some 100,000 workers across the Bristol area.

The Statement says:

We strongly oppose the ill-conceived and dangerous Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill being proposed by the Home Secretary. To push through repressive legislation under the cover of the pandemic is awful politics and will make dreadful law.

As it stands, the Bill seeks to:

• Erode fundamental rights of protest including vital trade union actions and activities that support working people
• Draw false links between violence and the Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion protests
• Attack those marginalised from society, such as traveller communities and other minority groups
• Create a fake ‘culture war’ where moves to establish a more tolerant and diverse society is somehow destroying our history.

We condemn the violence in Bristol on Sunday evening. The separate actions of a minority were in stark contrast to the peaceful demonstration against the Bill earlier in the day. And it played directly into the hands of Conservative ministers and those who wish to deny our collective right to protest.

Their actions deserve no place in the radical history of Bristol and in the genuine protest movements that have secured progressive change. We will not allow the violence to dilute the real campaign against this Bill.

Nigel Costley, South West TUC Regional Secretary

Hannah David, South West TUC Chair

Joanne Kaye, South West UNISON Regional Secretary

Steve Preddy, South West Unite Regional Secretary

Rowena Hayward, Senior Organiser GMB Wales and South West Region

Hannah Packham, South West NEU Regional Secretary

Nick Ireland, South West and Wales USDAW Divisional Secretary

James Davies, South West PCS Regional Secretary

Kev Beazer, South West CWU Regional Secretary

Trevor French, Executive Council member South West Region, Fire Brigades Union

Simon Crew, Secretary Bristol Trades Union Council