Protest

This was placard that made me smile most at today's Oxford protest against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that aims to ban protests that are a 'serious annoyance'.

If the bill passes it would also introduce a maximum 10 years in prison for 'damage to memorials', e.g. the toppling of the statue of slave trader, Edward Colston, in Bristol. Just for comparison, the maximum term for the rape of anyone over 12 years old - yes, that's 12 years old - is 8 years imprisonment.

My favourite individual protest was a woman dressed in green and purple with a placard reading 'Votes for Women'. 

The one that echoed my weary sentiments most is in extras - that's the placard I made this morning held by a good ally while I wield the camera. In that picture we are standing between the police station and the Crown Court. Please note how we are leaving the route open for buses and emergency vehicles. 

I've now made placards four weeks in succession - my fastest rate since Thatcher brought down civil liberties and democracy in the 1980s.