Terrorism and civil liberties in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Terrorism and civil liberties in the UK - Essay ExampleThe past two decades have brought forth a slew of harsher legislation to deal with the problems of act of terrorism and deteriorating law and order, which seriously question former Prime Minister John Majors contention that we have no need of a eyeshade of Rights because we have freedom. Some examples of the curbing of civil liberties of ordinary citizens are the curtailment of the right of public protest, control orders, indefinite detention and arrests without warrants.Public protests are generally encompassed deep down the framework of the right to free expression and free association which is an essential part of a democracy. Restrictions on public gatherings, camping and other activities, to cope with flagitious and terrorist elements, have resulted in a wider range of activities being construed as criminal offences. Trespassing on land and refusing to leave when asked to do so by the natural law constitutes an offence . The Act also allows the police to prohibit any gatherings of more than 20 people on any land of historical, architectural, archaeological or scientific importance by obtaining an order from a local authority to ban such an assembly if they have a reasonable suspicion that there could be disturbances . Such measures have purportedly been introduced in the interest of controlling terrorism and public disorder, so that conduct which constitutes one or more offences shall be regarded as a seriouscrime where it involves conduct by a large number of persons in pursuit of a common purpose.