Hundreds of ‘Kill the Bill’ protesters marched through Sheffield city centre on Saturday to oppose the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.
The demonstrators gathered at Devonshire Green at 2pm, chanting “this is what democracy looks like’’, while many held placards expressing anger at the bill and the Government.
One police officer could be seen walking through the crowds, while three officers on horses passed by.
The group later marched down West Street before staging a sit-down outside Snig Hill Police Station, blocking the junction.
After around five minutes, the protesters continued on up High Street and Fargate, stopping cars and buses, and staged a second sit-down on the road outside the Town Hall.
The protest was peaceful, with speakers addressing the crowd about why they were there and the impact the bill would have on marginalised groups.
One speaker said: “This bill threatens all of our rights. It doesn’t matter who you are or what communities you’re part of, it threatens all of us.
“Because of that, we have to stand in solidarity, and that’s what we’re doing today. We all care about each other and we all care about the future.”
The bill contains reforms which would give police more powers to manage protests, including setting noise limits, and start and finish times.
The speaker also spoke of the impact the bill could have on the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities which, if enacted, would criminalise trespass.
They said: “There’s so much racism towards this community in our society, it’s endemic. This bill is using that racism, to push it through and criminalise this community, and we’re saying no”.
Another spoke of the events at Orgreave Coking Plant near Rotherham in 1984, in which police officers violently confronted striking miners.
They said: “We need to remember that this kind of policing, whether it’s led by Priti Patel or by the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, has always existed and has always been used to target working class communities. We need to continue to fight and we won’t let this bill pass.”
Last week protests against the bill in Bristol turned violent when police attempted to disperse crowds.
Protesters also took to the streets of Manchester and Nottingham on Saturday.
South Yorkshire Police have confirmed that no arrests were made at the Sheffield protest.
