‘Hostile, authoritarian’ UK downgraded in civic freedoms index

21 comments
  1. > The UK’s willingness to clamp down on civic freedoms such as the right to peaceful assembly means it is now classified as “obstructed” – _putting it alongside countries such as Poland, South Africa and Hungary_.

    > “The downgrade reflects the worrying trends we are seeing in restrictions across civil society that are threatening our democracy. The government should be setting a positive example to countries that have clamped down on civic space,” said Stephanie Draper, the chief executive of the Bond charity, a partner in the Civicus collaboration. She added: “The UK is becoming increasingly authoritarian and is among concerning company in the Civicus Monitor ratings as restrictive laws and dangerous rhetoric are creating a hostile environment towards civil society in the UK.”

    > Countries are classified as: open; narrowed; obstructed; repressed; or closed. The UK has been downgraded from “narrowed” to “obstructed”.

  2. Goodbye, Britain. I gave a decade of my life in service to this country and now I’m emigrating and never coming back. I’m sorry to those I can’t take with me and to those who voted for this bilge, enjoy the decline into obscurity.

  3. The masterful thing about it is that those that vote for the Tories often cite these as some of their reasons for voting for them. So we have less speech and aren’t a nanny state.

  4. Kinda related. I watched one of the ( mountain bike ) coppers absolutely screaming at a tourist family ( two adults, two kids ) who’d walked across the road in front of Buckingham palace instead of using the zebra crossing the other day, it was embarrassing quite frankly. In front of a world tourist landmark and this idiot is screaming at them like they’d robbed a bank. The kids were frightened. Even the copper’s partner looked embarrassed.

    Totally uncalled for, he could have just had a quick word and let them be on their way.

    I mean, talk about authoritarian. It was so full on that I’ve been waiting for videos of it to surface on social media. People were definitely filming it.

    Just the little things really.

  5. I feel like British Redditors are majority anti protest tbh. The public aren’t sympathetic to protest in this country and this is what came of that.

  6. Fuck the Tories and their supporters. They have a massive hissy fit when we call them fascists, but that’s exactly what they are.

  7. People in the UK will happily VOTE to lose their rights away as long as it hurts boat and trans people more.

    People only moan about losing their rights when there’s not someone else losing them.

    Country deserves it.

  8. For everyone saying there’s nothing we you can do – Belarus needed to bring in the Russian military to stop them from demonstrating at Lukashenko’s appointment. The French are constantly rioting against bullshit. And so many more examples.

    The fact is, the government keeps getting away with these changes because we as a people allow them to. Rather than try to fight it, Brits just accept it.

    Who can you blame but ourselves?

  9. Funny how it’s becoming more authoritarian, with less policing. Less freedom, with higher crime and generally feeling unsafe.

    People walk in stores grab items and walk out these days. Unless it’s done in Knightsbridge or Chelsea not a single police officer will go check. (Speaking about London at least)

  10. Okay, so now will people stop calling me a conspiracy theorist/doomsayer when I say this country is authoritarian now that it’s official?

    No, but a man can dream, right?

  11. When the union looks more like a hostage situation or an abusive relationship it should.

    Watch all the nutjobs vote tory again.

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