Campaigners take to the streets of Cornwall urging the Lords to 'Kill the Bill'
The rally in Camborne was among dozens held ahead of a crucial vote on the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill
Last updated 16th Jan 2022
Dozens of people have taken to the streets of Cornwall, calling on the House of Lords to 'Kill the Bill'.
A rally was held in Camborne on Saturday, as part of a nationwide day of action against the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill.
Campaigners marched from the office of Camborne and Redruth MP George Eustice to the police station, waving banners, banging drums and chanting.
They are urging peers to reject the bill, claiming it restricts their right to protest peacefully.
"This is totally authoritarian"
Thea Rose Pettitt studies science at Falmouth University and was among the speakers and organisers in the Duchy.
She said: "This will not deter me, let me say that. This will not deter me from protesting but it will deter a lot of people because it just ups the threat.
"It ups the threat that the police state is because all that's happening is the police are being given more powers against people for them speaking up.
"The bill allows the police to tell people to stop meeting up with each other, to stop people posting on social media; this is totally authoritarian".
We asked Thea what she hoped the action would achieve: "Ideally that the bill doesn't pass. That the politicians that are supposed to represent us actually listen to what we're saying and don't take away our rights; that is the ideal.
"I don't have a lot of hope that that'll happen but we're here to kill the bill.
"We are here to register our dissent at this bill becoming law".
Demonstrations took place in cities across the country on Saturday, including London, Bristol, Coventry, Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Plymouth.
They were organised ahead of a crucial vote in the House of Lords on Monday 17th January.