Belfast City Council is seeking to give powers to the police to fine people £500 if they set up a stall with information leaflets and flyers in the city centre. Also, anyone using amplification systems will face the same fines.

The laws will target mainly pro-life groups, animal rights campaigners, and street preachers.

This is a blatant attack on free speech. Such a law would be far reaching and disproportionate. These bye laws will specifically target pro-life stalls and street preaching, but the rules are so broad that any group or organisation with a public presence should be concerned.

All Parties on the council’s Strategic Policy and Resource Committee agreed on  22 October 2021 to approve the draft bye laws, and they were expected to be passed at the full council meeting last night (1 November).

The SDLP said they were “unashamedly pro-regulation”. The Green Party said that regulation needed to be “targeted” (presumably at pro-life group and street preachers)

However, the bye law was not passed and it has now been referred back for review at Committee where it will be debated further.

TAKE ACTION

Freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are fundamental human rights – both protected under Articles 10 and 11 of the Human Rights Act.

Contact the members of Belfast City Council and respectfully tell them that you want them to uphold and protect the fundamental human rights of freedom of assembly and freedom of expression.

You can find the contact details of Belfast City Councillors here…