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Group gathers outside police station to mark five years since Kill the Bill protests
“Brick by brick, wall by wall. Free them all, free them all.”
These were the words of people gathered outside Bridewell Police Station on Saturday afternoon to mark five years since the Kill the Bill protests.
Traffic came to a halt as the group blocked Bridewell Street, with officers standing guard in front of the police station.
A banner with the words “Free All” was unfurled from the Galleries on Saturday afernoon – photo: Rob Browne
On March 21 2021, an initially peaceful protest against the then-government’s proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill escalated into a violent riot, with both protesters and police officers suffering injuries.
In the aftermath, several arrests were made, and some protesters were handed lengthy prison sentences.
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On Saturday the group first gathered at Castle Park, where they were joined by the anti-war group from a set of rival protests happening only a short walk away.
A short scuffle broke out when a single member from Kill the Bill group disapproved of the anti-war group’s presence, criticising their support of the Iranian regime and opposition to the USA-and-Israel-led actions in Iran.
“He is not one of us”, the Kill the Bill protester yelled, pointing towards a protester opposing the hostilities in Iran.
The Kill the Bill protester also criticised the presence of the Iranian flag, which many of the anti-war protesters were carrying.
Traffic came to a standstill for a short while on both sides of Bridewell Street as the group blocked the road
A short while later, both groups joined forces and started marching towards Bridewell Street.
Outside Castle Park, a protester who did not wish to be named said the Kill the Bill protests were in opposition to the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill which was seen as “severely damaging” to people’s rights, including their rights to protest.
She added: “Everyone is so scared to protest now.
“In 2021, there were thousands and thousands of people on the street for this kind of cause.
“And now, what is it like, 50 of us?
“We’re looking at how much they’re hyper criminalising gatherings. Anything around trying to stand up against the police is so scary for so many people.
“That’s one of the many reasons why today is so important.”
Several placards held by the group criticised policing action during the Kill the Bill protests – photo: Rob Browne
Another protester named T said: “I’m here to show solidarity with the Kill the Bill protesters from five years ago.
“I think they had very harsh sentencing.
“They were treated very brutally by the police and I think the police haven’t faced adequate consequences for the level of brutality they executed in 2021.”
Avon & Somerset Police have always insisted their actions on May 21 2021 and subsequent days of violent scenes were not unlawful, and have disputed protesters’ accounts.
One rioter, Ryan Roberts, who attempted to set fire to two police vans while officers were still inside, was jailed for 14 years.
Main photo: Rob Browne; all videos: Karen Johnson
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